Oh! Oh! My firstborn starts secondary school in September. Surely that warrants a support thread?

[Cadelaide]

Am I a bit too early for this?

I mean it's months away yet, isn't it?

We haven't had a uniform list yet either, and I'm now worrying about our letters of acceptance which we sent straight back - hope they haven't gone astray!!!

This feels much more momentous than when she started at primary school!

We haven't been sent a uniform list, its all on the prospectus on the website.

cat64 it was such a good plan....

We've had a uniform list sent through along with a huge pile of forms to fill in (personal info / contact forms / various consent forms etc)

I have not priced up the uniform yet.
The blazer with logo, sweater with logo and tie are only stocked by John Lewis in the nearest city so I fear not cheap. The trousers are plain black and the shirts white so I suppose I can get them anywhere. The rugby kit and general sports kit all have logo too and are only available from a specific sports store in the city so again, I'm not expecting it to be cheap...

Have been saving up for the uniform since it dawned on me last September that it might be expensive so hopefully there will be enough in my pot by July when I go and buy it...

Have looked at the website - blazer with logo, tie and both rugby and games kits are only available from local schoolwear store. Yikes.
Black trousers, black v-neck jumper, white shirt, black socks and black shoes are all available anywhere so that should not be too bad.

I tend to buy most of the dc's uniform from M&S so will start getting some bits and pieces for ds in the next few weeks as I am placing an order for dd's summer school dresses anyway.

It all feels so real now..

(although am now fretting as I have heard nothing since returning the acceptance form 2 weeks ago - must get a grip!)

(although am now fretting as I have heard nothing since returning the acceptance form 2 weeks ago - must get a grip!)

Same here hippi

BTW, wait for the M&S 3 for 2 deals - usually start before the summer hols!

Will wait for 3 for 2 deals for most things, thanks for the tip

Spoke to a friend whose ds is starting the same secondary school as ds - she has not heard anything from them either, so must be normal I guess...[tries and fails to suspend wibbling]

The uniform list for ds's school is on their web site, trousers/shirt/blazer can come from John Lewis, PE kit is from the school as it is all embroidered (cricket/rugby/tracksuit/running (I'd love to see ds run, he can't without falling over, last time he had to run he ended up walking and waving to me as he passed by, quite like the queen!!)) there's alot of it. There's a second hand uniform shop at the school though so I may wait and have a look to see what they have there.

Can I join too! My DD is going to secondary school in September too, I also haven't heard anything since sending in the acceptance.

She is as tall as me but she sis still too young, there is no way my baby can be nearly 11!

It's sooo scary Tawny. Welcome

Can I come in as well.

My PFB (DS) starts secondary in September.

I am bloody petrified - what if he cant keep up, what if he gets bullied?

I have no clue about secondary school, dont even know where to buy his uniform!

Some schools have their own shop, in which case they'll give you opportunity to buy during next term.

Welcome.

Do they have the info on their web site? Have you checked their ofsted report? The school ds should have gone to has their Ofsted on their web site and there are comments about bullying on there (how the children don't feel safe ) so it can give you a clue of what's going on. (I'm so glad he's not going there)

Hi, new here x

My DD starts in September too. She's only one of two going to her new school - the other is a boy - not good in her eyes!

She's only just going to be 11 as she's a summer baby but she is quite mature and sensible compared to others in her year.

She's very keen to go to school on her own - a 1.5 mile bus ride even though I almost drive past the school entrance on my way to work! I'm sure once the novelty wears off I'll be dropping her 'near' school and she can walk the rest.

However, it's other adults that are making me worried "You ARE taking her for the first few days at least?" and "You're not letting her go on the bus, are you?". Some have primary school kids and some have year 7's. Even though I feel the journey is safe, I don't know what to do for the best - certainly don't want her to be seen as a 'mummys girl' but I think a lot are driven so might not be the end of the world. She'll certainly have to get bus some days as I take DS to primary school in opposite direction couple of days a week. My friends DD is in Year 7 and has to walk past us to get to bus stop so might get her to take DD under wing!

The wait and the worry of whether they get the school they/we want is over, only to be replaced with other worries!

OMG I don't need this..how could dd do this to me?? Be 12 in Oct I mean. When/how did that happen? It's terrifying how over 10 years can evaporate.

I suppose I'm pretty lucky. We're moving house and both the primary and secondary schools are very close by so no need to worry about buses/trains.

The schools around here are all pretty good so I know I'm irrational to worry so much - BUT I CANT HELP IT!!!!

Ds is going to a senior school in the next city, he'll be catching the school bus really early, I'll take him there for the first week, I'm hoping he'll meet some other boys who catch the same bus so he has people to talk to.

If its a school bus then there will probably be others on the lookout for a friend and he will meet others quickly.

Wow, look how rational I am when its someone else's child

Ds is a bit of a mummy's boy. He likes it when I collect him from school, as I can't time travel or teleport from work to him this is not going to happen. I can start earlier and finish earlier though as he has to catch the bus at 7:15 (soo early). I've agreed to collect him on wednesdays so we can go for a pizza after school though and I'll take him once a week, public transport only takes 25 minutes to get him there so it's no biggie. I want him to make friends so it will do away with the need for me to take him. They have tutor groups at the new school which have boys from all of the other years in aswell so I think he'll be looked after, he can be a bit of a verbal liability IYSWIM.

Aw bless - "mummy's boy".

I think DH will probably take the first day of term off work so one of us can walk him round while the other takes the DD's.

I am kidding myself it will be for moral support but DS is very blase about the whole thing.

My youngest (DD2) starts nursery at the "big school" in September too - my babies are growing up so fast

big school is scary, homework

I think parents panic more then the children, I realise now that I am old! Ds is 11 in a couple of weeks, starts senior school in September, the next stop will be Uni probably. It fly's by, it's times like this that make you realise this.

Mummy's boys' get eaten alive!! I think he'll be fine, he has a great sense of humour, he might end up pissing the teachers off but he'll have friends in the class

If I have an 11 yo DS - why do I still feel like I'm 18

I find it impossible as it is to get DS to homework unless its something he enjoys - so a bit worried how we'll handle that.

Our DS' sound very similar - mine is a bit of a mummy's boy too but fancies himself as a comedian so has loads of pals.

DD1 woke up earlier crying with earache and has just fallen asleep again on the sofa so I suppose I better take myself off to bed before the Neurofen I gave her wears off.

Night.

I'm around tomorrow, ds has a virus so is off school.

I know what you mean about feeling 18 though, I look at all the mums at school and they all seem so mature and know what they are doing, I still look 18 (apart from the grey hair), far from responsible.

I can't see a comedian going down very well at the new school, he's given himself a deadline to 'mature' , it's because he wants a new computer game really but if it helps!!!

I hope your DD is feeling better soon.

You know, they gain confidence so... quickly.

Two years ago ds1 had two taster days at secondary. We were tying ourselves in knots as to how to get him home the second day, as we were both working and it wasn't a day we could flex.

On the first day dh took him in on the (public service) bus, to show him how that worked.

ds1 was totally happy and confident with it so he suggested to us that he just got the bus home himself on that second day. And he did. The older students at the bus stop were really impressed at a 10 yr-old (summer baby) having the confidence to do that, and being allowed to do that!