Changeover day

[andyb]

DS has been chomping at the bit for days waiting to spend today at his new school. The grammar school boys were the talk of the playground as their day didn't start until 9.30 so they got to see their younger siblings into school. He felt really grown up and it reinforced my feeling that Y6 have now outgrown primary school.

Bumped into one child who still has no school allocated - they have to spend today at primary school while all their friends are at their secondaries. They will not be able to join in with the chatter tomorrow .

Dropped DS off with the prefects and off he went without a backwards glance - my young man . Can't wait until this afternoon to find out what they got up to.

[All Too Much]

Hi andyb, how did your DS get on? Mine came out saying it was 'OK' but a bit disappointed with the lunch. He thoroughly enjoyed the art class. I had hoped they would focus more on bonding as he knows no-one (except his older brother and friends).

Said the teachers were lovely, which they are, and made him laugh.

Seems strange him going back to his current school for another week or so.

ATM

[andyb]

Hi A T M

From the boy whose idea of a superlative is "s'allright" or "s'OK" - his words when I collected him - "that was the best day ever!" The taster lessons (German, Maths and Geography) were "brilliant", lunch was "delicious", he made some new friends and reaquainted himself with a couple of boys he has come across at sports events. He says he is 100% certain that we chose the right school.

He is not the most organized child and the year head emphasized to them the importance of staying on top of things, but he says he will try his best - can't say fairer than that.

The only negative thing he had to say was that some of the boys used language that he didn't like (not swearing as such, but words we discourage at home) so he sat apart from them at lunch and talked to boys more on his wavelength - no big deal.

The first session of the day was "getting to know you" and they were given questionnaires to find out info from the other boys - stuff like who in the group has a pet, who has broken a bone, who plays sport, who has a birthday in the same month - that kind of thing. It's a shame your DS didn't get much of a bonding session - it makes the rest of the day much more relaxed when you've discussed irrelevant stuff with your classmates.

I feel a lot more relaxed about September now.

[bucks mum1]

My son had his induction day at DCGS and loved it. Met everyone in his form and his form tutor. Bit disappointed that he is learning German as he hoped he would be in a class that learnt Spanish. Three classes do German/three Spanish so I guess you can't please everyone! Enjoyed eating in the canteen after seven years of my packed lunches.

We had the parents' evening tonight and it was good to have another look around and see the class he will start the day in. Did not know many boys but everyone seemed friendly and he introduced me to a few boys he'd met for the first time earlier in the day.

He's now very excited about starting there in September and now not so afraid.

[Sally-Anne]

Bumped into one child who still has no school allocated - they have to spend today at primary school while all their friends are at their secondaries. They will not be able to join in with the chatter tomorrow .

Andy - I assume that what has actually happened here is that the parents are not accepting the school place that has been offered, and are holding out for a place via the waiting list or appeal? As I wrote on another thread, it is just not the case that any child has not been offered a GS place or US place - it is all about preferences.

DS2 seemed to take the induction day in his stride - he liked the lunch, his form teacher is nice, he has an existing friend in his class, all is well.

Now he just has to wake up to doing some work from September!

Sally-Anne

[GinghamGirl]

I am pleased to say DS2 enjoyed his day at JHGS . He gave it a score of 8 out of 10.
He knows several boys in his form either from his primary school or through his football club which really helped him to relax.
All in all it's looking good for September .

[Marylou]

DD had a great day at her new school even though she didn't know a single person in her year group (DD1 took her in and picked her up but wasn't there for most of the day!) Nevertheless she still managed to make some new friends, despite taking a knockback from one less than friendly clique like water off a duck's back!

When I think back to the little girl who wouldn't be left alone at friends' parties until she was nearly six, it makes me very proud!

[andyb]

Andy - I assume that what has actually happened here is that the parents are not accepting the school place that has been offered, and are holding out for a place via the waiting list or appeal? As I wrote on another thread, it is just not the case that any child has not been offered a GS place or US place - it is all about preferences.

Hi Sally-Anne

Yes, you're right - the parents have decided against accepting the place offered - I am guessing they are either waiting for an appeal hearing or to see if there is movement on a waiting list. I'm not quite sure what happens in September if there is still no place at a preferred school?

AndyB

[Sally-Anne]

They end up with the school they were allocated if there is still a place, they might end up with a place at an even worse school if not. Otherwise they go private (if they have the money and can get a place) or they home-school the child.

Not a very appetising prospect, and I feel quite sorry for the child.