Is there a Y7 2024-25 support thread?

[Eastie77Returns]

I’ve been following the 2023-24 one as DD starts secondary school this year so was interested to read about the experiences of pupils who started last September. I’m ancient and things have changed so much since I was at Secondary school. I’m already struggling to keep up with the e-mails and flood of information from her new school and the new term hasn’t even started yet!

Next week she is attending a week long summer school / transition week which I thought was a really good idea to help her get settled ahead of September but she is complaining she doesn’t want to go and it’s unfair she has to spend part of her summer holiday in school (which is fair enough). She has already spent a day at the school and came home overwhelmed saying the buildings are too big, she felt lost and lunch was rushed. On the other hand she really enjoyed the taster lessons and as she likes structure she was excited about having a timetable of different classes.

I’m sensing the months ahead might be a bit tricky and DD is my oldest so the first to attend Secondary and I’m really not sure what to expect!

The Primary school, secondary school and college are all next to each other, but only the secondary school has a drop off bay... parking is horrendous from 8-9 and 2.30- 3 45!

We actually got a message pointing out that parents aren't allowed on school grounds for drop off and pick up, because every year they have parents trying to walk Yr7s to the door...

I think first day is tricky as obviously if you're driving, its a discrete pick up... but walking is more obvious....but you are doing for the same reason, moral support! So good luck!

DDs school trousers have just arrived... hopefully these ones fit, its the third ones we've tried. She just wants to be able to wear shorts and tshirt, and not tailored trousers/kilt, and a blazer, and a tie... Primary school was really tricky socially these last couple of years, I think the anxiety about it is coming out in the uniform.

Thanks to a text message from school, I've just realised DD2 starts on Monday not Tuesday... DD1 is Tuesday not Wednesday!!!!!!!

At least you found out today 😂

DD1 knew but thought she must be wrong so hadn't said anything!!!

I've just seen a friend's son on FB is starting today at his new school 😱. I mean, I'm pretty much ready but the boys definitely aren't yet in the right frame of mind for it.

We're still working on pulling bedtimes back and eating breakfast earlier.

They start next Weds y7 and Thurs y9.

Hopefully when she sees everyone in the same uniform she'll feel better about it. At the very least her new classmates can all bond and commiserate together if it's a bit awful.

Wow that seems like an early start to the school term. Is that in England?

I’m hoping DD doesn’t struggle to make it in on time. She is used to leaving the house at 8.45 and strolling across the road to her Primary school. She will now have to leave the house at 8am latest to get a bus. Oh well, I’m sure the Detentions for late arrival will concentrate her mind.

Yesterday there was an almighty faff as she tried on her uniform. One set of blouses have been returned as they do not fit properly with her tie. I’m not sure if it’s nerve or anxiety but at one point she began crying because she doesn’t have the exact number of pens on the school stationery list🙄

@Eastie77Returns Aw, bless her. As adults we all know no-one gives a monkeys about number of pens etc but they haven't learnt that yet. She's finding something small she can control her reaction to because it's all unknown for her next week.

Ds2 is mostly worried about the first day logistics, where to go and so forth. But we have arranged for him to go in through the gates together with friends so they can all get lost together and that's helping.

Mine are used to being up and out the house before 8 anyway and from after next week Ds2 will be catching the bus with Ds1 which is 7.40 for a 45 minute journey so they will have no choice but to get thir shit together.

If any of them need a lush in the mornings, the Secondary school bus used to leave at 6.45am where we used to live! (The primary school started at 7.30... but it was worth it as they finished at lunch time!)

Following, my eldest starts next week. Anxiety is high as she only knows 2 kids and they are on the other side of the timetable to her.

DD2 starts on Tuesday, DD1 (going into Y8) starts on Wednesday. DD2 is seriously positive and looking forward to it - but that's her general attitude to life - the kid is bottled sunshine and optimism bless her.

Her sister is significantly LESS enthusiastic about going back and not being able to emerge from her pit at noon and spend the day working on her Fortnite level.

Makes minimal change to our morning routine as we always did the secondary school drop off first on a morning before going around to primary (they were less keen on you just slinging them out of the car at primary school!)

Today and Monday we have dentist appointments and hair cuts scheduled before DD starts on Tuesday and DS back at Primary on Wednesday. It will seem odd that they are going to different schools for the first time.

