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Photo by Charlotte Sowman

Top tips for a new Year 9 starting at Hagley - what our 2016 Year 9s think

Suzanne Waters —

Starting high school is a fairly big thing in your life when you’re twelve or thirteen. Books are written about it and movies are made about it. 

Some people can’t wait to make that break away from primary or intermediate school and are counting down the days until they can start. For others, it can be a bit like a big dark worry cloud, looming on the horizon.

At Hagley, we understand all the emotional ups and downs associated with starting high school, and so we try to have the process run as smoothly as possible. Things like the Orientation Evening in November are set up so students know ahead of time who their form tutor is, how s/he can help them, who their classmates are going to be and it gives them another chance to walk around the campus and feel familiar with where things are. Parents are also able to start making those important connections with the staff and with each other.

Making friends and getting lost were the two top responses when we asked some of our current Year 9 students what they had been most worried about before starting at Hagley. Thinking about this, and knowing that they are the experts at being new Year 9s, we then asked them for their Top Tips for next year’s New Year 9s, so here goes:

" Be open-minded! Hagley is all about being yourself. Here we have the freedom to express ourselves through many different channels, one of those being dress." – Charlotte 9WM
"Don’t be afraid to join sports teams and clubs. You get to meet so many more people, which is pretty cool, and you meet some of the seniors which you think could be scary but they really aren’t."  – Kane 9ZK
"Plan your outfit the night before so it isn’t stressful in the morning and so you get to school on time. Having no uniform is a good excuse to go shopping for new clothes, but make sure they are appropriate." – Gracyn 9WM
"I thought it might be nerve-wracking buying something from the Cafe. Don’t worry! The staff there are really nice and are used to serving younger people like ourselves. If you want, you can even ask a friend to go before you, then you can see how it’s done." – Sophie 9ZK
"Start making your own path." – Keke 9ZK
"The teachers are not what most people expect. They help you in every way possible, wanting to help you achieve your goals. They push you to your full limits, helping you extend your knowledge. They are there for whenever you need them, so don’t be afraid to ask for help and really listen to their advice." – Will 9ZK
"Colour-code your timetable and put a photo of it on your phone." – Michael 9ZK
"Teachers see EVERYTHING." – Keke 9ZK
"Don’t leave your homework to the last minute!" – Preston 9ZK
"Get amongst the groups and look for opportunities to show your talents, or find some new ones!" – Liam 9ZK
"Hang with whoever makes you happy." – Liam 9ZK
"Check out the class you’re going to be in after interval or after lunch ahead of time, so you know where you’re going and then you won’t panic and be late." – Olivia 9ZK
"Don’t be afraid to be yourself!!! You don’t have to pretend to be somone you’re not; trust me, being someone you’re not isn’t easy and you won’t be happy. Being yourself is a lot easier and you will feel amazing." – Rhiannon 9ZK
"Hang out with people who make your life positive and influence you in all the right ways." – Lagan 9ZK
"Be proud to be a Year 9 – you only get to do it once!" – Liam 9ZK