Top tips for returning to school and preparing for transitions
Published: Thursday, July 13, 2023

Returning to school after the summer holidays can be daunting for some children. Here are some top tips to prepare your child for the start of term:
- Introduce a school night routine
- Start gentle conversations about school – remind them of their term time routines
- Listen to your child’s concerns
- Draw pictures or use social stories
- Get organised – prepare in advance where possible
- Use a comfort object
- Plan fun things to do after school
- Stay calm
Check out the links below for more helpful ideas and resources:
Tips for the transition back to school - Adoption UK Charity
Tips for dealing with back to school anxiety - a blog by YoungMinds
Back to school - Adoption UK Charity
Reducing trip trauma [PDF] - an article by PAC-UK
Goodbyes and transitions [PDF] - an article by PAC-UK
Anna Freud mental health charity for children and families - lots of really great resources - especially around transitioning to secondary school.
Primary resources by Twinkl - lots of back to school resources and downloads.
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