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Secondary education

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

Original poster

pfb -in fact only child - off to secondary on Thursday...

788 replies

MaryAnnSingleton · 02/09/2008 08:07

am being calm but every so often panic strikes me - ds is fine about it, it's just me fretting about roads to cross/ money for the canteen - will it get lost/stolen, what about the lockers, arghhh ! Plus,as with the beginning of every term,I'll miss him - I love having him here in the holidays !
It also means that I have no excuses not to sit at my desk and work on the job I'm meant to finish by the end of Seot...

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WendyWeber · 04/09/2008 21:49

I did a bit, moo But she is lucky to be in an excellent school, & has lots of support from her head of dept.

She came here for tea & told us all about it & finally went home at 9 with a couple of hours of prep & seating plans to do before she goes to bed - she is really going to appreciate her weekends now!

OrmIrian · 05/09/2008 08:34

Yes. All went well. He couldn't wait to get back. Mind you it took a while to get him to say anything at all. Left at the crack of dawn this morning (well for him it was) to make sure he got to his friends house so they could walk together. So releived.

Original poster
MaryAnnSingleton · 05/09/2008 09:35

that's great Orm and well done to your dd Wendy - I'd be terrified of teaching in a secondary school - my BIL has just taken early retirement as head of Geog in a rough Nottingham comprehensive - he is so relieved, he found it very stressful I think..his dd,my niece has just started a new job as a SENCO in another Nottingham school but seems to thrive on it..other BIL teaches French in Merseyside and can't wait to retire early too !!
Had a sleepless night fretting about loos and lunches on ds' behalf - gah !

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SorenLorensen · 05/09/2008 10:04

I'm glad he was OK, Orm. And your dd too, Wendy.

Ds1 had butterflies again this morning - this is their first fully timetabled day and he's worried about getting lost. I told him I used to get lost a lot when I started secondary school - mainly because I didn't realise the school was built round two quads, not one, for about the first half term. I did, from time to time, wonder why there was sometimes a greenhouse in the quad and sometimes not...I suspect he's not as geographically hopeless as I was and his school is a lot more user-friendly so I think he'll be OK. I'm glad it's Friday though.

Original poster
MaryAnnSingleton · 05/09/2008 10:08

am sure he'll be fine Soren - ds managed to be in the wrong room yesterday

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WendyWeber · 05/09/2008 10:09

"I did, from time to time, wonder why there was sometimes a greenhouse in the quad and sometimes not" - oh, moo!!!!!

No wonder fantasy & magic works so well with children - they can believe anything

Original poster
MaryAnnSingleton · 05/09/2008 10:33

yes, that was a very sweet image of the transient greenhouse

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OrmIrian · 05/09/2008 13:16

So we're all coping then? Just about

DS#1 got up on time with no argument. Cleaned his teeth and brushed his hair without nagging. Left the house on time. With enthusiasm. Very very odd! But fantastic too. He's a changed boy. Long may it last.

SorenLorensen · 05/09/2008 13:22

Well, I thought I was...but I just went downstairs to have some lunch (I work from home) and it was so quiet and I suddenly felt really sad and lonely and had a little cry. Which is pathetic really as I have had both kids in school for a long time and am used to spending the day on my own. Ho hum.

OrmIrian · 05/09/2008 13:26

Ahh soren I know, I know. I finmally threw away at Thomas the Tank back pack that all 3 had used at school - DS#1 had it when he went to nursery back in 2001. Had a good howl over that . Primary is different somehow. You feel that you still have quite a bit of control and influence over their education. And you can also pretend they are still 'yours'. I still have 2 there so easier for me I guess. But my DS was so miserable and bored at primary for the last year or so, so this change in him is very welcome.

Original poster
MaryAnnSingleton · 05/09/2008 13:30

Soren - I sympathise - I work from home too and have just come down to have marmite sandwich on my own in quiet,empty house..and wondered whether ds was actually having some proper lunch too !

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SorenLorensen · 05/09/2008 13:40

I hope he has a bit more than garlic bread today, MAS I think Wendy's right - it is harder for us than it is for them.

Can you get a copy of the menu, btw? They had a drop-in coffee morning at ds1's school for new (gibbering) parents yesterday (I can't fault them on making the transition smooth, btw - they have really made an effort to get parents involved and make it easier for the new students - they even had an open morning in the holidays where you could go in with your child and try out different 'lessons') and I picked up a copy of the menu. If you could get one you could have a look at it with your ds in advance and he could get an idea of what he might like to eat the next day?

Thanks Orm and MAS It's nice to know we're all feeling a bit emotional.

Original poster
MaryAnnSingleton · 05/09/2008 13:43

good idea - there should be menu on school website - I know they do fish and chips on a Friday which he['d like and if he has managed to find his friend in yr 8 who is back to school today they might eat together..we'll see ok,back to work for me !

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SorenLorensen · 05/09/2008 13:45

Yes, me too - only an hour til I have to pick up ds2

bellavita · 05/09/2008 13:54

If there is fish and chips on at DS1's school - he will be in his element!

