Y7- 2023/24 support thread

[BernadetteRostankowskiWolowitz]

Hi, just dropping in a thread for those of us who have kids starting secondary this coming September. There was a lovely thread going last year and they are carrying it on into Year 8, so here is a place for us the year behind.

How is everyone feeling as they finish Primary and prepare for Secondary?

Dd is moving from a single form entry "family feel" type cosy Primary into a large 8 form entry, multiple building secondary. She's going alone, her primary class are really split up across multiple secondaries.

The transition days helped, and she is excited,but has been really sad this weke saying her goodbyes

Is everyone prepped for uniform etc?

Absolutely shattered this morn. DD was awake until almost midnight, there were some tears about today. I let her sleep in with me in the end.

Hope all the new Yr7s have a good day today!

Oh @gingeristhenewblack43 I’m sure she will have a good day once she gets there today 🙏🏻

Two of DS’ friends had a little wobble last night after their first days - I think it is probably a release after all the anticipation!

Wishing a great day to those starting today, and those continuing ❤️

@gingeristhenewblack43 I feel for you, similar night for us too, I am shattered and DS looked so pale this morning I thought he might pass out. So many nerves, but, we got him and tracking confirmed he made it to school. Fingers crossed for a good day now, I think he'll be exhausted tonight!

First day here today. DS seemed fine and went in with a massive smile on his face.

I walked with him most of the way, he wouldn't let me go to the gate! I started to get a bit emotional when we were talking about the ways he would be able to get home as despite spending his live on public transport I don't think he has actually done it on his own before!

First day today. Freaked out that her uniform is too big. Then that her glasses were dirty after several cleans. I poi ted out all the other kids uniform is too big too! It is strangely long as its done by chest size not age.
Plus obviously for boys too.

Aww, probably a bit of transferring her nerves onto something. Once she sees everyone else swimming around in massive blazers she'll forget it.

Dd is quite set in her ways, so for day two I've said no packed lunch, go and give the canteen a try. This will be nerve wracking for her as she's a fairly plain eater, but it's roast dinner day which was her favourite at Primary, and she agreed that the longer she waits to try the canteen the more worried about it she will be.

Good luck to all those starting g today!

Just checked the school app, and in among the multiple requests for money, DD1 has a positive behaviour point. Quite impressed since it's for a lesson that she doesn't actually HAVE today. Don't know how she's wrangled that one!

The stairs thing was that they have Maths on the top floor (of a skyscraper according to DD... 3 floors according to the rest of the world) and they put a fire drill on near the end of the day, so they had to leave their bags, come out, then go back up to get their bags at the end of the day - and it was hot... poor kid was melting!

Good luck to those having their first day today. We now have to do the secondary applications thing again for DD2 this year.

I'm impressed though, DD got accepted onto the waiting list for an ASD assessment over the summer - I mailed the school SENCO over the holidays just to get her on the radar and despite her being an academic high flier whose main issues are going to be socially and reining in the loud daft behaviour when anxious - they've allocated her a SEN keyworker TA who got in touch with me by lunchtime yesterday to keep in contact. Was quite concerned she was going to have to just muddle through for a couple of years before we get near a sniff of a formal diagnosis, but they've taken it seriously. Since we have DD2 to look for secondaries for now, it's positive (DD2 has multiple SEN "things" going on).

Lots of nerves last night but DS went in happily enough today. Slightly worried as I thought I got him a suitable bag but everyone else's seem bigger. Oh well, it was cheap so can replace if needed.

Another one who had a rocky night last night - DS2 ended up in our bed after a nightmare at 1am. Seemed slightly happier this morning apart from moaning about the weight of his (practically empty) school bag. I had the day off as DS1 isn’t back yet so I left him watching TV and went back to sleep for a hour after he left - hope the adrenaline keeps DS2 awake! Really really hoping it’s going ok.
@CoffeeWithCheese that sounds very promising on the schools part. Fingers crossed that they help you get a formal diagnosis all sorted.

Well he managed to get on and off the bus and walk in the right direction!! Was unsettled last night but happy enough this morning…

Just found dds calculator on the floor by the couch. She was playing with it this morning so clearly forgot to put it back in her bag. It's just Pastoral today so hopefully not an issue but it's typical of her lackadaisical demeanour so I'll need to prompt more reminders.

@BernadetteRostankowskiWolowitz I've said I will help DD with reminders this week and then she's on her own with remembering equipment etc.

DD’s first day seems to have gone well. Really enjoyed her drama lesson and is going to audition for the school musical next week. She’s in the same form as two of her best friends and some other kids she knows from primary, but said they hung out with a couple of other girls from their form at lunch. At the moment they’re in the same group for all lessons but this will change over the next few weeks as they get put into sets.

Very hot and tired by the time she got home, so I’ve left her to veg in front of the telly with a snack.

Yeah we packed the bags together, but she got it out to play with this morning and I leave the house 5 mins before her, so wasn't able to remind her to put it back. I think we will do "bag ready and by the front door" before I leave then she can leave it well alone.

@BernadetteRostankowskiWolowitz good idea. I think I'm going to implement a rule that she has to have bag packed by the front door with everything for the next day before she goes to bed.

She also, for some daft reason said "ill get my water bottle from the fridge as I leave so it's extra cold" and forgot that too!

DD came out happy after her wobbles last night and this morn. She said I don't even know what I was crying for! She said she'll sleep better tonight.

They had a fire drill this afternoon but the alarm didn't go off 🤷🏼‍♀️

They only get 35 mins for lunch break and 3 year groups have lunch at the same time (180 in DD's year group). I think we'll stick with packed lunch!

All in all a good report about today though.

Good to hear mainly positive so far. DD loved her first day and has made a few new friends (only 2 boys from primary moved with her) . Very tired this evening after the last few days. Likes most of her lessons and teachers so far. Let's hope the positivity continues x

No water bottle in this heat @BernadetteRostankowskiWolowitz ! Hope she didn’t get too hot and dehydrated.
Here mostly good too though he was so tired by the time he got home. He’s still a bit worried about meeting all the rest of the new teachers and remembering the different expectations of them all. However decent start. Massive relief, I was on tenterhooks all day!

Went up to check on DD and she was asleep!

Must be draining. And the heat won't help.

But she seemed to do well and has made a couple of new friends. And is delighted that she's got an old friend in a few of her classes.

DS came out happy and a lot less nervous. He says he made some friends but can't remember their names.

Well it was my daughters first day today in year 7 she is point blank refusing to walk to school even though it takes 5 mins. I get its a new big thing but with work I can't possibly walk her every day as I have to get a bus. I'm really struggling because I don't want to throw her into the deep end however it is part of the secondary school process right? She's my first and I have no idea what to do about this.

DS had a good first day and I’m enjoying colour coding the timetable!

My boy said he had a great day!

We spoke through sensible choices for lunch today at break he had a pasty and then at lunch a bread roll as the app told me 🫣 I said he needs to be choosing a proper meal or a sandwich etc at lunch lol

The only thing I'm worried about was when we walked up there were a big group of boys from his primary he felt down they hadn't messaged him to walk with him but my child was always one of the tag along and is better off our of this pact.

Three of the boys are in his tutor and he did feel a bit intimidated by the sounds of it as he says he overheard them talking about him being a looser but he said he stayed away and made stayed with a . Quieter boy from his old class and spoke to other people.

Spoke about football at lunch with loads of other kids and said he loved football at lunch etc.

Also, told me about some kids swearing at him and a few others.

I just guess this is school and I should just let get on with it!