Year 7's - the good, bad and ugly...

[pheasantchick]

Just thought I'd start a forum thread to share our experiences of having children who have almost completed their first year in year 7. What has been good, bad or ugly, and as worldly year 7 parents now, have we got any tips for the up and coming year 7 parents?

Generally speaking, my dc's year 7 experience has been 'good', to use his favourite word. From not knowing anyone in school, he seems to have settle in well and made lots of friends, although hasn't got a best friend. I was anxious early on that he wasn't joining any clubs, but he has ended up going to one winter club, and one summer. For him, the whole process of starting school seemed to be enough. Homework has been okay and he has generally knuckled down to it (something I can thank the 11+ process for, as he established his homework mentality then). After all the stress of year 5 (11+) and year 6 (11+ results, choosing schools etc), year 7 has been relatively calm.

[DenDe]

Thanks for starting this thread PC.I have just had a think about how I would describe the last year.

Last Sept I had a DS and a DD starting at different (although sister schools) grammar schools where they were going to be apart for the first time and making new friends for the first time in about 9 years. Needless to say I was worried but looking back now I worried about the wrong things

They have loved being separated and have found it easy to make new friends. (DD has a small group of "best" friends BFFs DS has lots of friends but no best friend)

What I should have worried about was how many things they would leave on the bus/ lose at school and how much effort I would have to put in to organising and helping with homework in the first few months. I have to say, however, DD was independent with her study after the first few weeks whereas DS would like me to still help and organise him (I DON'T!)

The most stressful period was exam week (more so for DS than DD ) The best bits (for me) were watching concerts/ sports matches/ shows as they have both entered fully into extra curricular life.

It has, by no means, been plain sailing but I am very proud of both of them and have no doubt that they are both in the right place. I just have to help my 2 younger DDs through the process now. Gulp.

[scarlett]

I think in one way DS has changed greatly, but in others it's almost as if he's still trundling off to his old school...the transition has been so easy.He's made lots of friends who all live within a couple of miles , and that's been the best thing as his old class was tiny and he really had to scratch around to find decent friends...the new boys are similar to him now. He has started to go on about girls a bit , because of the bus journey and will swap buses depending on the quality of people on it..something I never thought possible when I was researching the buses this time last year ! He's much sportier now but the main thing has been how he's turned himself around from being rather lazy to doing really well in his end of year exams and ( no more threads on this)........................he's reached his targets ! Phew !


His s*xual knowledge and language is a bit , though

[sherry_d]

I think in one way DS has changed greatly,

That's my daughter too Scarlett, I keep wondering where my baby is gone. She doesn't like kissing and cuddling me anymore and seems to be developing a very strong mind of her own and seems to know it all better than anyone. She is still lovely but its just the changes you notice which are both physical an emotional.

I found reading the article below quite interesting and I think it sums it up nicely that they are "becoming a bit more sophisticated".

http://www.guardian.co.uk/education/201 ... 8-children" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

Its hard to believe its nearly 2 years since we were stressing over 11+, it feels like an alien world to me now.

Right now when I read those stressing over 11+ exams, I just wish I could just say it will be fine because it will be. Life has a tendency of working out in unexpected ways. Certainly for us it has and we do things now which would have been alien to me a year or so ago. We are on the learning and discovery journey together with my daughter. Home ed just suits us perfectly and its the best decision we have made. My daughter has done things she would never had been able to do had she been in school.

[franticmum]

The Good:
Taking it in her stride, getting the train to and from school every day, dealing with cancellations, changing trains, etc.
Getting on with her end of year revision and homework.

The bad:
Spending hours doing internet research for homework in the first few weeks and not getting anything written down (suggest confine to 1 or 2 sites only, preferably not wiki).

The ugly:
Losing full pencil case , including new scientific calculator(£12+), school jumper (£23), school skort (£5), 2 watches (ie original and replacement) £22 each. (improved dramatically once she had to pay for replacements and luckily clothing turned up eventually.

Love her to bits though and very proud.

[bondgirl]

It's mostly "The Good" here too for DD coming to end of Y7. She very quickly got herself organized and just gets on with her homework without any hovering by me. We haven't had the final report yet but I think she's had a good year academically too, meeting challenging targets.

The "Not So Good" - asking at 5pm on a Sunday if I've bought her ingredients for Home Economics on Monday morning (thank goodness it's only one term per year!). Also, forgetting her clarinet when she has a lesson (this has happened twice and i buckled and took it in for her because the lessons cost too much to miss )

"The Ugly": rolling over the waistband of her school skirt like all the other girls. As they wear kilts, they just look awful and are only about an inch shorter anyway! Pointless (but I'm sure I'd have done the same at her age too )

[Kesteven]

I had to post on this because we have been absolutely thrilled at the whole Yr 7 experience for our DS in his independent school on the South Coast.

When he started he knew virtually nobody at his new school and seems to have fallen in with a very jolly and sporty crowd who appreciate one another's company. He has represented the school this year at rugby, cricket, hockey, athletics and swimming. He takes part in the model United Nations and at lunchtimes enjoys the stockmarket club. For a newcomer to the school (where most had been at the indie's own primary), and a boy from out of town, he's done well recently to have been elected house captain for the Year 8.

He's had to use daily trains for the first time in his life (as the school is in a neighbouring city) and this has hugely helped his independence. He quickly fell into a tight group of new friends and looks forward to his daily commute with them. He had one early disater when he left all his sports gear on the train and we never did recover it. And another time he overshot his station and rang from the next town asking what to do. But all this is part of his maturing and I wouldn't have it any other way.

Academically, he's been stretched for the frist time ever. Lots and lots of homework but his results have been very pleasing. He loves Latin, Spanish, English, Biology, PhyChem, PHSE and German. He hates art, technology and music!

We've had to scrimp and save to find the fees, but can honestly say, it has been worth every penny. He loves the school - and we do too. The feedback is great; the discipline is exemplary; the extra-curricular programme is enormous; and the academic element is appropriately challenging. Put us down as very satisfied customers.

[bustwinks]

The Ugly": rolling over the waistband of her school skirt like all the other girls. As they wear kilts, they just look awful and are only about an inch shorter anyway! Pointless (but I'm sure I'd have done the same at her age too )

My DD does exactly the same...dont they know how awfull it looks ..arhhhh

[inmystride]

The Good: Discovering that he wasn't the only 11 year old boy with a love of Hitch-hikers Guide to the Galaxy. Finding independence and learning to organise himself (a true miracle!) Rediscovering his love of singing and the violin (and sitting his Grade 1 exam today!) Being told he has a natural flair for Latin and French. Being rewarded with an end of year Academic prize. I could go on and on...
The Bad: Leaving his sports kit and violin on the bus numerous times (although we've always had them returned). Losing two pencil cases and one calculator. Outgrowing his second uniform of the year at an alarming rate!
The Ugly: Persistent bullying on the bus and at school. After one term of physical bullying on the bus, numerous students were banned and things settled into typical annoying behaviour. The bullying at school was particularly upsetting but was handled very well by his form tutor and head of year.
All in all it's been an amazing year for my DS and I think the school is fabulous - more to the point, so does he!