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?

I've tried bribery in many different shapes. He's not a bad child to be honest, he just needs to learn to be quiet! I expect they are use to excitable boys, he will settle down once he's started, he just talks and laughs alot, there's far worse out there.

It sounds like it's a whole new start for you all. Are you excited or nervous?

Bit of both really, but the dc's are totally laidback about the whole thing.

Suppose I'd better get thinking of uniforms and stuff. The high school had a second hand sale but it was the week before we got confirmation so I didnt want to risk it because I knew there was a good chance he wouldnt get in.

I suppose I would rather get him new stuff to make sure he looks smart on his first day but it could have been handy for the gym kit/sports bag/tracksuit which are £££

There's probably a second hand uniform room in the school if you call them and ask them, the PTA often run them.

Poor ds has had the same shirts and trousers for the last few years (they were a bit big). I'm going to replace all of it, new school new start.

Where abouts are you moving to?

No such thing as a second hand uniform sale here... And I have been told by various parents that the blazers get bought verrrry big so they last at least two years and after that they are not worth selling or even passing on!

Still no letter re taster day etc from the school - but I heard that is not normally till June anyway! Am getting nervous now....eek...

I live in a tiny hamlet atm, so moving to the nearest market town where the dc's go to school.

They are so isolated here, they are really looking forward to being closer to their friends.

Will give DS a bit more independence now he is getting older too - not much fun being a teenager and having to beg your mum for a lift anytime you want to see your mates.

It sounds great for little ones though, all that space, grass and trees.

The scenery is stunning and the dc's love the tractors and ponies coming past the back gate. Our house is on the edge of a field so they have lots of space to play safely and is ideal for the dog.

BUT, I spend half my life ferrying the dc's about, 45 minute round trip if we run out of milk, in the winter everything is covered in mud and if it snows you're buggered.

Everything has a downside

If we had public transport here and maybe a shop I would probably persevere but this house is sorely in need of maintenance (which my LL wont do), in fact my heating and hot water have been on the blink since Friday.

You need heating, it's still chilly!

We live in a city, there's not alot of green space and trees but there's a huge park about a mile away so we go there. It's noisey, I'd like to show ds the stars but it's too bright. The temptation to shop at the weekends is huge aswell

Chilly? Its bloody freezing in this house!!!

Am trying to put a brave face on and look forward to moving day.

DD2 went to her friends house after nursery and the lovely mummy had offered to let us shower there - the dc's were playing outside afterwards and we thought they were a bit quiet so went to check on them. They had found a painting set and literally painted each other head to foot - cue another shower

Did you take some pictures?

Ds did this once, he had a great time. It washes off.

I bet your LL repairs everything when you move out.

I should have - they looked up at us with big cheesy grins as if butter wouldnt melt [bless]

I almost had a heart attack - they have just moved house and I had visions of it being emulsion!!!

Have had no end of problems with this house - I dont actually think the LL will be able to rent it out again before he spends a shedload of cash sorting out the rotton windows and doors and updates the pre-war bathroom.

I'm getting a lot of "...this will be the last time ever..." moments, such as when DS read in the school Easter service in church today.

It seems bigger than when he first started school, tbh, or is it just that I've forgotten how that felt?

I'm excited for him, he's going to a fantastic school, there's so many things he can do there. He's not really fussed, he only moved to his current school in September, it's a church school and he's not really settled there properly. He has friends and works well, he finds the ethos really hard though. They no longer go swimming as they do prayer time instead, he's not impressed.

Poster paints are good for making a real mess, I used to paint ds's feet and hands and let him walk on a huge sheet of paper. I don't recomend painting hands though, he put his hand on his head and it went downhill from there

Less than a term to go now

My DS is going to a school that doesn't have any uniform. His current school has uniform and he's never needed many clothes and so I have NO idea how much to buy him! How many pairs of jeans does an 11 year old need?
I have a feeling a trip to Primark may be required

My ds2, my baby starts secondary school in September. All new for us as we have just switched from three tier to two. However he did move up to middle school in Y5 so for him it was still three different schools - god it's confusing lol

Are all your Y6's doing the SATs or are they some of the lucky ones whose Head Teachers are planning to boycott them?

We went to a meeting at DD's new school last week - it was for form filling, etc but I think really an excuse to check the children out individually She was really nervous before, but came out really excited.

Anna, poor you - I would hate to have DC in a non-uniform school. Is he fussy about his clothes? DD would be stressing every morning about what to wear, and mornings are bad enough as it is

No SATS for us
Just leavers' trip, leavers' disco, leavers' play, mock election and letting the good times roll into July now.
Ds is a bit shell-shocked. They have got Sex Ed coming up in PSHE, though...

I'm still trying to get around the ebay rules so I can sell my kidney

Well done, you must be so relieved. They have really made you wait (buggers).

Yes, full on SATs in our school. They have been doing practice papers for weeks now. I don't know of any schools locally (london) who are boycotting them.

Big Tilly - he usen't to be fussy over clothes but he is showing more and more interest in them. I expect the first two weeks of school to be a nightmare of fussing and nerves, especially as he doesn't know anyone else going to the school and is keen to make a good impression early on.

I am ber of those who have already had letters from the schools and been able to visit them. We have heard nothing yet...

Anna, we are in London too, and I only know of one school in our authority that is boycotting them (the head is an NAHT stalwart!) DD is very , but I doubt they'll do much work after, apart from practising the Y6 production!

DC did sex ed last half-term, but as the school do a sort of repetetive, then add on some new stuff, it wasn't much of a shock!

Where are your leavers' trips to? DD's is to Chessington and the teacher has told them they should bring their mobiles if they have got one - she can't believe her luck!

Ours is a residential to Normandy for five days, bigtillymint (peace beckons)

oooh missed this. Me too. Will blub. Just marking place for later...

He's not allowed to take his mobile though - and the school have made them sign a code of conduct

Anyone's boy starting a high school in Notts?

Can't believe I haven't seen this thread - tagging along for the bumpy ride. Still feel that there must have been some mistake - my baby can't be going to secondary school