Could someone tell me

[Atticus]

Or not much tuck....dd said no to chocolate and sweets. She's taken tomato soup and pasta pots, and a large pack of cherry tomatoes ( there's been a theme this holiday - salad and tomatoes :-/ )

A couple of books until they get used to the library, photos, push pins for the pinboards, headphones, and a4 file with dividers for loose papers.

I hope that the new second form settle in quickly, and have a wonderful year. And hugs to all the anxious new parents. It's a steep learning curve, and I still hate it when dd says she'll ring and forgets, because she's too busy with stuff at school. But she beamed when she went back, and was so excited telling me about her new set and lessons yesterday - she loves it

[YadaYada]

Good luck to all the new parents tomorrow - it's a great day even though it is one of very mixed emotions.

I'll second drawing pins as they all have noticeboards they can pin stuff up on - including postcards from home

Send post - they love to get it.

Don't expect to receive post - I'm sure they all want to and mean to send home but they just don't have time to get around to it -it's not personal!

I just took my DS back for the start of his 4th year - we both agreed we'd never really get used to it - it is what it is - an enormous privilege and opportunity for them with the sacrifice of being away from family.

[SAS]

Hear, hear!

And to add to the missing items.......DD left her uniform behind last term (found) and on Sunday morning couldn't find her shoes. Eventually located with matron on Sunday pm, so presumably left with uniform. Also now in her 4th year and no more organised than at the start! But at least she didn't start the journey in her slippers (mentioning no names) !!!!!!!!

[pinkhebe]

Things do seem to find their way back to their owners, ds lost his calculator so I bought him a new one, he found his old one in his cubby hole on Sunday. We haven't found the pencil case or the 2 fountain pens he lost last year though!

SAS had your daughter's Housey been dry cleaned? I wonder how much it costs if the school do it, our local dry cleaners now charge £12, although they cleaned 3 Houseys over the summer!

[Volupturaptor]

My daughter has "lost" lots of things, but they do always turn up. Everything is clearly labelled, and I'm sure that is the key.

On the subject of dry cleaning, I took the plunge and washed her uniform this time!! I did the skirt and the jacket seperately, on an extra delicate wash cycle which is even shorter and cooler than the "Wool" wash, and used just a small amount of detergent. I hung the jacket on a hanger to dry straight away. It was fine. Ironing the pleats back into the skirt was time consuming, but not particularly difficult, I did it twice, once straight from the machine before hanging to dry, then again once it was dry, just to sharpen them up a bit. The iron can be used on it's maximum heat setting, as long as you also have it on it's maximum steam setting.

[Atticus]

Washing the uniform would terrify me.

We take it into Sainsburys in Horsham. They have a new dry cleaners ( different from last year who weren't brilliant). The new guys did a fantastic job - not a yoghurt stain in sight and for £4.20 for the skirt and jacket together.

[kerrensimmonds]

Ha Ha! I remember being in a queue in the dry cleaners in Rustington, behind a gentleman (clearly uninitiated....) who announced that he had come to collect 'two Christ's Housecoats, please'. I had this hilarious image of Jesus in a dressing gown.....

[Volupturaptor]

I'm sure I've seen pictures of him in a dressing gown.

[Barnes Mum]

On the subject of dry cleaning, I took the plunge and washed her uniform this time!! I did the skirt and the jacket seperately, on an extra delicate wash cycle which is even shorter and cooler than the "Wool" wash, and used just a small amount of detergent. I hung the jacket on a hanger to dry straight away. It was fine. Ironing the pleats back into the skirt was time consuming, but not particularly difficult, I did it twice, once straight from the machine before hanging to dry, then again once it was dry, just to sharpen them up a bit. The iron can be used on it's maximum heat setting, as long as you also have it on it's maximum steam setting.

Don't let any Matron's hear you admit to this!!!

[Volupturaptor]

I had no plans to, but why, in particular? I didn't ruin it, it went back in better condition than it arrived home in too, as I sewed all the dangling hem back up.

[Barnes Mum]

I had no plans to, but why, in particular? I didn't ruin it, it went back in better condition than it arrived home in too, as I sewed all the dangling hem back up.

You do know I'm a matron don't you?

So many uniforms have been ruined by people sticking them in the washing machine. You were obviously very careful and lucky but they do shrink very easily, we have also seen many come back with lovely green linings or ones where the woolen content has matted.

[kerrensimmonds]

OOps!

[Volupturaptor]

You do know I'm a matron don't you?

Erm... I do now!
Does your username, by any chance, give a clue as to which house you are a matron of..?

[Barnes Mum]

You do know I'm a matron don't you?

Erm... I do now!
Does your username, by any chance, give a clue as to which house you are a matron of..?

No, I like to confuse people, my user name refers to the house my own daughters were/are in.

[SAS]

SAS had your daughter's Housey been dry cleaned? I wonder how much it costs if the school do it, our local dry cleaners now charge £12, although they cleaned 3 Houseys over the summer!

Don't know but she has done it before (Sigh) and it was drycleaned then. Cannot remember how much, sorry!