Supporting Your Child When They’re Starting a New School

What if I get lost? What if nobody sits with me at lunch? Whether your child is moving up to secondary school or changing schools partway through the year, these are the questions that tend to come up at home.

You'll find simple ways to answer them together. Work out what an ordinary day will look like, from uniform to who they walk in with. Then make an 'if-then' plan for each worry, so one wrong turn doesn't spoil the whole day. An older pupil who's already at the school can help more than you might expect, and you'll see how to help your child notice that nerves and excitement feel much the same.

Once they've started, there's a simple habit for stopping to notice what's going well and telling them you're proud of them.