Big School Worries

chardom · Post by **chardom** » Sun Jun 28, 2009 7:11 pm

I have had a conversation with my DS this afternoon about if he is worried about anything before he starts at big school. He said he is nervous about making any friends and also worried about finding his way around the site, which is spread out over a rather large area. I had thought he would be worried about the work and the homework he will be required to do so I feel a bit better now that I have realised he is not fazed by the challenge of this.

T.i.p.s.y · Post by **T.i.p.s.y** » Sun Jun 28, 2009 7:36 pm

Be grateful for the large site. At a school we are looking at the most unsporty boy (my son) clocks up 7 miles a day just by getting round and about!

Ed's mum · Post by **Ed's mum** » Sun Jun 28, 2009 7:37 pm

Ed does miles each day too!

sp · Post by sp » Mon Jun 29, 2009 9:05 am

My DS was the same and he seemed to think he would have to find his way about on his own! We explained that the boys would all move about together so they'd all be lost! It is a big transition especially for those from small primaries where they stay in their one classroom all day.
Is there an induction day/evening where he could talk to a couple of children just to have a familiar face at the start of term. Maybe he could text/MSN/meet up with them during hols.

katel · Post by **katel** » Mon Jun 29, 2009 10:10 am

As part of the induction day at my daughter's school they asked them to put their two biggest worries into a worry box. 75% of them were about making friensd and finding their way around. Apparently it's always the same.

Please tell your son that my dd was TERRIFIED of getting lost, but by the middle of October she was showing prospective new pupils and their parents round the school and knew the place like the backof her hand.

zorro · Post by **zorro** » Mon Jun 29, 2009 11:04 am

I second what Katel has said.My DS came from tiny one form entry primary and was also showing people round by half term - they adapt very quickly!

T.i.p.s.y · Post by **T.i.p.s.y** » Mon Jun 29, 2009 11:29 am

I find it interesting and confusing why schools let new pupils show parents round the school so early on. Don't get me wrong, from a parents perspective I would love DC to be gaining this experience (you know how I love my character building) but we went to see a top school a few months ago and as it was very far away we had to book into a hotel so the whole trip was expensive. The boys that showed me round had only been there less than 2 terms and could barely answer any of our questions. They were clearly still in the "honeymoon" phase as they kept talking about how much freedom they had compared to their prep schools. When I look round a school I want to see a sixth former that has been there from an early form so I can see the "end product". As it is if we have to look at a less selective school for DS2 I will have to make another visit which is very frustrating.

katel · Post by **katel** » Mon Jun 29, 2009 12:19 pm

Ah but it's different in state schools, TIPSY - they are so much more articulate and confident they don"t have a problem being guides!

T.i.p.s.y · Post by **T.i.p.s.y** » Mon Jun 29, 2009 12:26 pm

Actually, they do not have problems being guides and are exceptionally articulate and confident, just not as knowledgeable as a sixth-former - which would be the case in any school! It is I who has the problem.

Thea · Post by **Thea** » Mon Jun 29, 2009 1:32 pm

The positive aspect about being shown around by a newbie is that they can tell you how much homeowrk they get etc etc, up to date info, and can still recall their first few weeks. We were recently shown around by a sixth former who was a wealth of info about where the boys leaving are going t (ivy league US colleges!), but couldnt rememeber anything about being 13, and in fact so much has changed in the school since then that it wouldn't be of use anyway.