KATIE: MY TOP TIPS FOR STARTING YEAR SEVEN!

Anxious about starting secondary school? Reader Katie has just finished Year Seven, so who better to share her tips on how to make it all go smoothly?

1/ Secondary school can feel like a big step, but focus on the positives not the negatives... it helps!

2/ Meet up with your friends to talk about it - you won't be the only one feeling nervous and together you can share ideas for making it all go smoothly!

3/ If you have an older brother or sister in high school, now is the time to ask for their advice and have a serious chat about how best to handle things.

4/ Be prepared. You have all summer to get uniform, gym kit and stationery sorted, so don't leave it to the last minute... you'll feel less stressed if you know it's all in order.

5/ Try to get a good night's sleep the night before you start - and sit down for a good breakfast, too. You have a big day ahead, make sure you're ready for it!

6/ Fix a smile on your face and be open, chatty and friendly to everyone. You need new friends, even if you're starting school with friends from primary, so be as friendly as you can be.

7/ Remember that it takes a while to really get to know someone, so give yourself time before trusting those new mates with your deepest, darkest secrets... a month or two in, you'll know who is a true friend and who isn't.

8/ If you are still unsure and nervous a few days in, talk to your friends and parents and get those worries out in the open so they can be sorted. Your form tutor is a good source of help and support at this point, too.

9/ School is what you make it. Don't fall into the trap of playing class clown - try hard in all your classes. You're there to learn, and if you forget that, it's your own future that will suffer.

10/ HAVE FUN!!!

Cathy says:
Excellent tips from Katie - I hope they help! If you've already done Year Seven, what would YOUR tips for new starters be? COMMENT BELOW to have your say!

BACK TO SCHOOL... FOR TEACHERS, TOO!

Ever wondered what it's like for a teacher at the start of a new term? Our secret correspondent Mrs McG gives us the inside story!

Mrs McG says:
Here's the secret - the night before returning to school after the summer holidays, teachers up and down the country are in bed, wide awake, for most of the night. The feeling of excited anticipations mixes with anxiety and dread... 'What if I've forgotten how to teach?' 'What if the parents don't like me?' 'What if the pupils hate me?' After what feels like the longest night ever, you're up, checking over all the resources and equipment you've prepared. For six weeks you've lived in jeans and t-shirts, but now it's time for something more professional... oops, must have put on more weight than you thought during that holiday in Majorca! Resolution: No more munching biscuits in the staff room!

You arrive at school and are greeted by colleagues chatting about the holidays, who has got engaged and all the latest gossip. You notice the new teacher quietly staring at her phone and go across to say hello. The head teacher arrives and the atmosphere changes; staff briefing begins, introductions are made and plans for the year outlined. The feeling of dread is back. It's going to be a nightmare - Ofsted are due, exam results weren't as good as expected, so much work needs to be done.

Now the school is buzzing with activity. There is a beautiful sea of excited faces and a few anxious pupils too, all new shoes and uniforms. Parents congregate outside your door, eager to tell you anout their child's needs and who they should/ should not sit beside. Close the door and it's just you and your new class - they're usually shy to start with, but soon you'll get to know each other. By the end of the week, your anxieties are fading and you're having fun, hitting your stride, and yes, OK, counting down to the October break! Summer is a very distant memory.

No matter how young or old you are, the first day back at school is always a bit of a worry - for teachers, parents and pupils! Schools these days are much better at identifying pupils who are finding the new start difficult, and there is usually a pastoral care department that will ensure those pupils get a little extra help. Mostly, they are settled by the end of the first week, though for a few the transition may take a little longer... but with the help of the teachers, most problems will soon be ironed out. Here we go - happy new term!

Cathy says:
I love this... Mrs McG has done a great job of showing us the teacher's view of things, and it puts things into perspective to see that they have worries too! I think Mrs McG's pupils will be lucky to have her as a teacher. Do YOU have a fave teacher? COMMENT BELOW to have your say!

LOUISA: BACK TO SCHOOL BUYS...

