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Secondary education

Connect with other parents whose children are starting secondary school on this forum.

Original poster

Y11 2025/26… come and join

985 replies

wonderstuff · 22/08/2025 19:31

New thread

OP posts:
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9
Roseyposeypie · 25/08/2025 00:19

Joining :)

DS1 hasn’t had much work from school over the summer. We’re just starting to get organised for the new school year after a week away. Has anyone got any recommendations for an academic year wall planner? I feel it might be helpful for him to see the whole year set out on paper.

36and3 · 25/08/2025 10:23

Dd hasn’t got her timetable yet. Assuming she’ll keep the same teachers as last year.

waitingquietly · 25/08/2025 12:20

I’m not sure they do keep the same teachers necessarily - I know DS1 had some changes for year 11 - I know definitely History and English changed , maths stayed the same - DS2 currently has a great maths teacher so I will be gutted if that changes

Chapter2 · 28/08/2025 11:06

Joining. Hi all.
I am slightly dreading this year but trying to be positive. DS1 struggles to focus on revision and is not self-motivated. Hoping that little and often will work with lots of support. He got some of his DT coursework started over the summer but no other work was set by school.

FlyingPandas · 28/08/2025 11:16

Oh God @Chapter2 the bloody DT coursework! DS2 also taking DT and I can already tell that the coursework is going to be the bane of my life until the damned thing is handed in!

We are heading home from holidays today and I have an impending sense of doom about the arrival of the autumn term. DS, in a fit of optimism, brought various GCSE books with him ‘to get some work done’ and of course they have remained unopened in the hotel room…

Chapter2 · 28/08/2025 11:25

Ha! @FlyingPandas - same!

waitingquietly · 28/08/2025 13:40

DS2 has had loads of work - he’s done a tiny fraction of it .. completely understand the impending doom feeling . Mine tells me almost every day he’s going to do
some studying - but the start time gets postponed throughout the day .

Walkingbkwrm · 28/08/2025 16:58

No ideas on the wall planner @Roseyposeypie but it’s an interesting idea. Can’t decide if one would help DS1 or make him more panicky. Definite impending doom here :(.
I have no idea if they keep the same teachers- I would think hopefully but sure they can’t guarantee it.
Some work has been done today! I had to sit with him during it, but that’s normal for DS1 (autistic). Think we will have to go with little and often - trouble is he forgets stuff so fast…..:(.
Back to school on Tuesday (Weds for his brother) - what about everyone else?

Original poster
wonderstuff · 28/08/2025 17:41

DS back on Wednesday, which is early I think. I’m a teacher and back Wednesday but kids in my school aren’t back until Monday.

There’s a bit of me eager to get this year done, DS in y11 is going to have to really work hard to get to go to 6th form and DD in Y13 breezed through GCSEs in comparison, and actually had such a horrendous spring the exams seemed much less important when they came round, A-levels for her seem much more high stakes. I feel none of us will relax until June, by which point whatever the outcome it will be what it is. Obviously I need to live in the moment a bit and not wish life away, after all days with the kids home are fairly numbered at this stage! Doesn’t help that my work timetable looks exhausting (I’m teaching in 7 different classrooms, 3 different subjects).

OP posts:
Tailrunner · 28/08/2025 18:11

wonderstuff · 28/08/2025 17:41

DS back on Wednesday, which is early I think. I’m a teacher and back Wednesday but kids in my school aren’t back until Monday.

There’s a bit of me eager to get this year done, DS in y11 is going to have to really work hard to get to go to 6th form and DD in Y13 breezed through GCSEs in comparison, and actually had such a horrendous spring the exams seemed much less important when they came round, A-levels for her seem much more high stakes. I feel none of us will relax until June, by which point whatever the outcome it will be what it is. Obviously I need to live in the moment a bit and not wish life away, after all days with the kids home are fairly numbered at this stage! Doesn’t help that my work timetable looks exhausting (I’m teaching in 7 different classrooms, 3 different subjects).

That sounds like stressful year! I have DD1 doing GCSEs this year but in 2 years she will be doing A levels and her sister will be doing GCSEs. I'm not looking forward to it.
I'm teaching in a few different classrooms next year too and I have 3 new courses to deliver (well 2 new courses and 1 where I'm teaching the bits I don't usually teach). I'm also mentoring a PGCE student again this year. It's going to be busy, hopefully interesting too, but for some reason this is the first year I can't drum up any enthusiasm for the year ahead. I think it's mainly feeling that Sept 1st is far too early to be back in school!
Good luck to you and DCs

NotDarkGothicMama · 28/08/2025 21:43

I packed DS's summer homework booklet into his suitcase to take on holiday and it also returned untouched. I've told him he has to do it tomorrow. He's back to school next Wednesday so running out of time really. Not that I can talk. I have an assignment for my apprenticeship due on the 17th. I've had three months to do it but am only a third of the way there. Focus needed for us both!

UncomfortableSilence · 29/08/2025 06:31

DD is back half day Tuesday then properly from Wednesday

I’m in for Inset Monday then Tuesday onwards, feels far too early, always seems to make this long term feel even longer when we go back on the 1st, even though I’ve done quite a few days over the summer. I’m also dreading going back for some odd reason but I have had a hell of a year so am generally feeling rubbish.

DD completed her work experience yesterday and she loved it, at the social at the end of yesterday the CEO had a really long chat with her and gave her lots of good advice about A Level choices (she’s struggling with this) just a lovely positive experience. She’s meeting some friends at a coffee shop today to study but I’m sure it will be mostly chat.

