I wondered how people were feeling at the end of a whole term with their DC in secondary school?

Do you feel it's been an overall success? What is good and not so good about your choice?

Thought this thread could help prospective new parents too, I was searching for anecdotal advice before choices.......

We couldn't be happier so far, other than having allowed myself to be persuaded into letting DS go on the New York trip

DD has had a fab first term at Ribston and seems happy and has settled in well seems to be getting on with most of her class and likes her teachers.

I have no idea what she has been doing for homework- she has just got on with it. She brought her first report home and it was really good and a little post card from the head of Yr7 congratulating DS on her attitude to her work.
She is enjoying the Target Drama classes and the wider range of subjects although is not sure about French but really likes german. She has found the library and making good use of it for borrowing books and homework club after school. This is useful for me as I can collect her when I finish work on some days.

A bit disappointed that the 2014 ski trip is to Canada and £1600

DC17C it always surprises me that trips vary so much in price. Our local comp's next ski trip is for a week in Italy and it'll cost £800. Canada's beautiful but £1600 will be so restrictive to many people (have to say £800 is restrictive to many, us included!). Have a fab day tomorrow, Merry Christmas everyone

They won't suffer for not going on these 'jollies' which IMHO are done largely for the benefit of the teachers (I used to organise them, so I know). Even many of the 'essential' educational ones are anything but...we have never bought into any of them and no one seems to have suffered educationally.
We went to Iceland (the latest 'must do' school trip) as a family recently and were amused and appalled in equal measure by the attitude of several large groups of English children who were in some cases standing around famous sites texting their mates, shuffling from side to side because their trendy clothes weren't keeping them warm and made them look totally ridiculous; and in others running wild inside hotels to the annoyance of others. I did actually ask some for the name of their school (expensive London girls' school ) and threatened to contact the Head if they didn't stop swearing outside my room. Happily Iceland is big enough for us to have lost them all by the second day.

Anyway, point is, don't worry about your DC missing trips. Use the money to do something memorable together is my tried and tested advice. £1600 goes a long way.

OT I know. Re schools- school is school.

I have to disagree Amber, whilst it is a fair amount of money for the trip to marling trip to NY/DC, the itinery looks quite good and we wouldn't be able to afford that as a family, so although I begrudge the cost a little(£1400), I will happily pay for him to experience it.

that's great...as I have said before, we all parent in the ways we are comfortable with and just because I wouldn't spend £1400 to send one of mine on a school trip to NY (I don't have that kind of money for this sort of thing, I prefer to spend it on all of us) doesn't mean I think others shouldn't, if that is what they choose to do.

Only that for those who don't, or can't (which is many), they shouldn't worry that their child will be missing anything vital.

Well DD has already worked out £1600 is way too expensive - we will carry on with our trips to the local ski slope! Canada- BC/Alberta is somewhere I would love to do as a family holiday anyway at some stage if we can ever afford it.
DD has already done a lot of travelling including 2 weeks in the USA so not that bothered. Unlike me at that age who had not been anywhere abroad and had only had 2 family holidays ever. I jumped at the chance of the school choir trip to Switzerland when I was 11 and a school exchange with a school in Germany when I was 14 - but I guess both were a lot cheaper as we went by coach!

Remember all the trips include the staff costs - they don't pay!

Anything that school can offer can be matched and bettered - again I'm a teacher so do know ...

No school trip is worth over £500 - and to be honest I respect a school that cuts down on these 'jollies' to some worthwhile visits.

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