Bank holiday/summer washout and start of the new school year

[booellesmum]

Feel quite sad that maths is seen like that in a grammar school!
DD1 not a maths fan but has gone to the Carnegie book club for several years running at lunch. She was the only one of her friends to do that but it wasn't held against her!

[kittymum]

Let's be realistic here, anyone who prefers doing extra maths at lunchtime, rather than hanging about talking nonsense with peers will be restricted to a smaller social group, not a bad thing at all if she is comfortable with that, but fairly obviously not the ticket to popularity.
Plus.....just a thought, maths/handwriting/English clubs at my boy's schools are pseudonyms for "extra help"" often the children are there at the instigation of their teachers.

Tip taken Maths Club at Dd's last school was definitely geeks only her and 2 year 9 boys problem solving for fun.

Same at my ds's school - unfortunately academic societies may be cool in ks4 and 5 but in year 7 (and I'm guessing year 8 ) they were v much the preserve of geeks (not that there is anything wrong with geeks - they will after all inherit the earth - that said my ds is in a mixed school so maybe they're all too busy with borrowing rubbers etc

On a serious / shallow note depending how you view it the favoured bags for girls include Hype and Mi-Pac (ds says they're really good bags to have) and shoe wise the majority go for plain lace ups (some have dm shoes) with white trainer socks or opaque black tights. Other favoured shoes for girls are the Vans lace ups but I know a number of schools are baning them due to the obvious red vans label. Let her buy the food from the canteen and just don't think about its nutritional value.

I know having the right bag / shoes whatever is v shallow BUT speaking as someone who works with teenagers in a secondary school and has a child going into year 8 this week it can make a HUGE difference in smoothing the transition period- yes we should be individual but maybe the majority of us can only really do this when we feel secure and safe

Hope your dd has fab time!

[Eccentric]

I don't think what I think in regards to lunchtime clubs or lounges will make any difference to Dd. she has already decided that she wants to do Orchestra, an ensemble choir, debating maths and science clubs. I have pointed out that there are not enough lunchtimes and that she may want to have some free time to hang out with friends.
The shoes picked are a bit like daintier DMs actually to me they look like men's dress shoes but apparently they are cool. The bag I am afraid we are not getting a new one as she picked a very expensive new ruck sack towards the end of last year.
At the moment Dd has asked to take a packed lunch on the first day but I have said that if the people that she links up with go and have a canteen lunch she should go with them and the packed lunch can go in the bin at the end of the day. I don't think I can go as far as not worrying about nutritional value in the long term (more than a few weeks) because it definitely effects behaviour, memory, and also hormones and therefore development and SPOTs. By the looks of the menu at the new school they do have some healthy options.
I hope guest55 is right and Maths club is cool. I am sure there will at least be others that want to go. Dd absolutely loved it at her old school. Lots of the teachers not only maths would come and participate in solving a really hard problem each week.

[silverysea]

I wouldn't worry too much about which particular clubs they do, the key is that they participate in something they enjoy and engage with the school. It might be something new or an old faithful. I would just encourage at least one club of their choice as a minimum, but with an open mind because they are the ones who have to do it and it's supposed to be enjoyable.

My dd1 was unhappy at the start in Y7, then pressed into joining various clubs by me and the school as a way to make her fit in. It was somewhat helpful.

The orchestra was a winner for her, but many of the rest were flops. Some were dominated by the mean girls, some were run by Sixth formers who weren't really as interested in the subject as she was, and some she was sent on were clearly remedial or pastoral and she got the "why are YOU going to this, what's wrong with you?" Vibe, even from those running it! I think it's very hard for the parent to know in such detail at secondary, since your dd or dd is your main source of info -ask them about their day and what things were like, maybe they will tell you!

Good luck all, and commiserations about the rubbish summer weather.