36and3 · 29/08/2025 07:30

I’m also a teacher - at the kids school. I’m back Monday, kids back Thursday.

UncomfortableSilence · 29/08/2025 10:59

I don’t teach, I’m Finance and HR. School budgets and recruitment make for a less than fun job 🫤

Walkingbkwrm · 02/09/2025 07:43

Good luck to everyone’s DC going back in today (like mine). I’m
crossing my fingers he has a nice day and not one full of his tutor/teachers lecturing him on how “this is a very important year…..” - really won’t help him settle back into school that! We still don’t have a timetable and he can’t remember his new form room so off to a bad start though.

NotDarkGothicMama · 02/09/2025 07:56

I hope he does ok @Walkingbkwrm. I'm sure he won't be the only one who needs a reminder.

DS is back tomorrow. He's finally done his summer homework and he has football tonight to help him practice getting out of bed. I can't believe I have a Y11! It'll be university open days and driving lessons before we know it.

SeaGlassDreamer · 03/09/2025 22:10

First day back for Ds2 today. Usually I get a running commentary from him covering everything but today he was very subdued and said it’s just a continuation of Year 10 so nothing to say. I think he is a little apprehensive about the year ahead.

Original poster
wonderstuff · 03/09/2025 22:22

DS back today too, he managed to wear the right uniform and catch the bus, so that’s a plus. He said he had everything he needed, but on further questioning conceded he’d not taken a pencil case. One is now in his bag… he assures me he is going to pass his GCSEs, but I’m unconvinced he’ll be progressing to A-levels next year..

OP posts:
JoelDommettsTux · 03/09/2025 23:09

My DS how’s back tomorow. He finished his homework this evening. I really try not to have a go but I end up losing it at him then he goes off in a huff. If he put the work in he’s be amazing but when there clash royale and other distractions how can I get my point across!! He is a good kid to be honest but I just want him to knuckle down. Don’t want him being disappointed in August, that’s all. I’m not a pushy mum I promise, just so hard for kids these days they need all the pushing don’t they?! Cliches are true but we’ve been there and worn the T-shirts….

Walkingbkwrm · 03/09/2025 23:31

Subdued here too @SeaGlassDreamer . Think it’s going to be a long year. Still at least he packed a pencil case! Hope your DS managed to avoid detention or similar @wonderstuff .
My DS2 (year 9) sounds a bit like your DS @JoelDommettsTux he did his holiday homework in a rush on Monday. Apparently he “didn’t realise he hadn’t done it…..” He is currently into Hollow Night - apparently the sequel comes out tomorrow so getting him off the console at the weekend is going to be tricky…..

GucciGin · 04/09/2025 07:36

JoelDommettsTux · 03/09/2025 23:09

My DS how’s back tomorow. He finished his homework this evening. I really try not to have a go but I end up losing it at him then he goes off in a huff. If he put the work in he’s be amazing but when there clash royale and other distractions how can I get my point across!! He is a good kid to be honest but I just want him to knuckle down. Don’t want him being disappointed in August, that’s all. I’m not a pushy mum I promise, just so hard for kids these days they need all the pushing don’t they?! Cliches are true but we’ve been there and worn the T-shirts….

My DS is the exact same! We have family link on his phone and have reduced screen time.
He spent 20 mins revising yesterday followed by a very early lunch break despite eating 30 mins prior. So hard to keep him on track.

Feels like I need to stay at home for the foreseeable future to ensure his in track otherwise the PlayStation will be a priority for him.

MiniMidiMaxi · 04/09/2025 08:52

Hey, moving over from the y10 thread, DS has started back today. I’m not feeling very prepared for the term ahead, and nor is DS - in retrospect it was a mistake to have our family holiday at the end of the summer - as he did nothing before we went away and then scrabbled around doing his homework on the few days he had at home after the holiday! Need to regroup this weekend, hopefully his school will set out expectations etc which will get him in a more productive frame of mind.

We did completely sort out his room with a bigger desk, better storage etc so that he can comfortably work in there, though I suspect he will still migrate to the kitchen table!

MiniMidiMaxi · 04/09/2025 08:55

And yes @Walkingbkwrm, he’s another Hollow Night fan nagging for the game today - need to somehow manage access to be a reward for doing work rather than a distraction from it! At least he plans to delete YouTube so he doesn’t accidentally see spoiler videos!

Stowickthevast · 04/09/2025 08:58

Good luck to everyone starting today. Dd1's first day and the biggest issue was her refusal to wear a coat or take an umbrella despite it chucking it down 🙄

She met her friends yesterday and one of them has a 16th party this weekend so she's generally in high spirits. Slightly worried that social life looks like eclipsing school work though!

FlyingPandas · 04/09/2025 12:15

Hi everyone. My DS back today too. He seems calm enough but let’s see. He didn’t get done a fraction of what he planned to do over the summer - the basic holiday work got done but he’s a champion procrastinator and none of the promised revision notes have been created!

Yes yes yes to frustrations with clash royale and hollow knight etc etc! It is so infuriating but I’m (selfishly) glad that some of you are struggling with similar. If one more RL friend with a Y11 DD tells me how brilliant they are at knuckling down and getting revision materials made and how they’re getting through packets of flash cards I might lose my mind…I am sure not all DDs are like that but many of my friends seem to have diligent ones Grin

At least it’s Friday tomorrow, so a short week!