QE Yr 7 experiences
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QE Yr 7 experiences
Three days into the term and it's been eventful, to say the least...
Would love to hear from other parents of their child's experiences and hopefully some advice from other parents who've been through this
These have been ours so far...
My DS was in floods of tears when I picked him up Friday - they'd been asked to run nonstop for ten minutes and then report the number of laps. He was exhausted and water deprived. Terrified because if you ran too few laps you would be forced into 'fitness club' at lunchtimes which involves just running round the fields for half an hour(apparently). Feeling cross that some boys actually lied about the number of laps they had run.
The lockers barely take a PE bag that contains 3 pairs of games shoes, rugby clothes, PE clothes, and all the swimming paraphernalia. Then you have to carry this fully packed bag around to all PE and games periods because the PE teachers want to be able to just change whatever activity they want you to do, on a whim.
The food in the canteen was not very nice apparently, so I've promised to make him packed lunches ( that will be easier on my pocket, since average daily spend has been more than £5 ) but I have a feeling fussy DS isn't going to be satisfied with just sandwiches so it will have to be hot food in a thermos? How doable is this?
On the plus side the boys were all really nice (sigh of relief from me) and he seems well on the way to making friends with like minded boys for the first time in his life.
Would love to hear from other parents of their child's experiences and hopefully some advice from other parents who've been through this
These have been ours so far...
My DS was in floods of tears when I picked him up Friday - they'd been asked to run nonstop for ten minutes and then report the number of laps. He was exhausted and water deprived. Terrified because if you ran too few laps you would be forced into 'fitness club' at lunchtimes which involves just running round the fields for half an hour(apparently). Feeling cross that some boys actually lied about the number of laps they had run.
The lockers barely take a PE bag that contains 3 pairs of games shoes, rugby clothes, PE clothes, and all the swimming paraphernalia. Then you have to carry this fully packed bag around to all PE and games periods because the PE teachers want to be able to just change whatever activity they want you to do, on a whim.
The food in the canteen was not very nice apparently, so I've promised to make him packed lunches ( that will be easier on my pocket, since average daily spend has been more than £5 ) but I have a feeling fussy DS isn't going to be satisfied with just sandwiches so it will have to be hot food in a thermos? How doable is this?
On the plus side the boys were all really nice (sigh of relief from me) and he seems well on the way to making friends with like minded boys for the first time in his life.
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Daogroupie
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Re: QE Yr 7 experiences
Enjoying being with other boys is the most important thing. The other issues will fade away. It was Friday and he was tired and overwhelmed so it seemed worse than it was.
My elder dd threw herself on the ground in despair sobbing that she could not go on early in the first term of Y7. We were aghast, it was so out of character. But we soldiered on with a huge blanket of support and she just learnt to deal with things that at first overwhelmed her and she is now a mature statesman in the school.
Make sure he gets lots of sleep and lots of praise and spoil him at the weekends as he battles to cope with all this newness.
I look forward to hearing about how much better his second week went. DG
My elder dd threw herself on the ground in despair sobbing that she could not go on early in the first term of Y7. We were aghast, it was so out of character. But we soldiered on with a huge blanket of support and she just learnt to deal with things that at first overwhelmed her and she is now a mature statesman in the school.
Make sure he gets lots of sleep and lots of praise and spoil him at the weekends as he battles to cope with all this newness.
I look forward to hearing about how much better his second week went. DG
Re: QE Yr 7 experiences
Wow - what a poor PE department!
If you are going to set such a task then the teachers need to count the laps especially with that 'forfeit' in mind. Don't the PE staff plan lessons?! Our PE team don't just change lesson randomly ...
Glad to hear the other students are nice and he is making friends.
If you are going to set such a task then the teachers need to count the laps especially with that 'forfeit' in mind. Don't the PE staff plan lessons?! Our PE team don't just change lesson randomly ...
Glad to hear the other students are nice and he is making friends.
Re: QE Yr 7 experiences
Change can often be difficult. DS was uncertain after the first 1/2 day as he felt that his form tutor was rather strict, though by the second day he felt that the other teachers were very nice and the form tutor turned out not to be that strict after all. The workload so far seems to be light. DS's been asked to read a few chapters of a Roald Dahl book and to write a couple of pages about his first few days at school.
