This is a collaborative post with Books2Door
Are you are the parent of a child starting secondary school? You are?! Great! I have put together some tips for a smooth transition from primary school to secondary school to make the first day a little less daunting
My 11 year old, Big L, starts secondary school this year. He was at the same primary school for 7 years so I appreciate how big a deal this is for him. He has phases of being excited and nervous and we have talked A LOT about the move to secondary school. Here are a few of the things I have found have helped:
Tell your child about how much you enjoyed secondary school (even if you didn’t!)
Kids love to hear about the things you got up to in your childhood/teenage years. I have told Big L about all the new friends I made at secondary school. Kids who lived further away, came from all sorts of different backgrounds, had loads of hobbies I may not have heard of and how it broadened my horizons beyond the smaller primary school I went to. I have also made it clear that if he does encounter any problems then we will deal with them. The school he will be attending is very good at dealing with issues like bullying so I have been reinforcing that.
Try a self help book to help with starting secondary school
I found this excellent book written especially for children starting secondary school on the Books2Door website for £7.99. The Secondary school survival guide Go Big, written by well known headteacher Matthew Burton, has loads of hints and tips for children starting secondary school. Big L is reading it at the moment!
Get their school uniform ready in plenty of time
Familiarise yourself, and them, with the school uniform. A top tip from me is to ask parents who have children already at the school what is popular and/or necessary. For instance, at the school Big L will be attending, they specify “logo trousers” but the blazer covers the logo on the trousers so I have been advised that most people get plain black trousers or tactical pants. Plain trousers are considerably cheaper! I’ve also asked about shoes and rucksacks etc. It is always helpful to know what the current pupils do so your child knows what to expect and, in turn, can save you money.
Help prepare their secondary school bag with the essentials
At Big L’s new secondary school they leave their bag in their locker and just take the books and equipment required for their lesson. They use their blazer pockets to keep their pens etc in so having the minimum amount and smaller items is helpful. They are required to have a calculator and an English dictionary is recommended so I got him this Pocket Edition Collins English Dictionary & Thesaurus from Books2Door priced at £9.99 which he will be able to carry to English lessons if necessary.
Do the journey to their new secondary school with them prior to them starting
A lot of kids will be getting buses and trains alone for the first time. Make sure they know the route, how to buy tickets etc before the start of term. See if they can meet other kids travelling the same way so they can buddy up and make the journey less daunting.
Join the secondary school class parents WhatsApp
These groups can be really helpful for reminders of times, what’s needed, where to pick up and so on. It is also a good way to get to know other parents in your child’s tutor group and possibly help with future friendships.
I hope this guide has helped and would be happy to hear any tips you have that helped you and your child
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