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

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

Secondary education

Y8-2023/2024

286 replies

SweetsAndChocolates · 05/10/2022 08:39

How are all the year 7s getting on? It's been a few weeks, so I suspect everyone is into the swing of things.

How much homework are your year 7 dc being set?

DS hasn't had a lot, but has moved in from no homework, so still getting to grips with it all.
He's not too keen on the travelling side too (we're about 15 miles from school- not a huge distance).

He's also doing 3 languages, and as much as I think that's brilliant, I'm not sure how well he will do for until he chooses one or two for GCSEs.

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StillNotWarm · 05/10/2022 08:54

We're struggling with toilets. Apparently they are always locked, so DS just isn't drinking so he never needs them....
We've got a "meet the tutor" virtual appointment tment tonight. So I'm going to be asking, and hoping he's got the wrong end of the stick...

Other wise, ok I think. Getting quite a bit of homework, but they are only quick little 10 min things. Usually multiple choice quizzes online.

SweetsAndChocolates · 05/10/2022 09:04

That's awful re:toilets. Hope you manage to get to the bottom of it.

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SpringCalling · 05/10/2022 09:19

Going well so far! She gets a bus in and so now sees no reason why she can't pop on a bus to meet up with friends ... the acceleration of independence has been huge! She and her friends all arranged to meet up for lunch during a recent inset day where they ate without adults around for the first time, split the bill etc. Could not have imagined that back in August!!

BernadetteRostankowskiWolowitz · 05/10/2022 10:17

Anyone mind if I tag onto this thread as someone whose dc will be starting next September? Nice to see a bit of reassurance from those whose dc have started and any bumps in the road in thay first year.

SweetsAndChocolates · 05/10/2022 10:18

@SpringCalling it does feel like they've had a burst of confidence and independence, feels a little bit strange!

Well done to your DD and friends though, did better than some adults 😂

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SweetsAndChocolates · 05/10/2022 10:18

@BernadetteRostankowskiWolowitz yes feel free to join in 😁

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Biscuitandacuppa · 05/10/2022 10:26

Things seem to be going well, dd has made some friends and has started walking home from school. She is struggling with the stricter rules and going from no homework to homework every night. Dd is dyslexic so finds homework more challenging but she is using a laptop and printing it off to limit the writing she has to do.

She has definitely become more mature in a very short period of time. We have both had covid, she is back in school but I’m still off as it hit me hard! The school is rife with it at the minute.

ReadyForPumpkins · 05/10/2022 10:26

Mine is getting a lot of homework. We have been warned we have to keep an eye out on the time they spent. DC can easily spend 2+ hours, but I think it's because of distraction from phone. They get homework via an app and there's time spent expected for each. Mostly they are 20min. But there are days she got homework set for 4 subjects, which adds up to nearly 1.5 hours. She's also got her first extended homework that takes an estimated 2 hours.

It's quite a shock coming from almost no homework.

BettySundaes · 05/10/2022 10:38

Rapid independence, taking school life in her stride, friendships developing nicely so far. Homework is a shock and rather irregular - it gets left to the weekend then its 3 or 4 hours catching up. Doesn't like the lunches, keeps asking for packed lunches and the water fountains are too chlorinated. Communicating with parents has been an issue, so I've got lots of questions for our upcoming meet the teachers session.

SweetsAndChocolates · 05/10/2022 11:11

Homework is a big thing here too.

DS isn't used to homework, and he does tend to leave it for the weekend, which then means there's quite a lot to get through.

I'm trying to get him into a routine where he does the homework on the day it's set (not working yet 🤦🏽‍♀️).

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SweetsAndChocolates · 05/10/2022 11:31

@Biscuitandacuppa hope you feel better very soon

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PuttingDownRoots · 05/10/2022 11:38

Seems to really taken to it. Bit of a hiccough in the first week when she came home with someone else's PE shorts, but it sorted it self out (appears a few pairs somehow got mixed up as there was a chain of swaps back! All named fortunately)

Homework... shes managing. Its mostly online, so I'm very grateful her uncle gave her an old laptop last Easter which he set up for her. She is also dyslexic, so this is actually more accessible for her. She disappears for a couple of hours into her bedroom most afternoons, but she could also be drawing, reading or having long conversation with her Beanie Boo collection

Shes got lost a couple of times, but teachers have seemed understanding to the Yr7s over this for the first few weeks. Not helped by a complex 1 way system not being on the maps they gave them...

Enjoying the after school clubs. She does Dance, Science and Cookery. Its an hour extra each day, but as her school finishes at 2.45, the later 4pm finish is no big deal! She is also very fortunate to have a 5 min walk home. The Catchment area covers quite a few villages, which makes the friend thing complicated.

Her Primary school friendship group has split, depending on which section of the year they are in. (There's 3, and all lessons are within that section). But she has some new friends, old friends and friends she knew from Scouts, plus a friend in the year above from Scoence club.

Biggest shock... shes Deputy Form Rep. A position she had to apply for and be elected for. Considering she had Selective Mutism (and still exhibits it on occasion)... we were amazed.

She still says is too busy and noisy. Its 1000 pupils (200 per year) so small compared to what I had at her age.

LetItGoToRuin · 05/10/2022 11:49

Thanks for this thread!

