P7 Questions Page
Hi I’m Jack, and I was the Head Boy of Clydeview Academy for the 2024-2025 school year. During my time as Head Boy, myself and the Head Girl, Sophie, visited Clydeview’s three feeder primary schools – Gourock, Moorfoot and Ardgowan.
When we visited, we spoke to all of the P7s who were getting ready to leave primary school and begin their time at Clydeview. We gave them a presentation about what we do in our roles of Head Boy and Head Girl as well as a taster of what life at Clydeview is like. This included information about school clubs, trips and events that take place throughout the year.
At the end of our visit, we gave all of the P7s a chance to ask anything they wanted to know about Clydeview and we were so impressed by how many questions they had! There were a number of questions which were asked more than once and so we’ve taken those questions and our answers to them to create this page of commonly asked questions by P7 leavers.
Hopefully this is helpful in giving you an even better idea of what life at Clydeview is like and is able to ease any worries you may have as well as building some excitement about starting high school!
Commonly asked questions by P7 leavers
Will I get lost during my first few weeks?
Clydeview is a big school and it may take you a while to get used to where everything is. However, we have a team of S6 guides who will guide you and your classmates to where you need to be. They carry large signs with your class’s name on them and will guide your class across the school between each lesson. As long as you stick with your guide, you’ll never get lost! The guides stick around for the first few weeks of your time at Clydeview and after two weeks you’ll know where everything is, I promise!
What happens if I get separated from my guide or classmates?
In the situation where you do get separated from your guide or your class, it’s easy to feel a little worried. Fortunately, there are signs all over the school which point you in the direction of each department. Each department also has a large sign with their name on it at their entrance. When I started at Clydeview, I thought it was huge and thought I’d never learn where everything is, but it didn’t take me long to know my way around and the school doesn’t feel so big once you’ve been in it a while.
Will my teacher get me into trouble if I get lost and am a little late to class?
During your first few weeks at school, your teachers will be very understanding. They know that you’re new here and that you’re still getting used to knowing your way around. If you do get a little lost for a while and it makes you a few minutes late to class, your teacher won’t get you into trouble as they will understand your reason. Although once you know your way around, you can’t be turning up to class late! Once you’ve been in the school for a month, you can’t be using getting lost as an excuse as you’ll where everything is by then.
Do I always have to wear a shirt and tie?
Yes, you always have to wear a shirt and tie. I know in some primary schools, you are able to wear a polo shirt each day (I went to Gourock Primary and this was the case for us) but at Clydeview, you need to wear your shirt and tie every day! Don’t worry, its not as bad as it sounds. You get used to it very quickly and it never feels uncomfortable to wear it. While you do need your shirt and tie, you don’t need to wear a blazer every day as they are optional, but they do look very smart so it’s never a bad thing to wear one!
Can I wear trainers to school?
When you come to school, you should wear school shoes. Having said that, if you have black trainers, you will likely not get into trouble for wearing them through the school. Maybe don’t go wearing any really crazy multi-coloured shoes when you turn up to your class though! You will of course, be allowed to wear any coloured trainers for P.E. but you can’t have ones with black souls as they can smudge and stain the floor of the gym hall.
Will I be in a class with my friends when I start?
You might not be in a class with every single one of your friends. However, is very likely that you will have a few friends in your class with you. When the classes are chosen, they always try to ensure that everyone has a few friends from primary school in the class with them.
Will I still be able to see my friends from primary school?
While you might not be in a class with all your primary school friends, you will still be able to be with them during break and lunch time. You can also join lunchtime clubs or after school clubs with them. Even though not all my friends were in my class when I started, I was still able to spend loads of time with them each day at school.
Is it difficult to make new friends and fit in?
I would definitely say no, it’s not difficult to make friends and fit in, in fact, it can be a lot easier than you think. You will be sitting with and spending time with the people in your classes each day so you’ll be able to get to know them quite well. Through joining clubs, taking part in school events and just spending time with people in the social area. And don’t worry about fitting in, everyone in your year is in the same position as you. You’re all starting a new school and probably share a lot of the same feeling about your new school as each other. I was so nervous about making new friends when I started school but now that I look back, I met a lot of my closest friends for the first time during my time in S1.
Are we allowed to choose where we sit in our classes?
This will all depend on your teacher. Some teachers will allow you to choose where you sit in their class, others will create a seating plan while some might have you sitting in alphabetical order by second name. Don’t be disappointed if you’re not able to sit with your primary school friends in all your classes as sitting with new people will be a perfect opportunity to get to know them and make new friends.
