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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...

OP posts:
magentadreamer · 08/09/2008 19:55

I know DD has been doing Maths tests, she's had two so far plus she did two English tests on the induction day plus another one last week. She's not said that they were old SATS papers tho'. Does seem a bit odd to be doing the papers they did last May or where they the KS3 papers level 3-5?

bellavita · 08/09/2008 19:58

5 children out of DS1's class got break detention today for not getting their planner signed by a parent

Luckily for DS he asked me to sign his as soon as he brought it home and I have signed it already for this week. Although I do check in it every night.

magentadreamer · 08/09/2008 19:59

I'm not too sure if it is usual MAS but it was very reassuring for me. The tutor groups are mixed so have 3 children from each year in them so her poor teacher didn't have to ring 30 yr7 parents

magentadreamer · 08/09/2008 20:03

Erk Bellavita thats a bit harsh for the 1st week IMHO!

bellavita · 08/09/2008 20:07

magenta - that is what I thought too

OrmIrian · 09/09/2008 09:33

roisin - DS is in the same position. Nearly put his back out carrying a pe bag and a rucksack to school and back on Monday. Unfortunately the lockers are tiny so he will probably only be able to put his football boots and trainers in there and bring the rest of the kit on his rucksack twice a week.

Polgara2 · 09/09/2008 14:06

Well unfortunately DD1's first day did not go down particularly well . She has 4 children in her form from her old school so she was feeling quite happy if nervous. Turns out that when they got their timetables 3 of them are together for lessons and she is totally different. Cue lots of stress and panic on her part at not knowing where to go or who she will be with. I know it will get better but it wrenches at my heart to see her so upset.

Original poster
MaryAnnSingleton · 09/09/2008 14:17

oh polgara poor girl...am sure it;ll be ok

OP posts:
Polgara2 · 09/09/2008 14:47

Thank MAS - I just hope she comes home today a bit happier.

Original poster
MaryAnnSingleton · 09/09/2008 15:09

I think what we imagine is far worse than the reality ! ds is quite a sensitive boy and I thought he'd worry more, but he's really quite calm - I'm the nervous wreck ...hope dd has had a good day too

OP posts:
magentadreamer · 09/09/2008 15:10

Pologra I'm sure she'll settle in soon. My Dd was really worried as no one in her class at Primary was going to her High School but last week found a couple of others who'd been in different classes at primary and they all tagged along together to find the lessons. Last night she came back from school to her Dad's house with a girl who was from a different primary school and lived 2 doors down from her dad. So I'm sure your DD will be absolutely fine! It's just so nerve wrecking wondering if they will be ok but I think sometimes we forget how children can make new friends so easily.

OrmIrian · 09/09/2008 15:11

polgara - so sorry about that. There are only 5 in DS's school from his primary but thankfully the school has done it's best to put them together as much as possible. Fingers crossed that it's better than she expects.

WendyWeber · 09/09/2008 15:12

Oh Polgara, that's awful, the poor lamb! Why put them in the same form & let them think they'll be together, but then mix them up for classes! If she's still upset about it today I would think about contacting her form tutor or head of year about it.

Interesting about DS doing his SATs papers again, roisin...I have been told by some primary teachers I know that there are schools where the content of the papers is "leaked" and that the teachers then teach to the exam...maybe getting them to do them again is an attempt to see how they get on without that input?

Chocolateteapot · 09/09/2008 15:34

Do you mind me sticking my head in ? My DD isn't at secondary school but has just started Middle School. However it is so different to first school and a lot of the things you've been talking about, lunch money, moving round class rooms (though not quite so much), PE bags are all applying. She's got dyspraxia so not great at organisation and the move is quite a big deal for her. They move around far more than I though they would, I was under the impression that most of the time they were in their classroom, which they are on some days but others they are all over the place in the morning.

Disastrous first day last Wednesday where she dropped her jacket potato and tuna on the floor of the canteen. Apparently the caretaker (no idea why) went to help her and she was so upset she was incoherent. My friend has just started as a dinner lady and helped sort her out. She asked her if she'd got lost and DD said she had 5 times. Came out of school without her bag so had to go back and get it. I had completely had it by the end of the day (DS had started first school that day and had fallen in dog poo on the way home !). But things hugely improved and she now seems to be enjoying it and making new friends.

