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Talking to your child

Your child may be anxious about what to expect on the first day at school.

If so, one way of helping them is to talk through their fears:

Don't dismiss your child's fears - things that seem obvious or silly to an adult can seem like terrible obstacles to a five year old.

Building on practical skills

If children have a good idea of what school is going to be like and have already experienced learning activities at home and in other settings, they're less likely to find the experience stressful. 

Games, role-plays and reading at home can help your child get into the right frame of mind and boost their confidence.

Activities for your child could include:

• Helping your child to learn

In the weeks before school starts

In the run-up to the first day of term you could:

More useful links

• Support at school (disabled people section)

• Talk to other parents and carers about primary education (Mumsnet) Opens new window

Useful contacts

• Parents contacts