Going to secondary with friends

Independent Schools as an alternative to Grammar

Moderators: Section Moderators, Forum Moderators

Post Reply
fairyelephant
Posts: 588
Joined: Wed Jul 18, 2012 9:59 am
Location: N London

Going to secondary with friends

Post by fairyelephant »

Do indies commonly ask if dc know any other children going to the school with a view to putting them in class together? I know some primaries do this but perhaps it's not the done thing at secondary? Is it even a good idea to be in the same class as an old friend? Just mulling a few things over and wandering if anyone out there can help me out?
estelle
Posts: 55
Joined: Mon Feb 13, 2012 6:19 pm

Re: Going to secondary with friends

Post by estelle »

Hi Fairyelephant
Both my DCs are at independent school. In Year 7 my DS's form was based on language choice -so he was in class with boys who had chosen Spanish & Mandarin like him. This happened to include 2 boys from his primary school whom he liked. At my DD's school, they could name one girl they would like to be in class with & also any they didn't wish to be in class with. This worked out well. I felt the school handled it very tactfully.

HTH
dashwood
Posts: 5
Joined: Mon Mar 07, 2011 2:25 pm

Re: Going to secondary with friends

Post by dashwood »

Hi Fairy Elephant

with 2 DC at secondary school my experiences are that the schools work very hard to make sure the children settle in well with their new class. At Channing we had a new girls tea in June when class lists were handed out, this was a chance to swap phone numbers and arrange play dates over the summer holiday. The girls have a "big sister" system where each girl in Y7 has a Big Sister in Y8 who will be in touch over the summer holidays and be around as an (especially) friendly face in the first few weeks. There is an away day for Y7 near the beginning of the autumn term where they all get muddy and have fun and get to know one another as well. So far as the arrangement of classes goes I have no idea about the logic but there was a theory that it is at least a bit geographic so that girls will make friends with others who live near them. One thing which was clear was that the girls coming up from the junior school were fairly evenly split between forms so they mixed with the new girls very well.

It is also a good idea for you to go to all the new Y7 parents socials so that you can network with parents in her class.

My DD was the only one from her primary and was very nervous the weekend before term started but she came out at the end of the first day jumping for joy and full of tales about her new friends.

I wish your daughter a very happy time.

Feel free to PM me if you want to ask any specific Channing questions.
shootmenow
Posts: 356
Joined: Wed Feb 22, 2012 12:25 pm

Re: Going to secondary with friends

Post by shootmenow »

I would imagine that it will be very similar to my DD1's experience-
Girls who come up from the junior schools are sick of the sight of eachother. New girls are bombarded with love as a result!
It's probably almost easier NOT to be with anyone from primary as your DD won't feel she has to stick with an old friend and can just dive in. My DD2 is going with 2 friends from her current school but they aren't besties and she isn't bothered to be in the same form.
As to the 'listing one girl you do want in your form and one you don't', it backfired for my DD. Everyone named the same girl as the one they didn't want. DD got her as she could be counted on to be civil.
fairyelephant
Posts: 588
Joined: Wed Jul 18, 2012 9:59 am
Location: N London

Re: Going to secondary with friends

Post by fairyelephant »

Thanks all! I am just going to sit back and see what happens, what will be will be etc. Am sure you are right and in some ways its best to be apart from those you know. Sounds like they have a great system at Channing :D
Post Reply