Best wishes to all the new second form

[lonelymom]

Apparently my girl is a bit happier, still homesick, but getting there. She's made friends and she's looking forward to the disco tonight - they have to be good signs that things are improving! Let's hope all the new ones will have a brilliant time at the disco, make lots of new friends and wonder what all the fuss was about?!

[Momto2]

We were at CH this afternoon watching a rugby match - son was hurt and sent to the infirmary so not a good start to the season

Lots of happy smiley little faces around and the place was really buzzing - particularly the tuck shop! The weather was beautiful and the school was looking stunning (apart from the Chapel which is shrouded in scaffolding)

For the record, I found it very difficult to write letters in the first weeks - we were warned not to write anything that might upset the little ones so no mention of missing them and 'can't wait for leave weekend', not too much mention of home life in case it increased any homesickness etc etc etc!

Just before our daughter started at CH we were sent an excellent booklet by her housemistress entitled "Parenting the Boarder" (or something like that), written by Libby Purves whose children had been to boarding school. It really is a very good sensible book if you can get hold of it.

Hang on in there guys, St Matthew's Day next Friday so they'll all get their 50p for the first time, film night on Saturday and then only one more week and it's leave weekend.

Sending you all a big virtual (((((((((hug)))))))))) from one who has been there twice and survived but still finds it difficult!

x

[lonelymom]

I hope your son will be okay Momto2 x

Thanks for the hug, all hugs gratefully received at the moment!

[MidBMama]

What 50p? hadn't heard about that after two years! or is it just new-ones?

By the way does anyone know whether parents can go and see them if they are singing in London on St Matthew's Day? i haven't heard anything about it and would love to go. I don't know whether singers also march - ? I've asked my son but haven't got any info so far!

[YadaYada]

I'd like to know more about what happens on St Matthews Day as well....

[dinahcat]

I've been and it's fantastic. I can't recall off hand where they start marching from but you can meet them and follow them along their route the church and attend the service which is lovely. Or is the service OBs only? Not quite sure about that.

[YadaYada]

Is it at school or do they all go to London?

[YadaYada]

I think what I'm wondering is if I should be planning on going to London next Saturday to see if I can glimpse my son in the parade?

Maybe this should be a new thread....not sure

[dinahcat]

It's the band , Choir and Grecians-maybe Deps I'm not sure. I think the second form get sent 50p from the Lord Mayor - it goes to the school and is given out there.

[midget]

Way back in history, before you lot were born, the service was in St Sepulchres Church (Holborn?) and then march to the Mansion House for tea with the Lord Mayor. Choir, band and Grecians went, plus about a dozen senior girls. Everyone got at least a new minted shilling (at school for the hoi polloi) and seniors got £1. I have a photo of the handout, with the money laid out on a table.

A lot of people kept all their St Matts money. Guess who didn't!

[Vonny]

The only things I remember about St Matthews Day was having a party in house at Hertford (coincidently the first one I had fell on my birthday which was good! ). Horsham I remember heading up to London by train at least a couple of times - I guess it must have been on my deps & then grecians We marched through the city & ended up at Mansion House where we had packed lunches provided. At some point we were given the money, of which I still have every coin. Everyone used to get the money irrespective of whether they went to London or not - guess this is still the same?

[Fjgrogan]

At one point the whole parade used to end up in Guildhall Yard and then have lunch in the Guildhall - was the Mansion House being refurbished, perhaps? I remember the incongruity of a very City of London based occasion and the band marching into Guildhall Yard playing Sussex by the Sea! St Matthew's Day actually falls on 21 September, but the parade was always on the nearest Friday. I remember being very impressed in the year of the merger how brilliant the music was in St Sepulcre's - nobody would have guessed from the quality of the music that the two 'schools' had only been together for a week. I have followed the parade a number of times, but have only twice succeeded in getting a seat in the church - I think it simply depends on whether or not there is space. St Sepulcre's (on Holborn Viaduct) contains the musician's chapel with the bust of Sir Henry Wood, which at this time of year is usually adorned with a wreath from the Last Night of the Proms.

[Barnes Mum]

I think what I'm wondering is if I should be planning on going to London next Saturday to see if I can glimpse my son in the parade?

Maybe this should be a new thread....not sure

It's actually on Friday. If your son is going up, band, orchestra, choir, Deps and Grecians, then I say yes, definately. Not sure if the choir march to the church, I might be wrong but I think they get there early to prepare. They definately march from the church to Mansion House. The service is at St Andrew's church, Holborn at 11am. Tickets are quite limited but once everyone's seated they then let others who'd like to go in, if there's spare seats, so you may be lucky. It is definately worth watching the children march through the city. You will feel soooo proud!

[MidBMama]

I'm emailing Dr Rowcroft today so maybe I'll ask her about the itinerary - thanks for all the info. I will definitely try to go for the marching at least, but would love to hear the choir too. So, see you there, somewhere around Holborn!

I realise I should have started a new thread for this - one thing leads to another...so back to new second form - hope they are all on an upward spiral now, and that we are all coping reasonably well. I'm up and down: to end on a positive note!

[The Gardener]

I have just read all the posts and feel so much better. The last few days have been awful and I should have logged on to the website before, but didn't think about it. I stubbled across this site last year and wonder how many other parents of new 2nd formers are suffering because they don't know about this source of support and comfort.

My son started last week and I'm really struggling with the lack of information about how he is. I do understand why no radio contact for three weeks and I support it, but not hearing from anyone is deadly. I also have to agree with others about Mr Franklin's unhelpful and tactless remark. Let's hope he reads this site and won't make the same mistake next year. My daughter started as a Dep last year and so I had some experience to fall back on, but I do find as a parent the lack of useful and usable information very difficult to deal with. The school office do their best, but I don't feel that I get the information I need as opposed to the information the school thinks I need. Is there anyone to make suggestions to? [see I don't even know the answer to that.]

However, to return to the children. Thank you to all of you for your posts which have comforted me very much. Although I don't want anyone else to suffer the pain of separation it does help to know that I'm not the only Muma having sleepless nights. Leaving my 16 year old daughter last year was bad enough, but leaving my 11 year old in tears and trying to be brave (both of us) was hell. And no, my daughter hasn't told me how he is - her phone isn't working! Hay ho.