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  • Breadcrumb

    1. Home
    2. Education
    3. Schools, learning and development
    4. Preparing for primary school

    After the first weeks at primary school

    You can help support your child in their first weeks in primary school by setting up routines at home, showing that you value their progress and encouraging them to take pride in their work.

    After the first day

    If your child has been to a nursery or reception class, they will have had some preparation for primary school and so their transition may be smooth. However, they might still find their initial weeks quite stressful.

    Your child may be more tired than usual and need time to relax. You may find that rather than becoming more 'grown up', they may regress or become more difficult or defiant, in response to the stress of a new routine.

    Your child may also have concerns about making friends or be more withdrawn than usual.

    What you can do

    In order to provide support or help your child through what can sometimes be a difficult first phase, it may help to:

    • set aside time with your child to talk about school and take an interest in what they have been doing
    • listen carefully to any worries your child might have
    • find out as much as possible about your child's school and what happens there during the day
    • try to keep a regular routine at home to keep stress to a minimum
    • make sure your child knows what is happening on a day-to-day basis and is informed before any changes to their routine
    • encourage your child to become friends with children in their class
    • keep positive as some problems may be resolved as your child adapts to a new way of life

    If you cannot sort out problems your child has by talking to them, you may find it useful to talk to your child's teacher about your concerns.

    More useful links

    • School life
    • Extra-curricular activities
    • Support at school
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    Preparing for primary school

    • After the first weeks at primary school
    • Finding out about your child's primary school
    • Overcoming first day fears at primary school

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