Well, we have finally made it! Witchling 11 leaves primary school this week. She is making the final massive step up to secondary school.  It is an emotional time for us all Witchling 11 is excited but is also very nervous. She ismoving from being a big fish in a tiny little pond (there is only 1 year 6 class), to being a tiny little fish in a gigantic pond!

So here are some tips for making the transition as smooth as possible.

  • Be positive! Although your heart is in your throat and you are just as anxious as your child, don’t let them see that. It will only fan the flames of their own worries.
  • If/when your child tells you about their worries you should let them know that you are sympathetic, but also remind them that you felt just as nervous and that everyone else who is starting on the same day will share the same fears.
  • Make sure you, or another relative, can be there when your child sets off for school during the first week. Ideally, you should try to be there when he or she gets home too.
  • For the most part, your child will have had at least one visit to the school, organised by the secondary school, in partnership with the primary school. If not, try to get a visit organised so that the school is not wholly alien on day one of term.
  • Get their uniform, P.E. kit and school supplies organised in plenty of time. If your child feels well prepared then they will be calmer about making the leap up to secondary school, where they will have to take much more responsibility for their own things.
  • Many secondary school children will need to take the bus to and from school. Try to have a practice run of this. Make sure that they understand road safety and are able to read a bus time table. They will need to know what to do if they miss their bus, or lose their bus pass/fare.
  • There will be lots of new things. New subjects, new teachers, new friendships. Take care to be as interested in these things as possible, without prying.
  • Find out what sort of pastoral care is available at the school. This should reassure you that any problems or concerns you child may have can be dealt with efficiently by the school and will be taken seriously.
  • Having somewhere quiet to get on with homework is very important. Homework is more serious in secondary school. Take an active interest in it, but don’t pry to much into it. It’s important that your child finds his own way of working and organising themself. Some children need to get on with their home work as soon as they get in from school, while others need a little wind down time before going back to the books.

All that is left to say is CONGRATULATIONS! to all parents and children who have survived primary school and the dreaded SATS this year and I wish you all well with the transition up to Secondary School in September!

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