Sorry that your DS was reduced to tears after the run round the rugby fields. My DS actually enjoyed the run though he feels his legs now. I agree that needing to have the entire PE kit is rather annoying. DS thinks he could squeeze the kit bag into his locker, at least the shoes and rugby kit. Next week should be interesting as he'll have his backpack, kit bag and a musical instrument on the same day, so I'll drive him to the school and he'll leave his instrument in the music storeroom.
DS actually really likes the food and we've encouraged him to opt for the £3.15 meal deal. I think the costs mount up if they buy the drinks and snacks, so we've told him to avoid those.
I'd expected boys to be rather competitive and thought DS would be intimidated by the older boys but he already has a circle of friends he's very happy with and several times he's said that all the boys, especially the older ones, are really very kind and helpful.
Fingers crossed, we couldn't really have hoped for a better start. Hopefully young Elibet will soon find his feet.
nyr
Sorry that your DS was reduced to tears after the run round the rugby fields. My DS actually enjoyed the run though he feels his legs now. I agree that needing to have the entire PE kit is rather annoying. DS thinks he could squeeze the kit bag into his locker, at least the shoes and rugby kit. Next week should be interesting as he'll have his backpack, kit bag and a musical instrument on the same day, so I'll drive him to the school and he'll leave his instrument in the music storeroom.
DS actually really likes the food and we've encouraged him to opt for the £3.15 meal deal. I think the costs mount up if they buy the drinks and snacks, so we've told him to avoid those.
I'd expected boys to be rather competitive and thought DS would be intimidated by the older boys but he already has a circle of friends he's very happy with and several times he's said that all the boys, especially the older ones, are really very kind and helpful.
Fingers crossed, we couldn't really have hoped for a better start. Hopefully young Elibet will soon find his feet.
nyr
Last edited by nyr on Sat Sep 06, 2014 11:24 pm, edited 1 time in total.
Re: QE Yr 7 experiences
Sorry if I sound harsh, but running round a field for 10 mins doesn't strike me as being particularly unreasonable. I do however think that the teachers should note the laps and not rely on the boys to tell them.
At Latymer they set everyone for PE at the start of each year using the bleep test (aka beep test or multi-stage fitness test) which is designed to push you to your limit. It's a completely hideous thing to inflict on 11 year olds in my view.
I would give it a few more weeks to let things settle before you make decisions about lunches etc. He will find his feet, find a way to cram his stuff into his locker and discover food that he doesn't mind eating because lunchtime is more about socialising with friends than the food. Finding friends is always the biggest challenge, it's fantastic that he's done that. Give it time, the rest will follow.
At Latymer they set everyone for PE at the start of each year using the bleep test (aka beep test or multi-stage fitness test) which is designed to push you to your limit. It's a completely hideous thing to inflict on 11 year olds in my view.
I would give it a few more weeks to let things settle before you make decisions about lunches etc. He will find his feet, find a way to cram his stuff into his locker and discover food that he doesn't mind eating because lunchtime is more about socialising with friends than the food. Finding friends is always the biggest challenge, it's fantastic that he's done that. Give it time, the rest will follow.
Re: QE Yr 7 experiences
I remember my son's cross country in year7. It was hard for my non sporty son who came 150th! But it got better and he got faster. The pe bag is a chore but not that hard. He has his shoes at school locker and gets it home when really mucky. Your son will get in the rhythm.Elibet wrote:Three days into the term and it's been eventful, to say the least...
Would love to hear from other parents of their child's experiences and hopefully some advice from other parents who've been through this
These have been ours so far...
My DS was in floods of tears when I picked him up Friday - they'd been asked to run nonstop for ten minutes and then report the number of laps. He was exhausted and water deprived. Terrified because if you ran too few laps you would be forced into 'fitness club' at lunchtimes which involves just running round the fields for half an hour(apparently). Feeling cross that some boys actually lied about the number of laps they had run.
The lockers barely take a PE bag that contains 3 pairs of games shoes, rugby clothes, PE clothes, and all the swimming paraphernalia. Then you have to carry this fully packed bag around to all PE and games periods because the PE teachers want to be able to just change whatever activity they want you to do, on a whim.
