Starting high school: Helping your child make the big move. • CHILD Magazines

28 Oct Starting high school: Helping your child make the big move.

Posted at 14:30h in Education, Inform by admin

Moving from primary to secondary school is a big step. From making new friends to managing homework and finding their way around, here’s how parents and schools can help children make a confident start.

Starting school is a big deal for littlies and their parents, but the transition from primary school to secondary school often receives less attention. Yet it marks another significant milestone in children’s lives, and young people’s wellbeing and academic success can be profoundly affected by how it all goes. A smooth transition lays the foundations for a happier high school experience.

Imagine how a child of 10 or 11 feels about leaving the security of a smaller school, where they’ve been among the eldest students for a couple of years, where they know most teachers, and where the routine is familiar. They are heading for the big unknown.

“Only one other friend is going to the same school as me,” Tahlia tells me. “Mum says I’ll make other friends, but I’m scared I won’t.”

And Vincent says that he’s worried about all the homework expected at high school. “My cousin says he never has time to play or do things anymore because he’s always doing schoolwork,” he says. “I like sport and stuff so the high school doesn’t sound like much fun to me.”

Tahlia and Vincent echo the concerns of many children as they prepare for secondary school.

Starting high school means being among the youngest in a larger school population, managing a new curriculum with many different subjects, adapting to the teaching styles of different teachers, and facing new academic expectations.

What’s more, the transition from primary school often coincides with the shift from childhood into adolescence and puberty, with all the physical, intellectual and emotional changes that brings.

It’s no wonder that so many kids feel anxious around this time.

“It was very scary to take that step,” says Kristy, recalling her first year of high school. “I was lucky because I had a big sister to look out for me, but most other kids didn’t have that.”

Making the transition easier

Across Australia, schools recognise the importance of supporting children through what educators call the ‘middle years’ of schooling, particularly the move from Year 6 to Year 7.

An important part of this support is good communication between primary schools and the secondary schools their students will attend.

When secondary schools draw on just two or three local primary schools, they can work together directly. But when students come from 15 to 20 schools across a large area, it can be a challenge to put comprehensive support systems in place.

Orientation days, school visits and opportunities to meet teachers and older students can all help children feel more comfortable before their first day.

“Kids need to feel confident about coming to high school and to feel comfortable there. The more they visit, look around, talk to teachers, talk to the big kids, the better off they are,” says retired principal Brian Ralph.

“We also like to have high-school teachers and students from the first year of high school going to talk to them, to let them know that they don’t have to worry, that everything can be sorted out.”

Peer support programs

Many schools use peer-support programs to help students settle into secondary school.

Research conducted by the University of Western Sydney (now Western Sydney University) found that a structured peer-support program helped Year 7 students develop a stronger sense of belonging, confidence and connection to their school.

Central to the peer-support model is connecting new students with older students who have been trained to listen and respond to younger students’ concerns.

Peer Support Australia continues to offer programs in which older students help younger students develop confidence, friendships and resilience.

These programs also help children manage some of the practical challenges of high school, such as understanding timetables, finding classrooms and knowing who to approach when they need help.

Parents can help by listening to their children’s concerns rather than dismissing them. For some kids, starting high school can be a frightening experience.

Maintaining some continuity outside school, such as continuing with a sport, hobby or other regular activity, can also provide reassurance during a time of change.

Children with learning difficulties

The transition to high school can be especially difficult for children with learning difficulties or additional learning needs.

Robert’s son, Sam, started at an inner-city high school in Sydney. Sam was anxious about the severe dyslexia that had troubled him throughout primary school, but his parents met with several high school staff to discuss how his learning needs would be supported.

Months later, Robert says his son came home happy each afternoon.

“I think it’s because he feels there’s a place for him there. We wanted him to attend this school because I’d heard it’s very good at this transition stage.”

Robert believes it’s important for parents to be available and involved throughout their children’s schooling.

“When Sam was in primary school, I went to working bees every second weekend. It was hard because of my demanding job, but I thought it was important. When he was about to start high school, I participated in everything they offered to parents. I’ve also donated books to the art department. Sam is good at art, it’s one of his talents.”

But parents need to be patient, he says.

He once returned from a parent-teacher evening where some of Sam’s teachers were unaware of his dyslexia and interpreted his difficulties as not trying hard enough.

“It’s a bit frustrating that the information didn’t filter through,” says Robert, “but I do understand how busy teachers are. It just goes to show that as a parent you have to keep up that communication with your child’s teachers, especially if there’s been any kind of difficulty.”

For children with learning difficulties, disability or additional support needs, it’s worth meeting with the new school well before Year 7 begins. Parents can discuss existing learning plans, classroom adjustments and the support their child may need.

What parents can do before the first day

A little preparation can make a big difference. Parents can help children feel more confident by:

Attending orientation days and encouraging them to ask questions.
Practising the journey to school, particularly if they’ll be using public transport.
Helping them become familiar with timetables, school routines and organising their belongings.
Talking about friendships and reassuring them that making new friends takes time.
Keeping sport, hobbies and family routines going wherever possible.
Staying in touch with teachers and year advisers, especially if their child is struggling.

Perhaps most importantly, remind children that they don’t have to know everything on their first day. Learning how high school works takes time, and asking for help is part of settling in.

For more information, see the NSW Government’s guide to transitioning to high school.