DEALING WITH CHANGE​
In the early days of starting at secondary, give your child a bit of leeway - they're going to need a bit of 'bedding in' to their new routine, getting used to following a timetable and all the new faces. It will take a few weeks for them to start feeling confident and relaxed.
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Expect quite a bit of tiredness at the end of the day, so cut them some slack at weekends and let things shift down a gear at home to accommodate the new weekday routine.
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A NEW LEVEL OF INDEPENDENCE
Perhaps the biggest change (for you both) is the huge step-up in terms of how much your child will have to be independent. Now your child will have to make their own way to and from school and they really have to navigate the whole school routine on their own. As a parent, you may not get to meet the teachers until the first parents' evening - and then you'll only see them for a short 5- or 10-minute appointment.
At primary you knew all their friends as well as many of their friends' parents and siblings. Now they will make new friends and it feels odd not knowing who they are, where they live or who their parents are. As a parent, it's quite hard to suddenly go from being so involved to feeling like you are more distanced from them and their new school world. Of course, for your child it can add to the nerves and anxiety they may feel too.

SETTLING INTO THE NEW SCHOOL
The move to secondary school can come as a shock to both parents and children. You may feel your child isn't ready to take the responsibility for what is probably a longer journey to school, perhaps using public transport. They will usually have more books and equipment to carry around and may find it difficult to stay organised. At secondary school, your child will be expected to take greater responsibility for their own organisation. You can help to encourage this at home with the following tips:
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Encourage your child to get organised for school the evening before. This can save them (and you!) a lot of undue stress in the morning. Remind them to check their timetable for the following day, pack their bag and lay out their uniform if necessary.
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Try and resist the temptation to do everything. Your child needs to learn to manage their time efficiently and they won’t do it if you get everything ready for them.
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Your child will probably have several homework tasks to complete each night, and most schools record this in a homework diary. Make a note to yourself to read and sign the diary at least once a week to make sure your child is keeping up with their assignments.
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Have a calendar on display at home clearly marked with different equipment needed for different days (sports kit, music, projects etc.) Encourage the habit of looking at the schedule the night before and organising schoolbags there and then.
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Use every opportunity to keep in contact with the school - this may be more difficult now that classes are bigger and your child has many different subject teachers. However, if the school has a website, be sure to check regularly for information updates and news.
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