Well my son goes back to school tomorrow, and what a surprise he is actually looking forward to it, although nervous about the first day which is quite normal for him.

My grandsons went back today, and my eldest grandson started seniors, he had a great time.

Have all your children gone back yet?

ET

We don't go back until Wednesday! I'm dying to go back now.

The schools round here went back today - I was out and about this afternoon and there were swarms of school students everywhere!

Hope ET Jnr enjoys his first day back

Thanks Skylark, the schools seem to have gone back today round here too but they only took the year 7 and 6th form in today, break the new ones in gradually. So back tomorrow for ETjnr. He is a little upset as he still can't get back into his own room or bed as we haven't finished decorating.

Still hopefully worth it when it is finished.

Long break Fran, when did you break up later?

My place take Y7 & Y12 today, the rest tomorrow, but with the afternoon off for INSET - don't ask! . At least all the admin is out of the way then, so that everyone can get fully underway with lessons from Monday onwards.

So I go in on Monday to supervise Sixth Form Study, although they're not likely to have much on their plate at such an early stage (unless they've been set Summer prep and 'forgotten' to do it!). Anway, I'll do my usual thing of suggesting that they read around the subject, if they haven't any particular work with which to occupy themselves.

Funnily enough, when I offer to find something for them to do, urgent tasks seem miraculously to appear from thin air!

Oh dear that seems really daft an inset Friday afternoon, they would have been better off letting the rest of the school have the whole day off.

I'm not back at uni until September 27th ... I just want classes to start now!

Ae you completely mad?!

I don't start back at Uni til Oct 4th... but I'm not exactly looking foward to it. I think after a year out working as a Chemical Engineer, going back to Chem Eng lectures is going to be a bit of a shock to the system!

Still, I've got a lovely two week holiday in Europe to look forward to befoe then. Even though I expect once final year starts, I'll wish I had spend it reading up on Reaction Engineering, or some similar nasty!

My kids go back on Tuesday but the York schools were back today so we could enjoy the afternoon in Rowntree's Park (very close to the York Playday venue) without the crowds.

My daughter will move across to the junior site and start and finish time will be a bit different - I must remember!!!

My son who was having such a tough time before the holidays is back to his normal carefree self and I have to admit to a slight reticence about him going back ...... I've had my lovely little boy back for the hols.

Home school has even crossed my mind but I know in the long term this wouldn't work for him as he needs the social aspect of school. I'm very hopeful the new teacher (who's worked in a pupil referral unit) will cut the mustard and keep him happy.....

Hope everyone else's children enjoy their first days back.

I officially broke up on the 25th June-after exams are finished, we didn't have to go in any more! It's been a loooong holiday

Mine all go back next week- yr 12 Mon, yr 9 Tue and yr 7 wednesday!

My friends and I have picnics there all the time. It's lovely.

I don't go back to uni for another five weeks, worse luck. I'm really getting rather bored of holidays now! My sister and mum (teacher) are back at school next week though.

Nice to hear you sounding so enthusiastic about your course, heslop1. Hope your second year is even better than the first.

The school where I work had an INSET day yesterday. The children came in today late morning, but were in tutor groups, having photos taken, etc. Tomorrow is a normal school day, so I had a fair bit of apparatus to prep today - it's good to be back in the swing!

A really nice thing yesterday: I met one of the English teachers and we were exchanging a bit of news. I said, "Funny how the holidays never seem long enough!" and she replied, "I love my job. I can't wait to get going again." Isn't it grand when people actually enjoy what they do?

Youngest starts back at school on Monday. She is pretty indifferent about it, looking forward to seeing her friends but still has a bit of a difficult relationship with school in some ways.

Eldest is off to Uni for the 12th of September though she will be back for a couple of weekends at first. Got her accommodation sorted today so it is now seeming very real.

I don't start second year of uni officially until Oct 18th. HOW ridiculous is that?

You'll probably be surprised at how much more sense it makes after working for a year. I definitely found the final year a lot easier than the second year, which I put down to being able to put things in context more after a year in industry.

I also found it a lot easier to be disciplined about studying after working for a year. I got up and started work by 8:30 every weekday and worked during the gaps between lectures. I also stopped working no later than 6:30 and gave myself time off at the weekends. Other than a few slips I kept this up all year and felt more in control than at any other time in my degree.

Good luck for your final year.