Reader Louisa tells us about all the things she's been getting ready in preparation for starting Year Seven...

Louisa says:
I'm excited about starting my new school, but there are only two other people from my primary going so I'm a bit anxious about making new friends, and anxious about my CATS test in the first week back. Also, I'll be one of the youngest in Year Seven!

The uniform for my school can only be bought at one shop in town, so we had to order it and then go for a fitting. I went with my mum and sister and it didn't take long, and afterwards we got to have some cake! I love my uniform, especially the PE kit as it looks great and has my initials on it, so hopefully I won't lose it! I'll enjoy not having to tie my tie as it's a clip-on! I don't like the idea of wearing a blazer and having to ask permission to take it off in a lesson; even if it's warm you have to wear it in the corridor, but it will look very smart. My school shoes just seem adult, they're like a pair my mum has! Then again, my mum is a teacher so it might just be a school thing! They are patent leather which I love.

When it comes to back-to-school shopping I'm excited - I love getting bright stationery. I didn't have to buy much as I asked for lots of it for my birthday, and got my backpack then as well. My sister says people don't have lunch boxes much anymore, just containers, but I did buy a water bottle - and it has broken already, before school has even started! Oh well. I've been told the school dinners are much nicer, but I admit it will be hard being the youngest in the school again, and I am nervous about making new friends and doings well in my CATS. Once the tests are over we'll be given our sets and we'll find out our timetables and teachers.

I don't think I've really got the concept that I'm going to be in high school - Mum hasn't either, she still says I'm her 'baby'! There'll be lots more homework, stricter teachers and the school is way bigger, but there will also be lots of clubs to try, great school meals and the chance to make new friends. I think once I start it will all become clear!

Cathy says:
I used to love the back-to-school shopping... and I still remember my own school blazer, which was so big it fitted me for the next five years! What's YOUR fave part of shopping for school or college? COMMENT BELOW to have your say or to share your advice with Louisa!

STARTING YEAR SEVEN... WITH MY TWIN!

Twins Archie and Lily share their feelings about starting Year Seven... 

Lily says:
I'm so excited about Year Seven - my new school is just a few minutes from my primary, and all my friends will be going too. I even know some kids from older year groups because we've performed at the local theatre together! My twin brother will be in my tutor group so I'll be with him every single day until we hit Year Thirteen, but we won't have every lesson together. We get on OK and have similar interests, but we have our own groups of friends. Archie's best friend is going to a different school, so he's a bit anxious about finding new friends, but I think he'll be fine.

The school uniform is a brand new one that the school have designed, which is going to make everyone look smarter. I like the skirt but I'm not sure about the blazer - I tried mine on a few days ago and it's huge! Our dad works at the school and it's a bit weird because I think he's going to be my English teacher - I'm not sure until we get our timetables. Dad runs the after school drama club and school production and I'm going to be in that, so I'm a bit worried it'll be awkward - I think my dad is, too!

Archie says:
I feel mostly fine about going into Year Seven. We had transition days from primary which helped us get to know new people and find our way around the school, but I think I'll probably still get lost at first! we had a taste of different subjects - art, PE, music, science. I liked using the Bunsen burner to burn the magnesium ribbon. Also the canteen is awesome and I'm looking forward to buying snacks at break. We'll have way more subjects than at primary and I'm looking forward to that. I'm a bit worried about having to use a timetable and remembering where I'm supposed to be, as I'm not very organised! I'm looking forward to drama lessons, music club and the school play, and I want to join the orchestra and do lots of other clubs if I have the time.

I'll be in the same tutor group as Lily, which will be weird as we were in different classes at primary, but I think we'll be in different subject classes. My best friend is going to a different school so I'm a bit upset about that, but I'll be able to catch up with him at Scouts every week and I'll make new friends. Dad is a teacher at my new school, and that could be awkward at first, but he's one of the popular teachers so that's cool. I know other kids at the school who have a parent who teaches so I think it'll be OK! The one thing I'm not looking forward to? Lots of homework!

