11 Plus Exams Forum

Are fountain pens required for CHG, the list just says a "pen and spare cartridge"? my DD seems happy with a handwriting pen and I can just imagine ink going everywhere. We seem to have spent a fortune on all the extras and I thought we were coming to the end of the list.

Hello Cecilcaterpillar,

As nobody has given you a reply, here is my past experience, not with CHG.

When my DD started her GS, I bought every item on the list, even the ones which were optional. That is me being thorough! And later on during the year, I realised that some items, especialy for sport, were not really used (Arrrgh, these shin pads that we had so much trouble to find! I do not think Sportdirect was existing in those days... er, er... no, no, I am not yet a granny! )
So for the fountain pen, if your DD is not very keen on using one, I think you could have a look around to see what exists on the market, but you buy nothing and wait the first week of school to see if this is really necessary.

May I take the opportunity of this post to add that for CHB, the shoes requested for sport need to be bought (several years ago, that included some rugby shoes. I remember some children were kindly told off for not having them at the first games session)

My DD at CHG does not use a cartridge pen as, yes, the ink would probably go everywhere as she would probably crack the nib, given her terrible grip on her pens .

She has never mentioned that she needed one nor has the school.

It could be a new thing though!

Thank you both for the replies. We'll start with the basics and no doubt will have to buy extras to "fit"in with her friends. Just debating whether to send in everything on the first day. They can't be doing sports on day one can they?

Cecilcaterpillar wrote:Thank you both for the replies. We'll start with the basics and no doubt will have to buy extras to "fit"in with her friends. Just debating whether to send in everything on the first day. They can't be doing sports on day one can they?

Half of the new year 7s at DS2's school will have Games as their first lesson on their first day - but the timetable was published at the end of last term. Is there no indication anywhere on your school's website (?I'm the final newsletter of the year) as to what lessons everyone has got on the first day?