Get Your Child Ready Secondary School.

{Collaborative content} If there is one time in life that’s pretty scary, it’s when your child heads to secondary school. At Age 11, your child will finish primary school and be moving from a safe zone with the teachers you know and the kids that you know and start something completely different. Secondary school is a new world for children, and when the time comes to go and look at schools and choose the right one, it’s a new chapter beginning.

We worry all the time as parents, and school admissions can be so difficult to get through when you are trying to find the right fit for your child. Children are all different and when you choose to look around certain schools, you will definitely feel emotional about the changes up ahead. You’ll worry about friendships and homework and all of the challenges that come with a new school environment. These are all normal worries, but in the meantime, you need to get your very wide-eyed eleven-year-old ready for secondary school.

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●      Talk About Changes That Will Occur

The best way to prepare your child for secondary school is to talk to them about it. You need to communicate the things that they should expect. You should also explain that the changes that they will face will be overwhelming - and that it’s okay to be nervous. As much as this is a huge change for you as a parent, you won’t be the one getting lost in a brand new school! Your little one may be the oldest in their current school, but they’re about to go to the bottom of the classes again.

●      Talk About Homework

Children won’t know what homework really means until they go to secondary school. They may have taken work home in primary years, but secondary school invites new challenges such as multiple classes of homework. They may not be used to this level of work before and while that’s not unusual, they will need to learn to balance their time after school.

●      Ask About Their Feelings

Your child is likely to feel worried, anxious, overwhelmed and scared with their new start. They are going to meet new people - both children and teachers - and this is going to be brand new. They are going to feel their feelings and that’s going to be just fine. However they feel they shouldn't be dismissed: let them feel them loudly if they need to. Be considerate and patient.

●      Go Shopping

It’s time to go shopping for uniforms, stationery and a new bag. This is a big moment as it’s an important rite of passage for a child. They’ll get to choose their new bag and all of their stuff. This can help them to feel more settled about the changes ahead. While you’re out, practice your new journey to school, too.

You have a big journey ahead together, so it’s important that you get ready for it and ensure that your child feels ready for the new changes next year.