[SENco-forum] anxious year 7s

Are they the oldest sibling i.e. first to Secondary school?

In a one off situation where a child was asked why they were crying/feeling
sick/ trying to avoid school and could give no reason hindsight found the
following:

First time expected to travel to school alone

No siblings around

Overtired - had been going to bed late in the holidays

Homework - up late doing 2 hours of homework

Long acting virus (took teacher out for 1/2 term) leading to tearfulness.
Look for shadows under the eyes for this or tiredness.

Regular TA leaving at Christmas

And then there is new friendship issues or any problems at home!

Teachers tend to give too much homework at the beginning of Year 7.  I have
not worked out whether it is deliberate - to give them control over the
class with perpetual detentions or threat of detentions or just 'beginning
of year' enthusiasm.  With my 4 children I have found that the subject
number and duration of each piece of homework dwindles towards the end of
the first half term and thereafter, if only the child/parents can survive
that long!

I was very near burnout and dreading my son coming home during September as
he requires a lot of support to complete any homework task.  He has
concentration, writing speed, spelling and organisational difficulties that
make even 'fun' homework a real chore.  I know it gets easier as they get
older and/or develop strategies to cope and that they are eventually able to
work both efficiently and independently , but your Y7's don't know that yet.

-----Original Message-----
From: senco-forum-bounces at lists.becta.org.uk
[mailto:senco-forum-bounces at lists.becta.org.uk]On Behalf Of WrayJanice
Wray
Sent: 08 January 2008 19:47
To: senco forum
Subject: [senco-forum] anxious year 7s

We seem to have an epidemic of Year 7 pupils showing signs of extreme
anxiety....

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