My DD has hardly had any homework so far. Maybe about six proper pieces in total since she started, each of which were completed within about 20 minutes, plus a couple of bits of optional research. I'm surprised how little she's got. It's a girls' grammar school, and I expected it to feel quite pressured, but there seems to have been a real focus on settling them in, which I'm pleased about.

She gets two buses there and back, which she is managing quite easily, although she is a little tired some days. They are public buses, very frequent, but can also be very busy. She opts to set off very early so there is no risk of her being late.

Her main concern before starting was to make some nice friends, as she only knew one other person in her year, who is not in her form. This has gone well, until this week where she had a slight wobble as her new 'best' friend seems to be favouring someone else. There's no meanness though. I had previously warned DD that friendships are very fluid at this stage, and not to put all her eggs in one basket! She is coping well, saying that 'it is what it is' and trying to be a good friend to all until things settle a bit more.

She's liking the food (and the new-found freedom with the choices, which I'm trying to manage!) and she's handling the logistics of instrument lessons: notifying the office that morning of the time of the lesson, catching up with work missed. We have a 5-min face-to-face chat with the form tutor next week, but don't currently have any particular things to raise. So far, so good.

SpringCalling · 05/10/2022 11:57

@LetItGoToRuin In the first year at Tiffin Grammar I know they also get little homework - the girls are all so bright they work at a speedy level so there's little need. However the mum who told me that a few years ago says it ratchets up in later years considerably, so enjoy this year!!

Maddy8098 · 05/10/2022 12:00

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RosieRiveting · 05/10/2022 12:07

Going ok here. My DD is at a girls school and she's really enjoying the lack of boys. Says there is a lot less silliness in class. Mostly enjoying lessons, some teachers she's not keen on and one of her teachers has been absent a lot which has caused problems.

She gets a bus to school and is managing that well. A few girls from her year are at the same school and though they aren't in each others classes she gets the bus with them. She chooses to stay in the library after school though as the bus home is busier than she likes. I've suggested she start using that time for homework as hers is starting to increase. Mostly it's short worksheets but there's been a few longer pieces recently.

She's not made any new friends yet but I'm hoping that will come. They have such short lunch breaks there isn't actually a lot of time to chat.

Ilovechoc12 · 05/10/2022 14:05

Still finding his feet.

He doesn’t like that I give him breakfast 😂 (no breakfast club at school) previously always had a full English at school.

Also, school coach is a pain in the middle of nowhere so can’t walk home - so extra hassle for me collecting / dropping off

Homework - I’ve got no idea on that - lots of mums chatting on what’s app about it - I’m leaving him to it - I can’t be getting involved with that ….. he hates the fact no prep class at school and has to do it at the w/e - he prefers homework to be done at school!

So it’s all ok at the moment but not great

AriettyHomily · 05/10/2022 15:31

Dts are loving it. They are in separate classes for the first time (single form entry primary) but somehow have needed uo with the same friendship group again. I'd like them to spread their wings from each other a bit.

AriettyHomily · 05/10/2022 15:32

Oh and homework, about had an hour a night, they're eager beavers to do well at the moment, we'll see if it lasts past Christmas!

MyNameIsAngelicaSchuyler · 05/10/2022 15:43

DS really enjoying it. He especially likes the ‘busy-ness’, meeting new people, lots of different teachers and apparently the corridor is ‘so fun’!. He’s seen a few fights, mainly between Year 8 girls! But says the teachers stop them really quickly. He loves the food.

Work wise, he sits with his older sister after school and does it while she does hers, so it’s quite focused and he can ask her questions which she can usually answer a lot quicker than i could . That helps a lot.

He’s doing rugby club which I’m not thrilled about but is really, really happy there which is just amazing.

SweetsAndChocolates · 05/10/2022 17:01

Ahh sounds like the dcs are getting on well, which is good to hear.

@LetItGoToRuin I was worried initially as DS wasn't coming back with much work at all (I had told him he'll be overwhelmed with homework 😂-my idea of what grammar schools do 🤷🏽‍♀️).

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SweetsAndChocolates · 05/10/2022 17:03

@Ilovechoc12 ahh I'd be missing breakfast too 😂
It seems like the right move to allow them to get on with it, but I know some parents do get very involved with homework.

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SweetsAndChocolates · 05/10/2022 17:07

DS hasn't made any friends as such either yet. He doesn't know anyone else from primary, but as the year goes on I think it'll get better.

The boys are allocated houses depending on distance; so all the boys in his form are travelling from further afield, but he hasn't managed to find anyone from our little town (he's not really the talkative/chit chat type either so may take a while to build rapport with other boys).

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Mrs1010 · 05/10/2022 17:09

Really nice to see all the positive feedback on here, but wanted to offer some words of encouragement to anyone who’s child isn’t finding it so good. My daughter is now year 8 and had a really difficult few terms last year. Lots of tears and ‘illness’ and I was considering moving her of things didn’t pick up. I can see a huge change since term 6, she’s mixing with more people and talking about potential gcse subjects which shows me she’s feeling more positive about school. Just wanted to hi-Jack and offer some hope of anyone else finds themselves in a similar situation during year 7.

SweetsAndChocolates · 05/10/2022 20:16

@Mrs1010 that's so good to hear,. I can imagine it was quite stressful for you too at the time.

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