Last week, as I was walking to school for our Wednesday Staff INSET day, I passed many children heading towards Senior Schools in my neighbourhood for their first day back. Some had a confident aura as they walked along with their friends; some kept their heads down, looking at their phones with ear pods in, and some looked terrified! I surmised these boys and girls to be prospective Year 7s, and I wanted to instinctively give them a hug, and reassure them that everything would be OK. But I didn’t, because that would be an arrestable offence!
With these observations in mind, I did take careful note of how our girls returned to school on Thursday. It was so lovely to see how excited and happy they were to be back, engaging immediately with classmates and staff as if an eight-week separation was merely a day or two. Even our new Reception cohort showed impressive independence and confidence as they made their way to Honeybee.
Whilst our learning environment certainly helps to ensure our children feel physically and emotionally safe, it is our wealth of transition opportunities which lay the foundation for a confident return to school. These are arranged throughout the year, beginning in many subtle ways before becoming more targeted and overt during the summer term. Through our activities and conversations with children, staff and parents, we can welcome every child through the door for a new academic year with the following maxim: ‘I see you. I hear you. I know you!’
Children will experience a range of emotions as they get to grips with the novelty of a new academic year, and these feelings are perfectly normal. We are highly experienced and knowledgeable in recognising these and can step in with strategic support, sometimes so subtly, our children aren’t even aware of it!
There are also things which you can do to support your child at home as they adjust and adapt to new routines and challenges:
- Establish routines to help children feel secure and prepared: invest in sleep with consistent bedtimes and devices removed from the bedroom; schedule time for homework, and play.
- Encourage a positive mindset to minimise any possible feelings of anxiety: have positive conversations about school. Listen to your child’s concerns without interruption and reassure them by helping them to see the bigger picture.
- Prepare together: involving your child in getting ready for their school day and week will give them a feeling of control and help them to become more independent and responsible.
- Reinforce Social Skills: returning to school after a long holiday means that your child may feel out of practice in interacting with their friends and teachers. Encourage them to use their voice in school to ask for help, particularly when dealing with conflicts. Encourage them to use their voice when out and about too … give them opportunities to ask for a menu, order their food, speak to a shop assistant etc.
- Above all, be a supportive listener: create time to listen to your child reflect on their school day. Be enthusiastic as they share the highs and similarly empathetic and supportive when they express feelings of nervousness or worry. All these feelings are perfectly normal and healthy, and sometimes children just need an opportunity to express them out loud, to understand why they are feeling a certain way.
Head of Lower School