Starting School

Starting school can feel like a big step for you as well as your child.  To help this to be as smooth and positive as possible, we’ve put together some information, advice and tips below.

Preparing ahead

• Prepare for starting school well ahead of the big day – don’t leave it to the last minute
• Be positive when you talk about school – share your own school stories and memories
• At times, be real about some of the challenges – they may get tired or feel sad in school. Explain that the staff in school want all children to be happy and safe and will be there to help them
• Use the information the school provides to run through the new daily routine so they know what to expect
• If you can, practise the school run route with your child a few times, and pointing out where the entrance is and things you will see on the journey – familiarity builds security and safety
• Take advantage of familiarisation opportunities like home visits, transition visits and stay and play sessions
• Work on personal organisation and independence – putting on their coat, hanging up their coat and bag, putting on their shoes, tidying up after playing, putting rubbish in the bin
• Take opportunities to socialise them on playdates to learn sharing and cooperating with other children
• Practise separation from your child with family members and playdates
• Involve your child in choosing and labelling their school things (including book bag, clothes and water bottle)
• Get them toilet-confident so that ideally they are able to go to the toilet alone and wash hands well.
• Read and talk about books
• Help them to recognise their name (both hearing it and seeing it written down)

The First Days

• Know the start date, start time and finish times for the first few days
• Give yourself plenty of time
• Try to make the morning as relaxed as possible
• Avoid a lengthy goodbye – try to be smiling and confident when you send them in
• Bring a snack at collection time
• Don’t be surprised if they can’t remember much at all
• Be careful of organising lots after school in the first few weeks

Worries/Issues 

It’s a rare child that has absolutely no worries about starting primary school, but rarer still is the child that doesn’t eventually settle in and love being at school. Common issues include:

• School reluctance or refusal
• Anxiety and worries about school/playground
• Separation difficulties
• Friendship issues

All of these are common issues that the teachers and staff have lots of experience and advice to offer to help you and your child should they occur.  The school also can draw on specialist advice and support (for example the NHS Family Wellbeing Service) if these difficulties take time to settle.

You may find some of the video webinars from the NHS Education Wellbeing Service useful: