Year 8 2025-26 support thread

[Fedupoftheshits]

Come and join here for support as our kids move from Year 7 to Year 8 in September!

My brother has a degree in Maths from a top university. He had to get a Maths tutor for his own children as he just couldn’t teach them! Lots of upset over his ‘outdated’ methods of doing certain topics apparently.

Are your year 8s doing any trips? We’ve just heard that there aren’t enough places for the battlefields trip they have planned. They’ve apparently tried to increase the numbers but weren’t able to. If DS doesn’t get a place we can take him to Belgium and do it ourselves if we really wanted, but I feel sad that lots of them won’t be able to go. And they want £150 within two weeks if they go get a place, which is a bit quick!

We haven't heard about trips yet. But then, any abroad trips happen in the last week of the school year, so it's a bit early.

We had the letter about this years trip back in July. But they are all space limited. She was offered Spain, but we had to decline as it was to much for both children. She can go on a trip next year.

Yr8 doesn't have any whole year trips... its Yr7 camp, Yr 9 hike, Yr 10 DofE.

I should have clarified that our school didn't run any single year group abroad trips like that so doesn't have that issue.
They are open to multiple year groups to fill spaces. In fact last year's trip to Germany was expanded to Y7 to fill it!
The only one that we had early notice for was one to Asia, but the children going are expected to help fundraiser part of the trip cost (and money for the partner school). I think they go sometime next year so only specific year groups who would still be in school (and not sitting GCSEs) could apply.

DD’s school has two trips planned and she’s quite underwhelmed about both. One is a walking tour around an area in central London, looking at buildings of interest. It’s close to where we used to live and she thinks she’s seen everything around there so doesn’t see the point.

The other trip to Bletchley Park which she has already been to a few times. Really enjoyed it but again doesn’t see the point in visiting again.

There is a ski trapped to Italy…in 2027. School said they are preparing us for it now as “it’s going to be extremely expensive”🫣

Well spoke too soon, the school has organised a ski trip abroad. I managed to sign DD up but it was all a bit fraught. Places were allocated on a first come, first serve basis via the school app and a fairly sizeable deposit had to be paid at the point of sign up. The reservation queue opened at 18.30 and I had DD standing next to me shrieking as I tried to book her in with the confirmation page whirling. Fortunately managed it as by 18.32 when her best friend’s mum logged on every space was taken. So DD is happy she is going but now complaining non stop that so many of her friends missed out🙄

I do think it could have organised better and drawing names would have been much fairer.

And as expected the cost is eye watering!

DS1 looks like he hasn’t got a battlefields trip place. So we might take him and his brother out of school for a day and do it our selves for a weekend. Or I might be brave and take him myself over one night.

DS is having minor surgery on Monday to remove a growing and changing mole on his back that needs to go. He’s going to miss flu jab, a maths assessment and a lit fest. It was supposed to be just before half term but they brought it forward.

How much are these ski trips?

We’ve only had one trip offered which is a weekend away for one of the school clubs for £192.

DD went away with the scouts to Switzerland in the summer for 10 days and that was 1600 which felt a lot for camping!

DD’s ski trip to Italy is £1400 and I’ve been told that is actually reasonable as several friends paid more for their DC’s trips abroad. They are taking a ferry and coach and will be staying in a 3* lodge.

@Rhayader that sounds a lot for camping but Switzerland is v expensive and 10 days is a decent break.

@Eastie77Returns

yeah it included their flights and all the activities (canyoning, mountain coasters, climbing, water parks etc) so we did do it.

That’s a really good price for a ski trip. I’m not sure if DDs school do one but if it cost that I think we would do it! Was it term time?

Yes it’s term time, they are going in March. Leaving on a Sunday and back the following Saturday so 6 nights in total. DD is very excited. We have never been on a skiing holiday (honestly the thought of going on the slopes terrifies me!) so I’m thinking of booking her into some lessons at an indoor snow sports place so she isn’t a complete novice on the trip. The school said all levels will be accommodated including pupils who have never skied before, but I think it will be daunting for to be a complete beginner.

I would strongly recommend this. It will be a waste to spend the whole week on the bunny slopes!

@Eastie77Returns the one at DD (DS sister year 12) new school is £1700 and her old school was £1600 so yes seems about right if not on the cheaper side

DS school doesn’t do a trip

Ah ok I'll stop complaining, DD's price now seems very reasonable😅The school did say the cost is 'subject to change' though so it may go up!

DS (still at primary) went on a school residential recently for 2 nights. It was 'only' £300 but I went to the exact same residential centre with school when I was his age for a week and it cost £24! I remember it clearly as parents paid in installments and mine gave me £2 a week in an envelope to take in to school. Gosh I feel so old.

How is everyone doing? We survived half-term which thankfully was only a week, many schools around here had a two week break.

DD spent a lot of time lolling around and complaining of boredom. She only cheered up towards the end when she went on a shopping trip. She had been bugging me about going to a big shopping centre with her friend but it’s a couple of hours away and I was not comfortable with them going on their own. Her friend’s mum kindly offered to take both girls plus a few others. I loaded DD’s card with some birthday money her aunt sent her and saw via app updates she spent the lot in less than an hour in random shops. Think school needs to offer money management classes as she doesn’t listen to me!

This week and last the has been ‘Challenge Week’ tests across most subjects. DD is worried she is going to drop a set in Science as she has been struggling. I really struggled with Science at school as well. Meanwhile she loves History, French and Drama which were my exact favourite subjects!

We’ve been back a week, things seem to have settled in. One of his close friends is off as he has a poorly relative, but the friend group are rallying.

We've got Y8 girl drama.
Mostly seems to boil down to them adjusting to the fact that humans aren't mind readers. Sigh.
In the meantime, I let DD vent in my ear when she gets home. Hopefully they will come through it all relatively unscathed...

Oh god I remember year 8 drama with my oldest girls are tough

DS is doing ok although have a new headteacher so the rules have gotten stricter so he got a detention for forgetting his glue stick - not that he particularly cares!

Oh god the relationship dramas.
DD has her first girlfriend. Fine there. But apparently Friend 1s boyfriend actually prefers Friend 2 (Friend 1 and Friend 2 don't like each other, DD in the middle). Arghhh....