Is the homework a little harder and a lot more frequent than primary school?
I think you already know the answer to this one. Yes, high school homework is a little harder and a little more challenging than primary school, but you do not have to worry at all! At first, you’ll find the homework to be not much different to primary school and you’ll have no trouble doing it. Throughout the year it might get a bit more frequent but nothing too much. Everyone worries about the jump to high school homework, but it is never as bad as you think it will be. Your teachers are always there to support you do if you are having some trouble with it or struggling to meet deadlines.
What school trips are available at Clydeview?
Clydeview Academy is a great school for offering school trips, so you’ll hopefully get the chance to go on one. However, it is more common when you’re in the older years of Clydeview (normally fourth year onwards) as the French and Spanish students will get the chance to go to Paris and Barcelona respectively. Saying that, there still a number of trips that will take place when you are in the junior part of the school. For example, there will be a few day trips to local places, the Geography classes normally visit Loch Lomond, but it has to be said that there is no guarantee that every single person will get the opportunity for a trip as it can depend on which subjects they study at times. New possibilities for school trip are always coming up so you never know what trip you could be going on!
What clubs are available at Clydeview?
There are so many clubs at Clydeview! During my time at the school, there’s been clubs like the Science Club which give S1 pupils the chance to try out some interesting experiments and the Film Club where you’ll get the opportunity to make your own movies. We also have the Lego Club as well as the Creative Creations Club and the BSL Club. There are also after school clubs available like the Dungeons and Dragons Club which takes place in the school library. These are just a few examples as there’s loads more! Our assortment of clubs can change from year to year and while there’s a chance that some of these might not be on, there will be other options in their place.
What sports activities are available at Clydeview?
Just like our clubs, there are plenty of sports activities to get into at Clydeview. We have a junior (S1 to S3) football team as well as a senior (S4 to S6) football team, There is also a netball team and a rugby team. All of these sports teams get the chance to compete in tournaments against other schools in Inverclyde and I hear that Clydeview’s done pretty well this year. There are normally also after school clubs for Badminton, Basketball and Volleyball available to all ages.
Will I get in trouble if I take my phone out in class?
Yes, you should never have your phone out in class unless you are told otherwise by your teacher! Seriously though, please don’t take out your phones to text your friends or scroll through social media when you in class. Doing this will affect your learning severely as you will not be focuses on the lesson and the teacher will have to take time out of that lesson to give you into trouble.
Are there any times when I can use my phone in class?
There will be some occasions where you do get the chance to use your phone in class as there are some apps and games that can be used to help with your learning. For example, some teachers like to use games like Kahoot as a way to have a class game all together. There are websites like Maths Pad and Quizlet which your teacher may ask you do take your phones out to use as these can help with your studying. Sometimes you may also need your phones for research, but only when your teacher tells you to. Only use your phone in class if your teacher has told you to do so and never just pull it out to go on social media!
How long does each lesson last?
Each lesson will last 50 minutes, so just under one hour. You will have seven lessons on a Monday and Tuesday and only six on Wednesdays, Thursdays and Fridays. As you probably already know, after your second lesson you will have break time which lasts 15 minutes and after your fourth lesson, lunchtime begins and this last for 40 minutes. You will also have registration in the morning which only lasts 10 minutes.
What is the library like at Clydeview and when can we visit it?
We have a lovely library at Clydeview and you’ll get to see it when you visit the school on you induction days. There’s a wide range of books available so there’ll always be something that you like. You can visit the library during lunchtime or break and in S1, you also get days where you will visit there with your English class.
What events can we look forward to in first year?
You have lots to look forward to in first year! In September, the whole school goes along the Greenock Cut for a Sponsored Walk and this is something that everyone who takes part loves. The S6s also dress up in costumes for it which is always funny. Then in October, there’s your S1 Halloween Night! This is something which is all organised by the S6s and they give you the chance to take part in many different fun games and activities. This includes a haunted corridor, ghoulish games and a chance to meet a mad scientist! There are other events like the Christmas Cracker and Christmas carnival where you get to enjoy all kinds of festive games. Last year, we even had the first ever Clydeview Talent Show (which I co-hosted!) and this could be something that may continue.
That’s all for now! I hope you were able to get the answers to any worries or concerns you had and built your excitement for joining us at Clydeview. Maybe some more questions will be added in the future but I’ll be saying bye for now. All the best for starting high school, you’ll love it!