[Yamin151]

I think you are fighting a losing battle on the canteen. If there is anytime in your life when you can get away with some liberties with your diet its when you are a teenager! I lived on pizza and chips and jam doughnuts when my school opened a new canteen (oh, the joy!) but both did well in all my exams, didn't get spots AND developed a good diet later on.
With the rubbish available now though, you might at least have moe luck giving her freedom but saying crisps and carbonated drinks are off the menu for example. That way she can appear to make her own choices entirely but you are limiting the worst. Michael Pollen the author is interesting on nutrition. As he points out, the body makes no distinction between rubbish protein (hot dog sausage) and superior nutrition (lean fillet steak), and the body is a clever instrument that will extract the protein from both, even if that protein is reformed and has bits of tail in it!!!!!! The issue of course with the hot dog/burger and so on is the additional salts and fats that the child consumes at the same time. Not so good, but maybe why children are so good at managing, because at this age with lots of exercise, they use all that fat. It's later that it comes to bite you on the bum.
As long as her nutritional needs being met at home, I'd concentrate on keeping other ducks in a row and let this one fly off. Believe me, it's a more surprisingly 'full on' year from you that you will ever have known, and there is enough trouble trying to keep a lid on mobile phones, clothes, sports kit, attitude etc etc, without being too concerned about a lunchtime feed.
Mine by contrast refuse to go to either of their schools canteens and I still have to make packed lunches.
All the very best.

[Eccentric]

i think that nutritional needs can be different for different people. Some are more sensitive than others. Some people seem to be able to eat anything, others can't.

[silverysea]

My dds have transformed their diets lately, and frequently refuse pizza, sugary desserts and cheese laden snacks, have started eating salad and piles of veggies!

They are 12 and just 15.

I gave up trying to control their diet years ago.

Go figure.

[Yamin151]

+1 but still waiting for the salad and veggies!
I blame dh! He is highly compliant at the dinner table and eats whatever I give him, but would never choose veg or salad if was just him eating! Sigh.

[quasimodo]

I don't think what I think in regards to lunchtime clubs or lounges will make any difference to Dd. she has already decided that she wants to do Orchestra, an ensemble choir, debating maths and science clubs. I have pointed out that there are not enough lunchtimes and that she may want to have some free time to hang out with friends.

We are exactly the same we made a list of the clubs she wants to join last night from last years list.The sports clubs are at lunchtimes and for half an hour.At the moment our list includes badminton,football,netball and cross country.She has also herself chosen ICT which is available every day at all breaks and after school.It is her weakest subject as we kept her away from technology until her school introduced it.She is also going to join book club because her new friends want her to join it with them although if she had the choice she would probably not.I am quite happy by the latter as my dd needs to be encouraged to read more.She would join any science or debating clubs if there were any for her year group.The maths groups are for those who require help.Hanging about with friends is not too much of a concern as waiting at bus stops and a bus journey of twice a day of 55 minutes for the school bus will give enough time for chatter.The consolation of the bus is it saves us a 40 minute journey four times a day in the rush hour about 30 minutes at other times.The bus journey means she arrives at school just before it opens at 8 15 am and can go and have breakfast in the school canteen and do what else she wants before registration at 9.It will fully immerse her in school life.

I am sure she will be fine but I read my dd's last schools report yesterday from the inspection by the Independent schools directorate in July this year and the report was outstanding in all aspects and the achievements of the pupils were rated as exceptional.The new school indeed any school from my point of view will have a hard act to follow.

+1 but still waiting for the salad and veggies!
I blame dh! He is highly compliant at the dinner table and eats whatever I give him, but would never choose veg or salad if was just him eating! Sigh.

I have no concerns on this issue the rest of the family encourage me to eat more healthily.Their body shapes are evidence as compared to mine.

[ToadMum]

Both of the schools that our DC attend use cashless systems so it is easy to see what they are buying in the cafeteria. Or not, as the case may be. I did wonder about the solitary bread rolls that DD seems to exist on some days, but apparently there is quite a culture of sharing food and some of her friends are given rather more in their packed lunches than they can eat themselves . DS2 initially went for the 'meal deal' every day but doesn't always want the hot pudding - but then started worrying about his a la carte meals costing more, bless him. His school is known for the quality of its fish and chips, so that is one expense we don't begrudge him .