As the third full week of the new school term draws to a close, you will probably have a good idea now as to whether or not your child has begun to settle into their new school. Children face many challenges when they start a new school, and perhaps, as parents, we sometimes underestimate how significant these challenges can be.
Making new friends, learning their way around the school buildings, and getting used to the new timetable and lesson content: these are but a few of the first challenges your son or daughter will have to navigate.
Help them make new friends.
Whilst some children will slide straight into new school life seamlessly and make friends almost effortlessly, others will take a bit longer to adjust to this new environment. Try and encourage them to join an afterschool or sports club. If it’s an activity they enjoy, chances are they’ll have more in common with the other children who attend, therefore finding conversation easier! Hopefully, within no time at all, they will have some blossoming friendships.
Help them learn their way around.
Most schools will give new students a map of all the buildings within the grounds; this, along with their timetables, should make it easy for your child to coordinate their way to lessons. Sometimes, this is a bit easier said than done. Why not suggest they find a buddy at school (or contact their school to ask if they could help to arrange this) so that your son or daughter has a well-seasoned guide to help show them around the buildings and even to and from their classes!
Help them settle into their new routine
No matter how old your child is, any change to routine is going to take some getting used to. Having to get up earlier, needing to travel to or from school using a different method, or having getting used to a more structured lesson timetable are but a few routine changes they’re probably facing. Help them a bit more in the earlier weeks by (begrudgingly!) reminding them when to wake up, or to take their PE kit on a certain day or even just asking if they have packed their homework back into their bag. Don’t forget: with so many changes going on, they may not fully know what help they actually need, so have a chat with them too and ask if there is anything more you can be doing to help them settle into this new routine.
Giving Them Time
They’re your not-so-little small person so you’re bound to worry and fret but trust them and love them and give them time to adjust and settle. All you can ask of them is to try their best and all do yourself is love and support them. But, if you are worried about how they are settling in, contact their head of year or form teacher. If you’re all on the same page in terms of a plan for helping your child transition and settle well, then you can ensure you’re working together to give your son or daughter the best possible start to the new year.
The transition from primary to secondary (or to any new school) will always be a challenge: that’s why we’ve built the Get My Grades platform. I want to make sure that learning doesn’t take a back seat while your child is settling into a new environment. After all, learning is what school is all about! Our student-friendly learning content is expertly mapped to each year and qualification, giving your child access to all the content relevant to them. Meanwhile, our automatic data tracking ensures that their progress is always saved as they transition between year groups, meaning you can keep track of everything they’ve mastered so far – and offer a helping hand wherever it’s needed.