Tuesday 6 May 2014

Starting school.

Starting Infants School

Starting primary school can be a nerve wracking experience for parents and children. Even if they've been going to nursery or pre school for a while, it's still a big change and one that needs preparing for. With a little planning however you can easily prepare them for this big new step in their lives. Some great tips for helping them adjust to the idea of starting primary school are:

Visit the School

You will have visited prospective primary schools already no doubt, or even have one in your mind that maybe you attended as a child that you want your child to go to. You may even be waiting to see which school in the local area your child has been accepted into. Having been to the school yourself is no use to your child however, they need to see where they will be going to school too.

Usually when a child is accepted into a new school at infants level, you are sent an invitation to join your child for maybe an hour or so to get to see their new classroom, meet their new friends and their teacher. After that you may also have the opportunity for another visit around the start of term on their own for a while and of course there are numerous settling in days and even half days at the start of the new school year to ensure that your child is completely ready for this first step into the school system.

Talk about School

Tell your child how much fun it was when you were at school and what to expect. Talk to them about things we take for granted like what happens when the school bell rings and to ask to go to the toilet if they need to and not be afraid to ask even in the middle of a lesson. There are some great books about starting school you can read with your child in the lead up to the new school term, which will help them to deal with this new phase in their life and give them confidence.

Preparing Together

Getting your little one involved with the preparation for them starting school is a good way to help it sink in that they will be starting school soon. Shopping for uniform and a shiny new school bag and lunch box are a great way to do this as you can really involve your child. Little girls will love picking out some new school skirts from the great range of George school skirts and boys will love choosing their first cool new pair of school shoes.

For the week or two before school have a practice run of your school routine. Get up at the time you'll have to get up each morning for school, get dressed, have breakfast and maybe even have a practice run of the walk or drive to school so you can show your child the way.

Little things like this make all the difference for a child who's about to start school, especially one who might be a little nervous at the prospect of starting 'big school'.

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2 comments :

  1. Great post, we have all this to look forward to in 18 months time, too much to think about! x

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  2. Great post and some great advice! My little boy will be starting school in september and he is so excited its me whos more nervous lol! xx

    Jess
    http://owlcrazymummy.blogspot.co.uk

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