My school went back on Wednesday (1st Sept)..

I'm the same as Lucky and Choddy, although I'll admit to missing it slightly! I miss most of my friends - who, understandably, have spent the summer with their families!

I always hated the summer holidays when I was wee too. I hated the social side of school but was a bit of a geek really. (Have been reading my school reports today, in which I was described as being 'popular amongst my peers'. Anyway!)

Hope your son gets on ok, ET, and that your son is ok this term Dawn, the poor little thing.

Mine went back to school yesterday - youngest all day, eldest afternoon only.

Youngest was so excited (she has started secondary school) that I was afraid it wouldn't live up to expectations and she would be disappointed but she came home just as excited. I had to stop her actually taking her school bag into her bed with her

She was very chuffed because her form teacher said she looked like a serious, hard-working, responsible pupil. This is the first time anyone has ever described her this way and she decided that it is a reputation she would like to live up to...

Hope things improve for your son Dawn, do they change their classes around? Hopefully this year will be a better one for him.



Hi Kerioboe, thats a lovely story, hope that your daughter enjoys herself again today. My eldest grandson really enjoyed his first day at secondary too. His mum said so you want to go back tomorrow and he said "oh yes", just as well as there isn't on oaotion - lol

Well mine was up and about very early this morning and dressed and seems quite excited at the prospect of being back at school. However, he has gone through his timetable and decided he hates all his subjects today and doesn't like the teachers. He had trouble sleeping last night as he was nervous about today but I am finally getting used to the fact that he nerves himself up before the first day every year. He is going in to Year 9, it only seems 5 minutes ago he was in reception and little and now he is taller than me! lol

Good luck to all of those starting back at school and college.

I intend to start on my studies next week once it is all quiet in the house again.

Thankyou.

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Hope things improve for your son Dawn, do they change their classes around? Hopefully this year will be a better one for him.

Thanks. Yes they do. The main perpetrators will not be in his class this year thankfully. We'll just have to watch out for playground relationships . He is looking forward to going back though as some of his other friends are starting and he wants to look out for them Aaaw.

My son started senior school yesterday, he wasn't too nervous as his sister went to the school (so he is used to the school itself) and a lot of his friends are going too. He has however been running out of the door in a panic both days as he is running a couple of minutes late (he always used to be early for his junior school but he does have to leave earlier now) so I think he'll have to sort that out

My daughter started Sixth Form College in Bristol (about 12 miles away) and was really nervous about catching the college bus this morning but all went well. She now has to get up quite a bit earlier to travel as previously her school was only 10 minutes walk away.. We'll have to see how she copes with that as time goes on, hopefully she will get used to it.

Hope your son has a better time this year Dawn, it can be miserable for them if they are having problems. We had issues with our daughter being bullied in her tutor group (compounded by the fact that she had grown apart from the friend she had had since playgroup who was also in the tutor group). In the end we forced the issue and she was moved to a new tutor group and was much happier.

Hmm, thinking about it, I only finished work last week. Having 'just' 1 month of summer holiday is probably why I'm less enthusiastic than other uni students about getting back to studying!

I'm glad to hear a year at work can help with being more concientious. Obviously, I have lots of good intentions, especially as I don't want my first class degree to slip through my fingers now! (Not having got a first for every year so far!) I think the other problem is, that this is now my 5th year, and I'm becoming quite keen to move on to the next big adventure; whether that turns out to be a job, PhD or EngD.

Back to school tomorrow - Sixth Form Supervision - cue the rain!

Fortunately, I shall furnish myself with my July copy of The Mathematical Gazette to keep my brain occupied during the day!



(Doubtless I'll get a little piano-playing done during lunchtime though! )

Youngest son went back to Y8 today and although I have done this for 23 years now I always feel a bit sad at back-to-school time. I am happy that it is back to teaching time though!

I know what you mean

I keep telling youngest it's her last year. She is lucky to have some really good friends at school pity the management have spoiled her school experience for her.

Primary school went back here last Thursday with a staff meeting for us on the Tuesday. My first classes there were on Friday afternoon.

I have three groups and I do music and English with each of them. This first week we got the music started but there wasn't time to get the English started. That will be for next Friday. The youngest group are promising. I know them well as I had them a while back when I stood in for the "maîtresse de la maternelle" when they cut a half post. This is a group of 15 and they are in the yeat when they start to learn to read -Cours Préparatoire - they call it here. They are six plus. I think they are going to be a nice little group.

