Stranger than fiction: starting Year 7
When I was first told I was going to Heathfield Community College back in March, I wondered what it would be like. Would it be scary, massive and hard to find my way around? Or would it be like a fairy-tale and all the work would be easy? One of many thoughts was would it be like all the books I’d read and all the movies I’d seen about people starting new secondary schools. In these books and films there would always be the mean girl (who was either a few years older or the same age as the main character) and she would always make the main character’s life hard. I was scared someone would do that to me and bully me! There would also be the mean girl’s friends who would hurt and deceive the lead character and her friends; I was worried about that too. The fictional teachers would often be cruel and give the students piles and piles of work and this was a big worry of mine. I just had to hope on the last few days of the holidays it would be okay.
The last few days of summer flashed past and I got more nervous, after being excited at the start of the summer. When I first walked through the doors of Heathfield Community College, I could instantly feel a sense of happiness and I could see lots of friendly teachers who were beaming at all the new Year Sevens. It felt so comforting and nothing like the books or films. My first few classes were amazing! I loved learning new things that I hadn’t been taught at primary school. It was nothing like I had expected! At the end of the day I was so pleased I had picked this school to spend my secondary years at. Although I felt I’d had a wonderful day, I was aware that this day had only had Year Sevens, the anti-bullying leaders and the sixth formers in school, so I still had the rest of the students to meet on Monday. I hoped they wouldn’t be mean and spiteful.
When I came into school on the Monday, it was full of students of all ages. I was so nervous, but I went to my old school friends and some of my lovely new friends to see what we had for classes and if we were together for any of them. The older students didn’t chat to us Year Sevens, but they were very helpful when we got lost. It was brilliant - I found myself surrounded by these lovely kind people! It wasn’t anything like the fictional schools I’d read about, so I felt very relaxed and confident. I am very happy that I have made lots of new friends here and that I have lots of opportunities to try new things. I am loving Heathfield Community College!
Lucy Coombs, Year 7
The last few days of summer flashed past and I got more nervous, after being excited at the start of the summer. When I first walked through the doors of Heathfield Community College, I could instantly feel a sense of happiness and I could see lots of friendly teachers who were beaming at all the new Year Sevens. It felt so comforting and nothing like the books or films. My first few classes were amazing! I loved learning new things that I hadn’t been taught at primary school. It was nothing like I had expected! At the end of the day I was so pleased I had picked this school to spend my secondary years at. Although I felt I’d had a wonderful day, I was aware that this day had only had Year Sevens, the anti-bullying leaders and the sixth formers in school, so I still had the rest of the students to meet on Monday. I hoped they wouldn’t be mean and spiteful.
When I came into school on the Monday, it was full of students of all ages. I was so nervous, but I went to my old school friends and some of my lovely new friends to see what we had for classes and if we were together for any of them. The older students didn’t chat to us Year Sevens, but they were very helpful when we got lost. It was brilliant - I found myself surrounded by these lovely kind people! It wasn’t anything like the fictional schools I’d read about, so I felt very relaxed and confident. I am very happy that I have made lots of new friends here and that I have lots of opportunities to try new things. I am loving Heathfield Community College!
Lucy Coombs, Year 7