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Secondary education

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Original poster

Is this normal in secondaries? Year 7 induction

35 replies

Mobley52 · 25/04/2024 15:55

My DD had an induction day earlier this week at the secondary she is due to go to in September.

She said a lot of the older children were not very nice to their group while they were there - shouting names at them, pointing and laughing, pushing in the corridors.

If you have dc at secondary would this be normal or am I right to worried that the school might not be as nice as I thought?

I'm wondering whether I'm out of touch and this is sort of behaviour in most schools these days.

DD is not going to her catchment school because we felt this one would be a better fit but I'm now concerned I'm separating her from the majority of her classmates for a school that will be equally bad

OP posts:
awayandaway · 25/04/2024 15:59

Gosh, I am sorry, how disheartening for her. I would contact the school immediately and say how concerned you are. As it was corridor behaviour, there is a good chance it is on CCTV. I know that is not how you want to start your relationship with the school, but this is so sad.

BaconCozzers · 25/04/2024 16:00

Oh how rubbish for them ☹️ I'd definitely raise it with the school.

awesomeaardvark · 25/04/2024 16:05

That's completely unacceptable behaviour for any decent school!

Dacadactyl · 25/04/2024 16:06

That's a bit crap. Both my kids said that at their inductions the older kids left them alone other than comments like "aww they're so small" and stuff like that.

I'd be put off to hear your child's experience but they do need to toughen up a bit at secondary. They'll see fights and all sorts (even at the best schools) and pushing in the corridors can go on.

shepherdsangeldelight · 25/04/2024 16:21

There will be the odd child who thinks it's "cool" to mock the new students, but generally I'd say the older ones fall over backwards to help out new Year 7s. Hopefully this was just a bad experience with a few children, and not indicative of the school as a whole.

Greenfunkycat · 25/04/2024 16:24

That’s so bad, my daughter when they had inducuction weren’t even together with the older kids..

Lindy2 · 25/04/2024 16:27

My 2 enjoyed their induction days. There was certainly nothing like this going on.

Where were the staff? What did they do about the bad behaviour?

I'd be concerned too.

TeenDivided · 25/04/2024 17:21

I'm surprised they are gdoing induction days before GCSEs are over and done with.

ncsurrey22 · 25/04/2024 17:35

it sounds awful and probably an indication of serious behavioural problems. In what sort of environment is it acceptable to ridicule and insult newcomers. I'd get on the waiting list for another school to be honest.

twistyizzy · 25/04/2024 17:39

It would worry me that this happened during Induction Day when I'm sure the kids woild have been warned to behave themselves, although there could have been an element of picking out the new kids.
Unfortunately some schools can be like this but not all are. I would have expected staff to be escorting the DC on Induction.

Longcovider · 25/04/2024 17:46

My kids are at a big comprehensive, not a particularly sought after one, though we are happy with it. This is really not acceptable or normal ime

BuddingPeonies · 25/04/2024 19:03

Induction days round here all happen after the exams are over with, so all the Y11s (and 13s if there is a 6th form) are all out of the way.
Makes the school much quieter!

Laserwho · 25/04/2024 19:52

Are you sure this happened? It's two weeks untill GCSE, no school in their right mind would do induction days at this point in the year

Original poster
Mobley52 · 26/04/2024 07:24

Thanks all. Seems like I'm right to be concerned. People who already have DC at the school say it's an excellent school so think has taken me by surprise.

Other local schools are undersubscribed so I'm not sure whether I should look into putting in an application for elsewhere.

@Laserwho yes it did happen. DD is my eldest so I don't know whether the timings are normal or not. I was pleased thinking the school seemed organised starting inductions already. They've also got another induction session in June

OP posts:
Dadof2sd · 26/04/2024 19:44

I would be very concerned and be really put off. If the school can’t control student’s behaviour on the induction days, it is indicative of big behavioural problems existing in the school.
I am so sorry. This would be so worrying for you and so disappointing for your child. Please do look at other local schools in the area.

Laserwho · 26/04/2024 20:30

I'm just going back to not believing this happened. Where would they put a whole year group of kids with no spare classrooms or free teachers? After exams which is when schools normally do induction is only possible because year 11 have left, there's a year supply of empty classrooms and teachers. If it did happen I would query why they gave priority over exam years.

MargaretThursday · 26/04/2024 21:15

@Laserwho it may be an extra induction day for the children who aren't coming with a lot of people they know. Ours does that, for those and any children whom the primary thinks they may need extra support.

However OP, what actually was said. "Aw look at the little diddy babies" or similar she may have taken as being mean, but may have been more nostalgic/empathy if that makes sense. It may have been messing/joking which if she'd been at her own school she would have felt totally different about. The older ones seem so big, and they're out of their comfort zone so things can feel a lot worse than they're meant iyswim.

Teateaandmoretea · 27/04/2024 08:06

It’s completely normal in our catchment comp the kids are seemingly vile to each other as the default.

whiteboardking · 27/04/2024 23:58

Ours is a big city comp and that would be unlikely as the kids volunteering or chosen to do induction days wouldn't be nasty or badly behaved ones.
I'm going to be harsh here. Maybe they were just yr7/8 or even 9 who where just dicking about. There must have been teachers around.
If your DD is from a small nice primary where no one ever is mean etc and she was nervous it's possible she was phased by it. Teens are very different from primary kids

whiteboardking · 28/04/2024 00:04

As others have said in different ways above. Induction now is early. Pre SATs. By July they are ready to move on. Sept they are rabbits in headlights going to secondary. By Oct they get it. By Jan they've changed so much you can not imagine them back in primary. By May they are the cocky Yr7 going into & 8 showing new students round.

Teateaandmoretea · 28/04/2024 07:18

whiteboardking · 27/04/2024 23:58

Ours is a big city comp and that would be unlikely as the kids volunteering or chosen to do induction days wouldn't be nasty or badly behaved ones.
I'm going to be harsh here. Maybe they were just yr7/8 or even 9 who where just dicking about. There must have been teachers around.
If your DD is from a small nice primary where no one ever is mean etc and she was nervous it's possible she was phased by it. Teens are very different from primary kids

Different schools have different atmospheres. Teens can actually behave, the default that they are expected to be vile is really odd. And they live up to it - it’s one of the reasons for the issues in secondary schools.

I also don’t agree with what you say - year 6’s tend to be cocky and full of themselves because they are the oldest. Going to secondary knocks this out of them a bit and they grow up quite a lot. Dd2 is currently in year 7 and is much nicer than a year ago! But her school seems to bring out better in them than some others.

It is definitely not a good sign that the OP’s dc didn’t feel comfortable there.

crumblingschools · 28/04/2024 07:24

What did the adult do who was with them @Mobley52?

TheTerribleMaster · 28/04/2024 07:33

Sounds rubbish for an induction day, but I agree the timing of the induction is madness on the part of the school! That in itself would concern me.

DD had a rough time in year 7, older kids were awful, she'd get pushed in the corridor etc. she said she heard older kids discussing "points" (50 if you knock over a year 7! that kinda thing)

Kids are horrible.

Teateaandmoretea · 28/04/2024 08:50

Kids are horrible.

The kids you are referring to are badly behaved, no more or less. There is a huge behaviour problem in that school (like many comps).

RockyRogue1001 · 28/04/2024 08:54

Induction when SATS are 3 weeks away?

Never heard of that before.
Transition doesn't usually start til after May half term.

Is your DD particularly vulnerable?