DD’s school sent out the school handbook. There is an entire page dedicated to the different stages of sanctions and detentions. Arriving late in the morning is an automatic detention at lunch time and students must also ‘hand over something of value’ in the morning if they arrive late. DD asked asked what does that mean as we are not allowed to take anything valuable to school (phones are banned..). I really have no idea😅

New phones away policy for Ds1 to get used to here. Ds2 won't know any different as he hasn't had a phone at school yet. They are used to looking up their timetable on SatchelOne app so they will have to use a paper timetable again but since that's what we all did I don't see an issue.

Lots of new school first day pictures going around Facebook here as a huge comprehensive started back yesterday, while mine are chilling at home (while I work).

Their time will come...

DS tried all his school uniform on yesterday evening and looked very smart. I bought him slim waist trousers but he might have filled out a bit over the summer as he said they were tight round his middle. Otherwise, he was very pleased with it all and is looking forward to Tuesday. We've talked about what to do if anyone pushes him around like at his transition day as he has no wish to get into a fight.

Todays the day. We are ready. Money on account. Bag packed. Special breakfast eaten.

Now she needs to get her hair "right"!

@ConflictedCheetah Just returning from holiday which is I think a godsend as at home I would be stressing about the start of term. DS went with BGS in the end. Am a bit worried that he might have been swayed by other people's views. He did seem more keen on Beths initially. The only one he has no interest in is Chis n Sid which is a shame as it's our closest!

Glad to hear your DS has made some friends. My DS did the transition day but didn't want to do the 2 day summer school which is a shame. Hopefully this week goes well for them both!

@historyrepeatz Hope he settles well. DS' best friend is going to BGS - nearly swayed him to go there too but my DS' heart was really in Beths and also, he's not great at languages so locking himself into doing 2 for GCSE was a bit much! His friend did the two days at the start of the summer but didn't say too much about it. At Beths they can do 5 days (3 at the start and 2 at the end of summer) so he spent a bit more time with people.

Last day of holidays! Enjoy it.

Good luck to all the kids (and us parents!) starting this week.

DD starts tomorrow, she's been getting increasingly anxious the past week in the build up so I'll be partly relieved when tomorrow arrives and she gets to grips with the new environment.

Ours goes tomorrow but only for 2 hours which is actually a right pain as no bus so he has to be taken at 10 and picked up at 12!
but that makes it all non-daunting for him. I think they just meet their form tutor (already let the form group) and get talked through the timetable and where to go etc.
he’s looking forward to it. But his best mate is in his form group which is helping with the general anticipation, not convinced it’s the best thing as he may just sit at the back with him and not speak to anyone else! We’ll see

My DS starts tomorrow and has started with the nerves. Hope everyone has a good day.

Best of luck to all the DC starting this week. DD seems very excited about her first day tomorrow. Her timetable was uploaded to the school app today and she has been busy looking up what she will be doing when. I think we are all set. Unfortunately her hair appointment went a bit awry and she ended up with an haircut that is not exactly what we wanted but it will grow out fairly quickly and we’ll just have to be creative in the meantime!

Can I join please? My dd starts tomorrow… fingers crossed it all goes well for everyone!

My youngest, DS11, starts year 7 tomorrow and I still have the end of primary school blues 😭
His older brother, DS13, starts in year 9 ( but at a different school) so we had to get new uniform ( no hand me downs), plus new school app to download and get used to.

DS11 is very much a t-shirt and shorts type of boy so I think will struggle with being in full uniform - why do we still insist on trussing kids up in shirt, tie and blazer when no one in the workplace wears that anymore??

Also, does anyone know why the stationery list always includes a green pen?! DS13 had this too and never used it. I got a multi pack of pens just for that which included a purple pen that I'm still using at work 😂
Good luck to everyone else starting this week, hope it goes well.

The green pen is used for self-marking or peer marking here. Ds1's old books have it all over the place.

I don't understand the reasoning behind coloured pencils being on the compulsory stationery list. Ds has never once used his.

Counting down the hours til tomorrow morning now.

That makes sense re green pen, though DS1 never seems to have used it. Am not sure DS2 will either as apparently they'll do a lot of their work on iPads.

DS2 happily ran into his new school to meet up with his friends. So glad!