New school year approaching – is your child starting school?

How you can help

September is not far away and for many children it will be the start of their school career. It is scary and daunting for both parents and children alike. Most children will have been going to some form of Nursery School or Play Group so will be used to having some time away from their regular carer.

Children starting school have a wide range of capabilities, some maybe able to write their name, do basic counting and know simple shapes and colours and others may not. Don’t worry what stage your child is at as all these skills will be learnt over the next year or so. More importantly there are other areas such as personal and social skills and standards of expected behaviour that will make it easier for them to settle in. We have put together a few tips on helping make the transition from home or nursery to going off to “big school” easier:

Practising these over the next few weeks before they start:
- Putting on and taking off their coat
- Hanging their own coat or jacket on a peg
- Putting their things into a school bag
- Saying please and thank-you
- Getting used to sharing
- Encouraging them to concentrate on activities for more than just a few moments
- Tidying toys or puzzles away after they have finished playing with them
- Putting their chair under the table
- Covering their mouth when coughing or sneezing
- Encouraging to join-in activities with other children
- Putting on and taking off their shoes and putting them together neatly
- Being quiet when parent or teacher is talking
- Listening, without talking eg. at storytime
- Using cutlery and waiting to leave the table
- Not talking with their mouth full
- Waiting for their turn
- Using the toilet independently
- Washing and drying hands

The more children know about what happens at school, the more confident they will be about starting. Talk to you child as much as you can about what school involves. Showing them a picture or storybook about school often helps – ask at your local bookshop or library for suggestions. Lastly, relax and be calm, children often pick up on your vibes and react accordingly and remember, most children quickly settle into school life.