Top Tips to Make Transition to a New School Easier!

Moving to a new environment such as a new classroom or a new school can be difficult for any child. These anxieties can be reduced by taking small steps to familiarise with your child his/her new environment prior to the start of school. Here is a quick list of strategies that facilitate a smooth transition.

1. Take a tour of the school and if possible, have your child meet the teachers from the school. You can take pictures of your child at school as well as showing him pictures of people s/he might see at school (e.g. class teacher, class assistant etc). Look at the pictures together before going to school. Ask him to find the person, for example, “Where is Miss Chloe?”, “This is Mr. Lee, he is your teacher in the big school”.
2. Prepare your child for what will happen on the day (where s/he is going and for how long, who is going to pick him/her up).
3. Make a social story about going to school.
4. Use a transition item. Have your child pick an item from home that s/he can bring to school to reduce anxiety.

Don’t forget to spend some time talking about what happened at school and praise them for doing a good job!