Tips for parents of children starting senior school

Moving up to secondary school is exciting but we know it can also be daunting for your child and a time of change for you too.  

At Channing we are always there to support our students as they settle into their new environment and I am sure that will be the same wherever your child goes to school.

There is plenty to look forward to and I have no doubt that they will grasp all the opportunities that their new lives have to offer.  So, how can you help?

Encourage your child to choose a range of school clubs to try - this will give them every chance to find like-minded people. They can always decide on their favourites at a later date.  

Encourage them to continue hobbies outside school too, but bear in mind that they will be a lot more tired than usual for the first few weeks of term: it will help if you can keep a sensible school-home balance and retain most social engagements for the weekends.

Joining the Parents’ Association and getting to know other parents and staff will help to make you feel just as much a part of the school community as your child.

Lindsey Hughes suggests parents to get involved with a new school (Image: Channing School)

At home, try to ensure your child eats a healthy breakfast (or attends Breakfast Club at school if they have to leave home early).

Create a calm work space where they can work alone. Support them, but don’t do everything for them. It’s important they learn to work on their own and organise themselves.

Agree routines in advance, such as packing their bag the night before, getting up early and agreeing the time to leave home for school. You could practise the journey to school now, so that they are confident to go it alone when the time comes.

Encourage good daily reading habits and agree together your house rules for appropriate use of technology. We recommend that computers and phones leave your child’s bedroom at night; try to establish an hour’s down time before bed in order to get a good night’s sleep.

This will be easier to enforce when they hit puberty if they have been doing so since the start of secondary school!

Last but by no means least, put name tags on all their possessions; it will help avoid the unnecessary cost and stress of having to replace things when they are invariably misplaced.

We know children and parents react to this new stage in their lives differently - indeed, you may find it harder than your child does - but keeping calm and focusing on the new routine will help all of you navigate your way through the first exciting, busy weeks of the new academic year.

• Lindsey Hughes is headmistress of Channing School, Highgate.