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School is not just a place where your children learn, grow and develop, it's also a place where they have social groups and a sense of routine.
Starting school may lead to feelings of anxiety and uncertainty for children. Changing from a home routine to a school routine can be daunting and children may struggle with different feelings and thoughts when they go into a classroom and meet new teachers and other children.
Changing schools, moving into another class or transitioning from primary to secondary school can also bring challenges for children and families.
There are tips and advice to help you and your child settle into school life and make the most of the opportunities they get from being at school.
Going to school
Top tips for starting school
- Make sure your child starts their day with a healthy breakfast
- Go along to any open days or settling in days so your child knows what their class will look like and where toilets and coat pegs are
- Talk to your child about their teacher and children in their class.
- Tell them about school procedures like getting in to the school, following rules in the classroom, what to do at lunch time and what happens when the school day ends.
- Practise routines such as washing hands and ensure they know the importance of this.
- Practice putting on uniforms, packing school bags and lunch boxes
- Show them the route they will take to school and make it fun for them, pointing out things like shops, post boxes, the street names and so on.
- Help your child to be school ready by reading, writing and counting with them and build their confidence socially.
- Talk about all the fun things they will be able to do at school and what they will enjoy learning and finding out
Getting ready for school in Sandwell. Ready, Steady, Grow has been created to make sure all young people in Sandwell are school ready.
Starting primary school
BBC Bitesize has lots of information for parents on starting primary school
Going to school in Sandwell
Latest information about schools in Sandwell
Help with buying a school uniform
Help with travel costs in Sandwell
Sandwell Local Offer
support for children and families with special educational needs and disabilities
Getting into a routine
- Encourage children to go to sleep and wake up at a regular time.
- Make sure they start the day with a healthy breakfast
- Try to get into a habit of having regular mealtimes.
- Avoid snacking before bedtime
- Switch of devices an hour before bedtime
- Read a bedtime story with them
Healthy sleep tips for children
Get children in to a healthy sleep routine
Feeling anxious or worried?
BEAM Sandwell
Emotional health and wellbeing for young people in Sandwell
Kooth
Online mental wellbeing support for young people
Krunch
support for young people in Sandwell
School Nursing Teams
Early help and extra support for children and young people at school
Sandwell Healthy Minds
Help for people experiencing mental health problems
Black Country Emotional Support Helpline
Freephone 0808 802 2288
KaleidoscopePlus
Talk to someone or use the self help toolkit
Manage Anxiety
Anna Freud National Centre for Children and Families support for children and young people struggling with anxiety.
Health and Wellbeing
Sandwell's 5 ways to wellbeing
top tips on supporting your wellbeing
Route2Wellbeing
Sandwell directory of health and wellbeing services
Healthy Sandwell
Health and wellbeing suppport in Sandwell
Health for Teens
NHS website to support teenagers with health and wellbeing
Health for Kids
Health and wellbeing resources for families
Place2Be
Helpful advice on starting school and changes at school
Covid-19 and school
Coronavirus Regular Testing
NHS advice in getting a regular test
Sandwell Rapid Covid-19 home tests
Rapid Covid-19 home tests for adults who live with school age children in Sandwell
Information for parents
Latest Government guidance on going to school during Covid-19 pandemic
Test and Trace Support Payment
Payment available to low income families who have to self isolate due to coronavirus
Getting back into a routine
Family Lives top tips for getting back in to a routine
Going back to school
CAMHS advice on going back to school
Returning to School
Mental health and returning to school
Back to school tips
Top tips for easing the transition back into the classroom after a break
Going back to school
Childline tips for going back to school
Back to School Hub
Barnardo's range of resources, tools, videos and more to help you support your child’s journey going back to school.