Cathy says:
I reckon Lily and Archie will have a brilliant time in Year Seven, but I'll be checking in with them in a couple of weeks to make sure! What advice would YOU give to them about starting Year Seven? COMMENT BELOW to have your say!

NELL: HERE COMES YEAR SEVEN...

Reader Nell writes about her hopes and fears for starting Year Seven in a fab blog post all of us can relate to...

Nell says:
I had an excellent time during Year Six Leaver's week; there was so much going on. We had our Leaver's assembly, which took a lot of preparation, but was worth it. We also had several parties! My primary school was a single-form school so our year was just one class, and by the end of the week we'd all got even closer and I really didn't want to leave. Then it was time for the summer holidays, which has been rather like floating around in limbo for a month and a half. We still had a lot of fun and I messaged and met up with old classmates, but going back to school will be like a shot of reality. In the holidays we've been hovering between our old primaries and the new secondary school, and we haven't been sure which school we belong to!

Preparing for secondary school has been an important part of the summer holidays for me. If you don't have every last bit of kit you're bound to feel anxious - I think by now I probably have two identical sets of everything! The rush of 'back to school' has all the shops competing over who has the biggest rucksack or the most colourful pens, but now the waiting is almost over.

In a few days I am starting secondary school and I hope I am able to take part in more clubs and that my classmates are nice and friendly and are there to lend a helping hand. My biggest worry is getting lost as my new school is huge compared with my primary, and has many different sections, including a large courtyard in the centre of the main block. I will also need to get used to having a multitude of teachers as there is one for each subject! I am a little nervous about the whole thing. I'll update you on how I get on... wish me luck!

Cathy says:
Love this honest and hopeful post from Nell... I hope all goes well for her! Have YOU ever felt anxious about starting a new school or college course? Have YOU got any advice for new Year Sevens? COMMENT BELOW to have your say!

OLLIE: LOOKING BACK AT YEAR SEVEN...

Ollie is just about to move into Year Eight, but here he gives us a great round-up of his experience of Year Seven... great advice, and all from a boy's viewpoint!

Ollie says:
I've just finished Year Seven of High School. Some of it was good; some of it wasn't... but I have made it through! With two teachers as parents, and my older brother already at the school, I wasn't really anxious about starting Year seven. My biggest issue was that I don't always enjoy school, and find it hard to fit in with things just because it's what I'm meant to do. I didn't like learning to tie a tie, for example - but that's just a small part of it.

To begin with, I found it hard to organise my time when doing homework. It's a big change getting used to sorting out a lot of stuff for yourself. Writing things down has been really important, as there are so many things you could forget! Trying to remember all my stuff, and making sure I knew where I was supposed to be at any given time was hard work for a bit. Talking to people about things you are finding hard/ odd is definitely the best thing to do. Nobody can read your mind, and it's very easy for people to forget just what a big change High School is in some ways.

There weren't many of my friends going to my High School, and it has taken time to find people I like spending time with. I've now found clubs I enjoy and I'm pleased, because the people I am getting to know share my interests. I think it's really important you don't feel pressured into acting in a way you're not comfortable with just to try and fit in.

I don't think I will ever be a big fan of school, as I like learning in my own way. But there are some great subjects, and I do really like being treated as if my views count.

Cathy says:
I love Ollie's honest and practical post - with lots of great advice to new Year Sevens, too! Are YOU about to start Year Seven - or, like Ollie, have you already made it through? COMMENT BELOW to share your own views and experiences!

HOW YOU FEEL... ABOUT STARTING SECONDARY SCHOOL!

We asked readers to share their hopes and fears about starting secondary school... happy? Hopeful? Excited? Anxious? It's a bit of a mixture!

