WEEK OF AUGUST 13 - 17

Tips for starting secondary school - a survival kit

So you're off to secondary school for the first time! It's going to be a big change.

For loads of you the biggest change will be the size of your school - often there are hundreds more pupils at a secondary school than at a primary.

So what do you need to get you through the first few weeks?

All the stuff

As well as your uniform (if you have to wear one) you'll need pens, pencils, calculator, kit bag, rubber, pencil case, and loads of spare paper.

A decent backpack

You'll be carrying shed loads more books than at primary school. You'll probably have to move from classroom to classroom and often you won't have time to get to your locker.

Uniforms
Uniforms can sometimes feel restrictive but in most schools you can get away with customizing your uniform after the first few weeks.

Make sure it won't get you into trouble and once you're sure then loosen that tie or roll your skirt waistband over once or twice!

If you don't have a uniform don't feel pressured into being the trendiest thing on two legs. Your real friends will like you whatever you wear.

Learn your way around
Try and get a good mental map of the school in your head quite quickly. It'll make you feel more confident when you're trundling round the corridors.

Join some clubs or societies
If you like football or chess or art, join a club. After school activity clubs are a great way to make friends with people in your year and above.

If you get bullied TELL SOMEONE
You could hear loads about bullying in your new school and sometimes other kids can make you feel frightened that it is going to happen to you.

Don't let stories of bullying scare you. Nine times out of ten that's all they are, stories.

All schools now have a bullying policy so tell your parents or a teacher straight away if you feel you are being bullied.

Have fun
Secondary school is where all your options open up. You grow up there, especially if you stay on until sixth form, you won't leave until you are an adult.

School Dinners
You've already been at primary school so you know how 'interesting' school meals can be.

At secondary school you may have far less supervision at mealtimes. Eat a good balanced lunch which includes fruit and vegetables as well as carbohydrates and try not to spend all your dinner money on chips.

Taken from: http://www.bbc.co.uk/gloucestershire/kids/2002/08/back2school.shtml