The middle age group (sort of lower juniors) are also children I know and they will be fine, I think, though I only get 45 minutes with them (which includes both subjects)

The top juniors are likely to be difficult. I know them well and they are back on form - bossy and conceited boys capable of being really cheeky and rather unassertive girls. There will be work to do on this lot!

The music school starts tomorrow. So far I have individual and shared piano lessons, a small handful of recorder players and a boy with whom I am doing "teach ourselves the guitar together" sessions. I don't yet know if I will have a nursery class or any new pianists as the inscriptions for new pupils haven't yet been done.

I'm looking forward to this year. Hope everyone else is and best of luck to all - students and teachers alike.

mine go back tomorrow. Mixed feelings going on here. Daughter fairly excited. Son excited one minute and sad the next. I'm staying really positive with the kids but I'll miss them tomorrow.

Fingers tightly crossed for tomorrow.

I wish mine had a couple of extra days - I always think it's so mean starting them back with a full week ahead. They both managed to get out of the door before 8 - which is a promising start - and fairly awake, too, which is a bonus. Long may it continue (my guess is until Wednesday or Thursday.)

As it happens, it has only started to rain iin the last half-hour!

I didn't get to read any of my Mathematical Gazette, so I've left my copy in a letter tray in the Maths Dept Office, together with some piano music, on hand for next week.

I did manage to play at lunchtime - Bach, Chopin and Liszt, with the Hall doors open wide, so that everyone walking down the corridor had the benefit of hearring my efforts!

Thankyou and all the best with yours too. How old are they?

Well mine went in ok which was good at there were one or 2 teary ones!! Hope all's gone well and we have happy, if somewhat tired, faces at the end of the day. :fingerscrossed;

The house seems a bit empty though so I'm filling it with clarinet music.

Just taking a break from practise but about to go back to it now.

Jen goes back tomorrow.
Kate has an induction day tomorrow, and starts next week. Her first step towards working with animals.

DD started at her new school yesterday.

She's weekly boarding as she will have long days at her new school to make a daily commute feasible even though we moved closer to the area. We took her in on Sunday and I'm already missing her far too much.

She sounds happy and settled though. Fingers crossed.

I'm finding it quite strange.
My youngest has agreed to eat at the canteen so they are now both out of the house by 7.40 and won't be back today until about 5.40. (Last year the eldest one left at 7.40 but I didn't get back from dropping the youngest off at school until about 8.50 and then had to pick her up at 11.30 and she had a two hour lunch break).

I am quite appalled that my eldest has 9 hours of lessons on a Thursday
8.00 - 12.00 and then 1.30 - 6.30

And then she will have homework and music practice to do after that

I went back to school teaching today...

May I just wish all teachers , pupils, and forumites with children all the best for the new school year, but dont forget that 'all work and no play makes 'Jack' a dull boy'

14 and imminently 18! Good company to have around, and I'm becoming more and more aware that I've only got another year with the elder son, before he's off. It does fly by



Glad the start was a good one - hope the rest of the day was good too

Hey- it'll be ok...... my eldest weekly boards..... it takes a long time to get used to it and every term I miss her when she goes back! It's great if she's settled so quickly!

My youngest starts her new school tomorrow- then all 3 are back!

So far so good .....

Lucky you- I went back on Monday!!!

Thanks for the kind words, ClariNicki1. I have to say that it has hit me harder than what I had expected. It has come as a surprise because she's been away on music course for 7-10 days several times over the last couple of years. I suppose she's 13 now so it's not too bad, as several of the children boarding there are as young as 8/9.

I'm sure it will get easier (for me) but right now I'm worrying about everything. As for her, she already knew quite a few people there from NCO and other music courses so it's been easy for her to settle in I think.

Hope it goes well for your youngest at her new school.

It can be hard for parents of boarding kids- as you are so helpless- there isn't much you can do to help them- but I have to say, I probably get more quality time with my boarding daughter than the other 2-as I have a 1 hour drive to collect her etc every weekend and I try to make sure it's just me and her- and we talk a lot in the car- not nagging talk- but good talk- I usually get what has happened in the week when I pick her up and she talks about what's on her mind when I collect her..... With the other 2, communication can descend to "Have you got/ done etc'