The food in the canteen was not very nice apparently, so I've promised to make him packed lunches ( that will be easier on my pocket, since average daily spend has been more than £5 ) but I have a feeling fussy DS isn't going to be satisfied with just sandwiches so it will have to be hot food in a thermos? How doable is this?
On the plus side the boys were all really nice (sigh of relief from me) and he seems well on the way to making friends with like minded boys for the first time in his life.
With reference to a hot meal, buy a good hot case. I give pasta, rice or wraps and plenty of snacks! Growing boys need all the sustenance they can get. The QE tuck shop will eventually become his favourite watering hole! I am told that cookies are epic!!!
QE is a brilliant school with great set of boys. It has a amazing pastoral care. You son will be happy there. Boys at QE are exceptionally and unabashedly bright. They are quite tight knit. Your son will feel very much at home at QE. All the best to your ds.
Having one child makes you a parent; having two you are a referee.
Re: QE Yr 7 experiences
It may or may not cheer the OP's DS up a bit to know that tomorrow, some miles away in a completely different school, DS2's form will have PE just before break and Games two sessions later (or possibly the other way round) 
DS2 is a good swimmer, but otherwise not exactly sporty...
From DS1's time at the same school, my memory of their cross-country 'ranking' is that the boys have to run a certain number of times round the field, timed by the teacher. This seems a better system than asking pupils to report the number of laps, although naively I am rather shocked at year 7s setting out with the attitude that lying is acceptable and presumably likely to go unchallenged.
DS2 is a good swimmer, but otherwise not exactly sporty...
From DS1's time at the same school, my memory of their cross-country 'ranking' is that the boys have to run a certain number of times round the field, timed by the teacher. This seems a better system than asking pupils to report the number of laps, although naively I am rather shocked at year 7s setting out with the attitude that lying is acceptable and presumably likely to go unchallenged.
Outside of a dog, a book is a man's best friend. Inside of a dog it's too dark to read.Groucho Marx
Re: QE Yr 7 experiences
It is good to hear these different experiences. My DD started DAO this past week and while she loves the school and has been getting involved in many sports clubs, making friends has proved difficult.
DD is the only pupil from her primary school at DAO and while she has made friends in her form group, none of these girls are in her teaching group.
Also it seems to her, that DAO have put pupils from the same primary schools in the same form and these pupils are 'sticking together'.
DG, DD told me all about your DD talk on the first day and was very enthused by it all.
DD does get a school bus to DAO and has made a friend on the bus, so I'm sure it will be ok in the end!
She does say the canteen food is good, although sometimes there can be a queue!
DD is the only pupil from her primary school at DAO and while she has made friends in her form group, none of these girls are in her teaching group.
Also it seems to her, that DAO have put pupils from the same primary schools in the same form and these pupils are 'sticking together'.
DG, DD told me all about your DD talk on the first day and was very enthused by it all.
DD does get a school bus to DAO and has made a friend on the bus, so I'm sure it will be ok in the end!
She does say the canteen food is good, although sometimes there can be a queue!
Re: QE Yr 7 experiences
The first days at a new school can be very overwhelming. PE seems to be taken much more seriously than primary and there are new rules and people to get use to. I am sure it will settle. My DS went with two boys from primary and by half term had made a new group of friends, some from sports teams, some bus friends and others from his form. By the end of year 7 many of these had changed and he had a settled group of friends. As the weeks go by it will get easier.
I think around 6 or 7 from our primary went to DAO a mixture of exam and test. Some were together but not all. Perhaps this is how she views it as she is feeling a bit lonely. I am sure there will be others like her. I hope she settles soon.
Also it's amazing how they get use to lugging all that gear around!
I think around 6 or 7 from our primary went to DAO a mixture of exam and test. Some were together but not all. Perhaps this is how she views it as she is feeling a bit lonely. I am sure there will be others like her. I hope she settles soon.
Also it's amazing how they get use to lugging all that gear around!
Last edited by copella on Sun Sep 07, 2014 1:19 pm, edited 1 time in total.
Re: QE Yr 7 experiences
Most schools avoid this and restrict groups to two or three in a class. In my experience, friendships from primary schools usually break up during the first term and that can be difficult to manage if they are all in a tutor group together.rebz wrote:DAO have put pupils from the same primary schools in the same form and these pupils are 'sticking together'
