School life

Starting school can be a very exciting time in your child’s life, but you and your child might feel a bit nervous about this next stage in their life and you may be concerned that they won't be able to cope.

Although starting school is a big step, most children love school and find lots of new friends there. You can read more about this on the Family Lives website.

Here are a few simple ways to help with the transition to school:

be toilet ready - try to ensure your child can use the toilet unaided. Teach them how to wipe themselves and always show them good hand hygiene
practice how to undress for PE or any lesson that may need a change of clothes - can they take their own coat on and off for break times and lunch? Teach your child how to take off and put on shoes
label all their belongings - your child will almost definitely misplace or inadvertently swap their belongings, so make sure their name is on everything so they can find them again
talk with them as often as possible and listen to their answers, without interrupting - this gets them used to listening to the teacher in a classroom setting
try to discuss going to school in advance, in a positive way, which helps your child feel excited about going - never let your child see you are apprehensive or let them see any negative feelings you may have
have your day organised - decide, in advance, how your child will get to school and who will take them. Don’t be late on their first day as this can cause anxiety. It may be worth doing a practice run to get some idea of the time and distance involved

York Learning hold courses for parents and carers to provide hints and tips to help prepare their children for school. You can view what courses are available at York Family Learning.

If you do find your child has any problems at school, then it is best to deal with them as soon as you find out. Talk to the class Teacher or Head Teacher in the first instance. All schools have policies and procedures in place to help and this information should be available on the school’s website or speak to the school to ask for a copy of their policies and procedures.

If your child has special educational needs or disabilities, the York SEND Local Offer has lots of information about supporting children with disabilities and additional needs. Also speak to your child’s school to discuss there needs and how they can support your child.

For concerns about bullying, see your school's website on their bullying policy and always talk to someone. Don't ignore bullying, no matter how small it may seem. No child should feel bullied at any stage of school life and there are many places to go for help and advice:

National Bullying Helpline telephone: 0300 323 0169
Young Minds
NSPCC telephone: 0808 800 5000
Childline telephone: 0800 1111