Faye says:
I'm about to go into Year Six and I'm excited about the adventures it will bring - school trips and SATs! I am also thinking about starting secondary school a year from now - I'm excited to go to a new school and make new friends. I like the idea of new teachers and new lessons, especially PE, but I am worried too that I'll get lost and be told off for being late to lesson. I have Autism, so I'm also quite worried that there won't be as much routine as in primary, because I'd find that difficult. I worry a bit about making new friends and being accepted, and of going back to being one of the youngest in the school! I suppose it's always hard to leave the comfort of what you know and have that doubt about whether you'll like the new school... but first I have Year Six to get through, so that's OK!

Robin says:
I'll be starting high school in September and overall I am definitely NOT scared of what is to come. There are many more things I am looking forward to than fears! The thing I am SERIOUSLY looking forward to is the Year Seven trip to Disneyland Paris - that's just my school, but don't worry, all high schools do trips abroad at some point. I'm also looking forward to food tech, meeting up with friends from other primaries and more hands-on science. Food tech is basically baking, and I lobe baking - my family even has a super-cool top secret gingerbread recipe. Plus, I like the eating afterward! My greatest fear is getting lost. That sounds wimpy, but I didn't get to see even half of my new school on taster day and I still don't even know how to find the toilet. But I've already met my friendly and funny form prefects, and I'm sure they'll help. To all Year sixes out there... don't be afraid of high school!

Freya says:
I loved my junior school so much, but I am ready to go to the senior school now. I suppose my feelings are mixed - I am both excited and nervous at the same time! I will have six friends from my old school with me in my new senior school form, so that should help! I am really excited about some of the lessons because they'll be very different from what we did at primary school - cookery and sports sound brilliant!

Esther says:
I am looking forward to all the new things in secondary school, like the uniform (I didn't have one in primary!), new stationery, meeting new people. However, new things are also what I'm worried about - I am excited to try them, but I am also scared of the unknown. When I left primary I felt as if I was being chucked out of my home. I don't think I was ready to leave - I had enjoyed Year Six so much and had an amazing teacher. In secondary, I am not looking forward to having so many different teachers - I don't think you'll have time to really get to know them. Another things is that my older sister goes to the same school, so I feel as if I have only been told the negative things that have happened there and not the positive. I suppose the thing is that I am young for my year - I don't feel as if I really deserve or am meant to be going to secondary school yet.

Ella says:
I'm about to start Year Seven. I've never had to wear school uniform so I am partly excited, but also dreading having to wear school shoes as I am used to wearing trainers and my own choice of clothes. I'll be going to secondary with lots of my friends from primary, some of them my best friends, and I'm excited about going on our Year Seven residential and sneaking sweets past the teachers for midnight feasts. I'm looking forward to PE and Food Tech too! I worry about getting lost and being given detentions - I don't want to be the first one to be given a detention! Mostly, though, I am excited about all the new challenges and experiences I will get to be a part of!

Cathy says:
Thanks so much, Faye, Robin, Freya, Esther and Ella for your honesty! We'll be checking in again to see how you all get on! So, readers... how was YOUR first day at secondary school? COMMENT BELOW to tell all!

WALL OF THOUGHT...

Reader Deborah tells us about an exciting campaign to raise awareness for young people with mental illness...

Deborah says:
Our event is called WALL OF THOUGHT. We're going to set up a whiteboard and pens outside Enfield Town Library and allow people passing by to write their feelings, problems or anything they would like to get off their chests on the board, in exchange for a sweet and a hopeful message to brighten their day. We'll be starting around 11am and finishing around 3pm on the 26th August 2017. Our campaign is supported by NCS The Challenge and partnered with the charity Exposure.

Exposure is a charity founded specifically for young people. It provides a platform for them to be able to express themselves and also wish to raise awareness for young people with mental illness. Their goal is to make sure that no young person feels they have nowhere to belong.

This charity really inspires me as it shows that there are groups of people in this world that do not class young people as anything less than what they can be. Exposure helps people to find their own voice and make their mark in the world regardless of their situation. I would love to take part in their work sometime  soon!

Cathy says:
This is a simple idea but it could be very effective... I hope it goes well for Deborah and her friends! Have YOU ever been part of an event to raise awareness for a cause you really care about? COMMENT BELOW to tell us more!

