Starting school top tips!

Starting school is a significant milestone for your child and for you as parents, too. It’s a time that’s often crammed with mixed emotions; pride, uncertainty, and sometimes a little sadness that your little one is growing up so fast. 

The lead up to the September start can be a little daunting, especially if this is your first child’s transition to school. However, as your child has spent time at nursery, they are likely to be well on their way to having the skills they need to succeed at school. For example, they are used to spending time apart from you, mixing with other children, and taking instructions from and communicating with other adults. 

Visit the school

Take advantage of opportunities to visit the school together, whether this be popping along to settling-in sessions, open days, fetes, or other events organised by the school. Visiting together will help your child become familiar with their new learning environment and will give you both the chance to meet your child’s new teacher. 

Out and about

When out and about, walk or drive past the school to help your child get used to the idea of where they will be going. Point out things that your child will like, such as the big field to play football, or the sand pit to hunt for treasure! Do a practice school run before the first day to allow for a straightforward journey, considering practicalities such as timings and parking. 

Share stories

Books such as ‘The Colour Monster Goes to School’ by Anns Llenas or ‘Charlie and Lola: I Am Too Absolutely Small For School’ by Lauren Child, are a wonderful way to gently open conversation about school life. You can use these as a starting point to talk about a typical school day together, and explore concepts such as daily routines, playtimes, and school assemblies. If your child has an idea of what to expect, they are less likely to get upset. 

Our loan library at nursery has a collection of books on going to school – why not borrow one for your family to read and enjoy at home. 

Emotional wellbeing

Chat with your child about the school they will be going to. For example, you could talk about when you were little and the things you enjoyed doing at school, and encourage older siblings or friends to chat about the fun things they enjoy at school, too. Ask your child what they think school will be like, what they are looking forward to and if there is anything they are not looking forward to. It’s important to talk positively about how exciting school will be, but at the same time, let your child know that it’s okay to feel a little worried too. 

When it comes to pitching conversation, you know your child best. Some children will love the excitement of talking about big school, whereas for others, a little and often approach to school talk works best. And remember, your child will pick up on your emotions, so try not to show too many nerves!

Meet up with others

Arrange play dates with fellow classmates if you can. A familiar face will help your child feel at ease in their first few weeks, and play dates also give your child time to interact with other children and develop social skills. If your child struggles to make friends easily, teach them useful phrases to initiate play, such as, “Can I join in?” or “Would you like to play with me?” 

School routine

As the start of the term approaches, try to get into a routine compatible with school hours. Encourage your child to get up and go to bed at a sensible time, and practice eating breakfast and getting dressed in time to leave for school. Let your child practice putting on and taking off their school uniform, including their shoes and coat (the flip trick is a great way to encourage your child to put on their coat by themselves!). If your child has naps or a favourite security toy or blanket, leave plenty of time to try and phase these out ahead of starting school. 

Self-care skills

Toileting, hand washing, and nose blowing are useful self-care skills for children to have mastered before they start school. Encourage your child to go to the toilet by themselves, managing to wipe themselves clean and adjust their clothing. After toileting and before mealtimes practice washing hands thoroughly using soap and water. Effective hand washing will hopefully eliminate any bugs as your child’s immunity system develops. 

Mealtimes

Did you know that every child from Reception to Year 2 in state-funded schools in England is entitled to a free hot meal at lunchtime? To help prepare your child for school meals, practice using a full-sized knife and fork to eat, and encourage your child to try to cut their own food. Alternatively, some schools offer the option of packed lunches. If your child will be taking a lunch box to school, practice managing lunch box contents such as opening yogurt pots or peeling fruit. 

Academic skills

In Reception, the school day will be structured a little differently, and the challenges your child will encounter will naturally change in line with their age/stage of development. Just like at nursery, your child will continue learning under the EYFS framework. 

Give your child everyday responsibilities such as laying the table or putting their clothes away as a means of following instructions, and to help develop a ‘can do’ attitude. Activities such as drawing, threading, or puzzles can help build your child’s concentration and attention span and build strength in their fingers to aid pencil skills. 

Name recognition is really useful for your child to be able to identify their personal belongings, their coat peg, and their drawer for schoolwork, so provide lots of opportunities for your child to see their name. You could write their name on drawings or spell out their name using magnetic letters on the fridge. And finally, continue to read regularly with your child as this will be strongly encouraged at school. 

A few more considerations

Your school may offer a phased start, if so, you will need to consider the practicalities around collection times and childcare. Ahead of your first day, it’s advisable to find out details of drop off and collection arrangements, such as: 

• Where do you need to go to drop your child off at school? 
• Do you wait in the playground or enter the classroom? 
• Where do you need to leave your child’s PE kit? 
• Where do you need to be at the end of the school day?

And don’t forget, if your working arrangements mean you work beyond school hours, it can be hugely helpful to start planning before and after school childcare in advance. Talk this through with your child so they know what to expect and if you can, arrange a settling in visit before they start.