I did offer to drive DS1 and his friend the very very short distance to the bus stop this morning so they would not get wet - they declined! I asked him if he wanted to wear his waterproof jacket instead and he said no he will be warm enough in his hoodie/fleece thingy. Suppose I have to let him get cold/wet if that is the way he wants it. Oh and he is not a pupil now but a student!

Glad it is all going ok for you too ladies.

roisin · 05/09/2008 20:34

ds1 has had a great week ... except for today! He had PE P1 today with "a psychotic PE teacher" he told me Apparently scared the living daylights out of them about getting changed quickly, then they had to do tag rugby in the pouring rain and lots of mud. (ds1 not impressed).

But then I think he spent the rest of the sulking about PE!

I'm trying to persuade him to go and sort out a locker, then he can dump his sports gear after PE instead of having to lug it around all day long.

He's got homework to do already for 6 subjects, which is a bit of a shock to the system. But none of it is very arduous.

Original poster
MaryAnnSingleton · 05/09/2008 20:44

ds has only to decorate his German and French exercise books for homework- doesn't seem taxing ! He ate pasta and tomato sauce and chips for lunch but realised that you have to be pretty quick getting and eating lunch at secondary school ! also got to the loo, so that's progress.
Apparently according to another mum there's a scary History teacher who shouts very loudly and made a boy cry - will warn ds to be aware as he'd be very shocked if he got shouted at !

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SorenLorensen · 05/09/2008 22:11

Well, ds1 had a "really good" day today - the only teacher (thus far) he's not keen on is the science one - who told them the rules, but in a way that implied they'd already broken them

He's found out that at lunchtime you can go and use the instruments in the music rooms (he played the keyboards today) and that there is also a room where you can play chess and other board games, or you can go to the library and read or do homework. And he had pasta for lunch but no snack this morning as the queue in the canteen was too long.

He told me he is really glad he's at that school (he didn't get in at our first choice - cue much secret angst on my part) and that he "can't wait" til Monday He's never said that in 7 years of primary!

I know it's early days yet but I am so relieved he's happy.

Ds2 on the other hand is having a horrible time with his new teacher (year 2) - if it's not one thing it's another, as my Mum would say.

serin · 05/09/2008 22:18

Hiya all, can I join in? .

DD started high school on Wednesday so I have read your posts with interest, she loves it and has made lots of new friends but I made the mistake of driving her in for the first few days and didn't bank on the horrific traffic jams!! DS1 and DS2 have been late at their primary every day as a result!

Also didn't bank on quite how much she would eat, she is managing to spend about £4 a day on food, (bacon roll first thing, mid morning snack, lunch and a daily slush drink, urgh), she is underweight so I am pleased that at least she's having something! today she bought us all a piece of flapjack at the school tuck shop because the packaging had the school crest on!!

roisin · 05/09/2008 22:23

I'm pleased how ds1 is handling his money. On the taster day he told me everyone else had £3, and I said tough he was getting £2.

He actually gets £2.25 as his bus fare is £1.75. This is not enough to buy a drink (rather than have water) and have a main meal and a pudding. So it is making him really look at the prices carefully and consider his options.

If he has a surplus he can carry it over to the next day/week if he wishes. He quite fancies a bacon buttie as a treat before school or at breaktime, but the queues are very long at breaktime and he doesn't want to get up even earlier to catch the early bus!

roisin · 05/09/2008 22:25

He is choosing proper food (lasagne, chicken korma, etc.) ... but hasn't yet discovered where the vegetables are ...! He told me he didn't think there were any

serin · 05/09/2008 22:30

No vegetables .

We will have to move on to proper budgetting next week, she might not fit into her skirt by then though!

Original poster
MaryAnnSingleton · 05/09/2008 23:46

hi serin ! glad your dd is happy ! I hope ds picks his food a bit more carefully -he usually did at junior school - but I am just concerned that he gets enough time to eat something ! he said he didn't have time to buy a muffin after his pasta and couldn't carry everything all in one go,still he'll figure it out I imagine. I put an apple and bottle of water and a cereal bar in his bag,so if I pack extra snacks he can keep going with those - will save queueing.
I think I just need to step back and allow him to work things out,otherwise he'll never learn !

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bellavita · 06/09/2008 00:31

MaryAnn - what's with the decorating of books? DS1 has to do this also. I am sure I did not get to do this when I went to secondary (but that was not a long time ago!)

I think this week has finally got to him as for some reason his guitar teacher tonight called him by his brother's name and DS1 got very upset and said he did not want to learn to play anymore - and he loves his music and guitar. I was at work unfortunately and I have only had a quick conversation about it with DH when I got in. I will have to tread carefully tomorrow morning with DS.

Original poster
MaryAnnSingleton · 06/09/2008 08:35

bellavita - perhaps he is just a bit overwhelmed after all this change and everything- he'll probably not have meant it..persuade him gently that it was a slip of the tongue that older people are prone to ! I gave up guitar in my late teens and bitterly regret it. Not sure why they're decorating books- I `was expecting a bit more in the way of work, but that probably comes with a vengence next week !

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