SARA: ON THE OUTSIDE

Reader Sara shares her story of being pushed out of a friendship group and finding herself on the outside looking in...

Sara says:
When Lucy joined our school halfway through Year Seven, everything changed. She was lively, fun, different to anyone else I knew, and she seemed to like me. Quickly, we became best friends and she joined my friendship group, where everyone else got on with her too. The first two months were great - I thought she was going to be my best friend for life, that she understood me totally and that I could trust her with anything. It all went wrong when I caught her stealing money from my mum's purse at a sleepover. Lucy was furious and tried to make out it wasn't what it looked like. She finally broke down and started crying, saying that money was tight at home and she was desperate. I ended up giving her some of my pocket money and I thought everything was OK, that we were closer than ever.

I was wrong. The next week at school, Lucy blanked me, and my other friends were acting strangely. I found out she'd told them I had stolen money from HER - and to my horror, people seemed to believe it. The people I had thought were my friends turned against me and suddenly I was on my own, with nobody to sit with in class or at lunch. It was a horrible feeling. I had always had friends before and never gave much thought to those who were on the outside - now I was finding out what it was like. Nobody from my old friendship group would listen or let me explain - they completely believed Lucy's version of events. I almost believed her myself, she acted the part of wronged, hurt friend so convincingly. Lucy was popular with the teachers too, and nobody seemed to think she was lying about it all.

For weeks I was miserable, pretending at home that everything was OK and trying to act like I didn't care at school. I knew Lucy had turned on me because I'd caught her out, and I thought that eventually she would show her true colours and that people would see her for what she was. I talked a bit to one old friend about this, but she seemed to think I was bitter and trying to blacken Lucy's name. Things changed when Mum noticed how low I was, and though I couldn't tell her what had happened I did say I'd fallen out with my friends. Mum wanted to come into school to talk to the teachers, but I couldn't bear that idea. In the end, she made an appointment at the grammar school in town, and after some discussion and a short test paper, I was offered a place there starting in Year Eight. I was so thankful - it felt like a fresh start, and that was what I needed by then.

I have new friends now, but I keep a part of myself back because I find it hard to trust people. I sometimes see Lucy and the others in town, and I wonder if she is still fooling everyone. It looks that way. I am happy now, but I wonder if I will ever really get over what happened. Sometimes, life really isn't fair.

Names have been changed to protect those involved.

Fab photos by reader Casey; posed by model Martha. Thank you both!

Cathy says:
Friendships can go badly wrong, and not everyone is as nice as they appear to be. Although I wish Sara had told her mum and teachers the truth about what happened, I am glad she got the fresh start she needed. Have YOU ever had a major fallout with a friend? COMMENT BELOW to tell us more...

CHARLOTTE: NEVER GIVE UP!

Reader Charlotte has some excellent advice on school, options and future careers... read on and make those choices wisely!

Charlotte says:
School can be a scary time. You're pressured to decide what to do with your entire future - and yet you might only be fourteen or even younger! You have to choose your GCSEs, your A levels or your college course, even whether you want to go to university or not. If you have no idea what you want to do, it can sometimes seem like you're being forces to decide right now. I am here to tell you (from experience) that it actually doesn't matter as much as some people make out. Let me explain!

When I chose my GCSEs and A levels, I didn't have a career in mind - I picked things I was interested in. Then, very quickly, I had to chose what I wanted to study at university. I knew I wanted to go - it had been my dream since I was fifteen - but I had no idea what to study! In the end, after debating what I felt most passionate about, I went to a lovely university near Liverpool to study Film and TV Production. I loved my time there, but I had a sinking feeling that I knew this wasn't what I wanted to do for a living. I worried that I'd wasted all my time and money on something I didn't want to do. What if I never found something I was truly good at?

