How to help your children move from primary to secondary school

The transition for children moving from primary to secondary school can be an emotionally difficult time for both you and your children.

They're entering the next chapter of their lives, plus going from being the oldest and settled in primary school to be the youngest, and therefore often smallest, in a much bigger secondary school. 

This change can be daunting for your children, the more you can talk to them and prepare them for the changes, the easier they will find it to settle in. Here we bring you some of our top tips and additional resources to help you all make this an exciting time.

  • If you've been unable to visit the school show your child their new school's website so they know what the school looks like, where the entrances are and how they get around the site
  • Talk to them about their new teacher and new subjects they'll be learning
  • Ask them how they're feeling, what they're looking forward to, what they might be nervous about, who they already know when they start from their old school etc
  • Be a good listener, it is very normal for your child to be nervous about new surroundings, even more so since the pandemic
  • Supply your child with tips on how to make new friends - maybe arm them with a couple of questions to help build new relationships - where do you live, what did you do over the summer holidays, what sports do you like etc?
  • Explore relaxation techniques together; taking deep breaths, thinking of their happy place. See the further resources for more mindfulness techniques
  • Show your child the BBC Bitesize website, which has lots of top tips from other children and teachers that your children will be able to relate to