Going back to school: the dos and don’ts

A few tips for starting the new school year with confidence

by Sophie Stead

As soon as the summer holidays begin it can somehow feel as if you are already planning the process of going back to school in September: buying school uniforms, planning packed lunches and promising yourself that you won’t ever be late again for the school run. However, the summer holidays give you and your family a great opportunity to relax, recoup and the perfect opportunity to plan ahead and consolidate learning before hitting the ground running for the start of a new term.

The Dos

Do keep things ticking over during the summer: Read, read, and read some more.

Whether you are planning a stay-cation or jetting off around the world, encouraging your children to take their favourite books with them will ensure that their vocabulary and mental agility continues to develop. The summer offers an excellent opportunity for consolidation and ensures students start the new term feeling confident.

Many schools and companies like Enjoy Education will offer summer holiday reading lists for every year group. School librarians are a great source of advice, too.

We regularly support families whose children struggle or don’t enjoy reading. There are some great apps out there to help with this process and the Enjoy team can recommend the best ways to encourage your children to engage with literature! Don’t forget you can also try audio books on those long car journeys.

The Don’ts

Don’t panic!

For those of you who are sending children off to school for the first time,  the Autumn term can be daunting. Letting your child try on their uniform and doing a couple of dummy runs can help to reduce anxiety on both sides. The start of term can seem frantic and full of stress for everyone involved but planning ahead helps to ease in and remember, half term is never too far around the corner!