Feel a bit strange atm as don't need to get her until 4.45pm as she's apparently doing needlework club. Also am dreading Thursday as they have two lots of PE on the same day, swimming and netball, so loads of kit to carry.

Polgara, I hope things improve. It is a nightmare when it doesn't go well the first day. Fingers crossed it will be the same as with my DD, bad first day but dramatically improves after that.

Original poster
MaryAnnSingleton · 09/09/2008 15:42

chocolateteapot - you are most welcome to join in ! hope it continues to improve for your dd and that she manages all the PE kit !
Ds says that he had no lunch today as there was a fire drill and he was trying to put his PE kit in locker etc and didn't have time to get to lunch - argggh ! this is the difference between primary and secondary - the dinner ladies would know if a child had missed lunch and seek them out !!

OP posts:
Chocolateteapot · 09/09/2008 16:00

Thank you MaryAnnSingleton. Your poor DS must be starving, I hope next time they try a fire drill it is during class and not lunch. Hard to accept that your child could be in the situation where no one realises they haven't eaten.

It has been a bit of a shock to the system how much they are expected to just get on with things, considering they are 9. But as she isn't in a flap about it atm, I am trying hard not to be and have perfected my not at all worried face when talking to her ! They made it sound like a really gentle introduction to all the moving around etc at the parents meetings but the reality is actually quite different. But they have a much wider range of extra curricular activities which is great and I think they are actually enjoying the freedom they have compared to first school, so I guess they are ready for it really.

saffy202 · 09/09/2008 18:12

Welcome chocolateteapot. I'm posting in here and ds2 is off to middle school as well. It was his first day today and it seemed fine

Only hiccup was I told him to make sure he put his return bus ticket in his wallet or else he would have to pay for another one if he lost it. Well of course he lost it, so he ended up spending £3 on bus fares.

roisin · 09/09/2008 18:17

Gosh MaryAnnSingleton, that would be hard to have to face the afternoon with an empty stomach.

ds1 had another PE day today and it was [mumbles] 'OK', so that's an improvement on Friday at least! And they've been told they're doing indoor PE on Friday, so they don't have to bring in all their kit.

He's lost his first thing today.

SqueakyPop · 09/09/2008 18:17

I'm a Y7 form tutor and I really do take care of my form, so I hope yours do too.

I check with them at registration which lessons they have in the morning and what books/equipment they need, and do the same at afternoon registration. At the end of the day, I ask them about their homework needs, and query extra large or extra small backpacks. I also check that they have their full school uniform on as they leave, so that we don't start generating lost property now.

I pop into lunch to (discretely) check that no one is sitting on her own, and that they are all eating enough.

During the day, when I see them around school, I always ask how things are - and thankfully everything has been fine so far.

I really hope my parents aren't worrying about their daughters. It is all in hand.

Original poster
MaryAnnSingleton · 09/09/2008 20:34

you sound fab squeakypop !

OP posts:
bellavita · 10/09/2008 00:26

polgara for your dd

MAS - for you ds

my my DS who was at the back of the lunch queue today and there was only sandwiches left

bellavita · 10/09/2008 00:37

your

my

well it is late!

magentadreamer · 10/09/2008 07:05

MAS/Bellavita - Hope both boys either get some lunch or more than a sandwich today! DD has two PE lessons today either side of lunch so she'll be starving!

The homework is coming in thick and fast - not mega loads timewise but she's had homework for Science,Maths,Music and German so far this week! She's being very good about it and getting stuff done the day she gets it - I'm hoping the novelty won't wear off to soon!!!

magentadreamer · 10/09/2008 07:06

Pologra did your DD have a better day yesterday? Hope so!

bellavita · 10/09/2008 07:14

So far, DS has managed to keep up with the homework doing it as he gets it, slipped a little last night, but the homework left does not need to be in till next Tuesday, so he can do that tonight. Oh and he still has a book to decorate - which he will start this morning.

Usually he gets his bag packed the night before, all his stuff is still on the dining room table this morning - eeeek

Before I went to work last night, I sorted his ingredients out for his cooking lesson today - slap hands - I know he should have done it