So I started thinking about what I was good at. I began writing my blog in 2015 and I loved every second! It became my biggest hobby and I realised that my passion was in blogging an social media. Did you know you can actually get paid to manage other people's media, like Twitter and Instagram? You totally can! I now work as a Virtual assistant, which is a fancy name for someone who does all sorts of online jobs for people. It can include writing social media posts and articles, creating images to share, editing videos and even building websites. It's so much fun, and I can't imagine doing anything else. I work with the best team, and the even better thing is that I work from the comfort of my own warm, cosy home!

All through school and all the way up until only this year, I had no idea what I wanted to do. Now, not even a year later, I couldn't be happier that things have worked out the way they have! When I was in school. I had no idea this is what I'd end up doing... but now all the worrying I did in school is forgotten!

So, what's the moral of this story? Don't give up. And most of all, please don't worry.You'll find your passion one day, whatever you decide to study in school!

Blog - https://wonderfullybookish.co.uk
Facebook - facebook.com/wonderfullybookish
Twitter - twitter.com/wbookishblog

Cathy says:
I love this post - it's so, so true! Few people know exactly what their path in life should be to begin with... and it's never too late to change tack! Do YOU know which career path you want to follow? COMMENT BELOW to have your say!

KRISS: SAVE OUR ENDANGERED SPECIES!

Reader Kriss is so concerned about the plight of endangered species she is campaigning to raise awareness...

Kriss says:
Did you know that the Northern White Rhino is extinct in the wild and that only a few survive in captivity? That Polar Bears are endangered because of melting polar ice caps due to climate change? That elephants are hunted for their ivory tusks and have lost much of their natural habitat as humans build more towns and villages? That tigers are poached for their skins and parts that are used as folk medicine on the black market? That whales are still hunted for meat and for so-called scientific purposes, and that the pollution of our oceans threatens many species? That only 1,864 Giant Pandas exist in the wild?

Did you know that wolves once roamed through Britain and have been made extinct here? Luckily they still survive in some parts of Europe, but for some animals the picture is not so hopeful. Many of the animals that make our world so diverse and beautiful are on the verge of extinction because of human greed, pollution, habitat loss and global warming, and once they are gone they can never be brought back. In my lifetime, we could see the extinction of the Sumatran Elephant, the Leatherback Turtle, the Pangolin, the Western Lowland Gorilla, The Orangutan, the Amur Leopard and many more. All because humans cannot look after the planet and protect the environment, because we take what we want without a thought for other creatures and cause so much damage we put lives at risk. When I realised that one day the Orangutan or the Giant Panda could be gone, I was very sad. I wanted to change things, and I started to try to raise awareness.

I started by copying Coco Tanberry's idea of a panda cake sale from COCO CARAMEL, and it went well, and a teacher talked to me about it and together we set up a lunchtime club at school called ANIMAL ALERT. There are a lot of members now, from all the years in the school, and our school collects bottle tops to help gorillas, and raise money for various conservation charities. We recently banned straws in the school canteen and got many cafes in town to stop using them because they pollute the sea and harm seabirds and turtles. We often don't realise that seemingly harmless things like a plastic drinking straw or the plastic that keeps a multipack of tins together or even a carrier bag are dangerous and often find their way into the sea or are discarded and picked up by animals who then drown, starve or suffocate. This September our club is doing a weekend litter pick at the seaside town twenty miles from here, and we have done several inland ones as well. We all tell our families to use less plastic and try to explain why it matters by having school assemblies about the subject.

It might not seem much but in just three years we have changed things quite a lot in our school and made people more aware of things. I will be going into Year Twelve in September and I am thinking ahead to university, where I want to study Environmental Conservation so that I can do more to help endangered animals and one of my friends from the club is hoping to study Marine Conservation. Bit by bit, we can change the world if we only care enough to try. I do - do you?

Artwork: Amur Leopard and wolf drawn by the very talented Oskar Eriksson-Lee. Thank you!

Cathy says:
I have huge admiration for Kriss and her friends, as they are making small but important changes in the world around them... I wish Kriss the best of luck in her chosen career. Do YOU care enough about animals to give up using plastic or work to help them? Is there another issue you care strongly about and want to see featured on DREAMCATCHER? COMMENT BELOW to have your say!