Only one going to WHSG

[Fun Mum]

My DD has a good chance of going to WHSG but none of her friends got above the minimum required, so she won't know anyone. She has been in tears and now worrying about no one talking to her at breaktime & lunchtime. I have tried reassuring her but for a 10 year old this is so daunting. I can't help thinking the new process of knowing your score has made it worse for the children.
What is the process at WHSG for new intake? Any advise would be appreciated.

[mum of boys]

Don't know about WHSG specifically, but many children going to a grammar school will know no one. My DS was one of those and it just wasn't a problem. Your daughter has done well and will make lots of new friends.

[Chai]

Westcliff Girls run an induction over two days sometime in June so the children get to know the school and make friends. Plus, if she is coming up on the train or coach from out of town, there will be many other girls she would be travelling with. There will also be many other events, like a school sleepover, which is loads of fun.

[thankgoditsover]

Hi, my daughter was the only 1 from her yr who went to Shsg (all 9 went to different schools). SHe was nervous too however there are a lot of children who are the only one from their school so they tend to mix quite quickly. Each child who gains a place is visited during year 6 at their primary school and I think the Head said for this year's intake they visited over 60 primary schools! That gives you an indication of how diverse the intake is from around the area and includes the outskirts of London. Incidentally one of her primary classmates went to Whsg and she was also visited during year 6.

My daughter is now over 6 weeks into year 7 and loves it, she travels in from Leigh on the train with around 8 other year 7.

[piemom]

My daughter is in the same situation, though ooc, so not so sure of a place as yours. She's actually quite excited about a fresh start and the opportunity to make new friends. I'm still friends with girls from high school (many moons ago), but in touch with no one from primary, having been in the same situation myself. Try & sell it as a new adventure. Good luck & well done to your daughter.

[scary mum]

Even if they go to GS with their friends they will probably have a different set of friends by Christmas - I know it helps them settle in initially to know people, but she will soon find knew friends, and most of them will be in the same boat.

[event1]

My DD has a good chance of going to WHSG but none of her friends got above the minimum required, so she won't know anyone. She has been in tears and now worrying about no one talking to her at breaktime & lunchtime. I have tried reassuring her but for a 10 year old this is so daunting. I can't help thinking the new process of knowing your score has made it worse for the children.
What is the process at WHSG for new intake? Any advise would be appreciated.

Fun mum, please reassure that little angel of yours and tell her how well she has done to be going to a grammar school.
I am going to give you my personal experience as my DD is now in year 7 and 6 weeks into WHSG, we are OOC and she does travel everyday on C2C and she enjoys every part of the journey and has enough energy left to complete her homework before bedtime.
The school organises parents evening prior to 3 days of induction in June for the students. We will sit in our daughters classroom and have the first feel of the classroom environment, introduction is done of ourselves and our DDs, that night too uniforms are collected, am telling you this school is organised!!.
DD now have 3 days of induction the following week to have a feel of the school and the lesson, the first day and the last day they will wear their primary school uniform and have normal classroom experience, 2nd day is comfortable clothes for sport. I could go on but wouldn't. Most girls in my DD's form are the only one from their school but by the end of the induction all of them have got at least 3 friend they can chat with over the summer holiday in preparation for school. They are encouraged to do so.
With all boldness I will say she will have no problems and there will not be tears at lunchtime as friends abound

[Setanta]

My DD has a good chance of going to WHSG but none of her friends got above the minimum required, so she won't know anyone. She has been in tears and now worrying about no one talking to her at breaktime & lunchtime. I have tried reassuring her but for a 10 year old this is so daunting. I can't help thinking the new process of knowing your score has made it worse for the children.
What is the process at WHSG for new intake? Any advise would be appreciated.

Fun mum, please reassure that little angel of yours and tell her how well she has done to be going to a grammar school.
I am going to give you my personal experience as my DD is now in year 7 and 6 weeks into WHSG, we are OOC and she does travel everyday on C2C and she enjoys every part of the journey and has enough energy left to complete her homework before bedtime.
The school organises parents evening prior to 3 days of induction in June for the students. We will sit in our daughters classroom and have the first feel of the classroom environment, introduction is done of ourselves and our DDs, that night too uniforms are collected, am telling you this school is organised!!.
DD now have 3 days of induction the following week to have a feel of the school and the lesson, the first day and the last day they will wear their primary school uniform and have normal classroom experience, 2nd day is comfortable clothes for sport. I could go on but wouldn't. Most girls in my DD's form are the only one from their school but by the end of the induction all of them have got at least 3 friend they can chat with over the summer holiday in preparation for school. They are encouraged to do so.
With all boldness I will say she will have no problems and there will not be tears at lunchtime as friends abound

Be reassured. Pastoral support there is good. Very many children - in some years it has been the majority - will be in the same boat in that they will be the only one from their Primary. The girls make new friends very quickly.

[Fun Mum]

Many thanks for the offer of support, I'm going to get my daughter to read them. I'm very out going but she doesn't take after me and is very nervous about new situations.

[onetogo.tgft]

Fun Mum, I can only agree with Event 1's comments.My DD started in Yr 7 this September and although there were several girls from her school starting at WHSG, my DD is in a different form class. The induction process for the girls and parents was fantastic. As Event 1 says, the girls had three days of induction at WHSG. The girls are all encouraged to make a couple of new friends and keep in touch with them over the summer holidays which my DD did, a group of them even met up over the summer holidays!

During the induction days, the girls are given access to 'Moodle' where they can access the schools intranet. They have their own email address and my DD received several 'good luck' messages from the Yr 7's moving in to Yr 8 offering to answer any questions that my DD may have.

Once they arrive at WHSG, they soon get to meet their 'sister', an older girl from Yr 8 who will look out for and be there for your DD. Six weeks in, my DD has settled in nicely, in fact I'd go as far as to say that she hasn't looked back since day 1 of the Induction Days.

Hope this helps