The start of any new school year brings with it a mixture of nerves and excitement for most children.
This year, Queensland families are also dealing with an added layer of disruption, thanks to the surge of COVID-19 cases and the delayed Term 1 start date for most schools.
The good news is there is an abundance of high quality resources available to help you support your child through the ups and downs of a new school year.
We’ve compiled links to some of the best online resources below:
Starting Prep
If you have a little one about to start Prep, these articles are full of practical, measured advice:
- ‘Preparing for Prep: Five simple things you can be doing now to get them ready’ – QIS Parents Network
- ‘Starting School’ – Queensland Department of Education
- ‘Starting School: preparing your child’ – Raising Children Network
- ‘Starting primary school: children with autism spectrum disorder’ – Raising Children Network
- ‘Enrolling and starting primary school: children with disability’ – Raising Children Network
- ‘Children starting school in rural and remote Queensland’ – Queensland Health and Isolated Children’s Parents Association
- ‘Getting little ones ready for big school’ – Maggie Dent
- ‘Does your son need more time before he starts school?’ – Maggie Dent
- ‘Is your child ready for school?’ – Parental as Anything podcast
- ‘Nurturing your child through transition (primary parents)’ – Catholic School Parents Australia
Beginning High School
“Let’s acknowledge that it [starting high school] is a big transition, and that some kids will find it easier than others,” writes tween/teen well-being educator Michelle Mitchell in her most recent blog post.
“Leaving primary school means letting go of the familiar without fully knowing what will replace it. Unlike the transition into primary school, they are well aware of the potential losses than can come with change.”
There’s some great advice and guidance for parents of soon-to-be high schoolers in these articles:
- Starting high school – Australian Government’s Learning Potential website
- Starting secondary school – raisingchildren.net.au
- ‘Primary school was hard: how to set your child up for a fresh start at high school’ – Spark their Future
- Nurturing your child through transition: secondary parents – Catholic School Parents Australia
- ‘Starting secondary school: children with disability or chronic conditions’ by Raising Children Network
- ‘Transition to secondary school: autistic children’ – Raising Children Network
- Starting High School: Twelve Tips to Help Nervous Teens – Michelle Mitchell
- Surviving the first week of high school – Maggie Dent
- ‘A letter to my niece before she starts high school’ – Rebecca Sparrow
COVID-19 anxiety: articles to support children and teens
“Everybody has different feelings about going back to normal,” says Kids Helpline in their article Returning to Normal after COVID-19.
“It’s very normal for children and young people to experience re-entry anxiety following a pandemic.
“It’s ok to not have all the answers. If your child asks a question you can’t answer, or needs help with something you don’t know how to solve, be honest. It’s a great opportunity to do some research and learn something new together.”
There’s other great advice in these articles:
- Supporting primary students’ mental health and wellbeing – Queensland Department of Education
- Wellbeing activities for students families and school staff – Queensland Department of Education
- Helping kids through COVID-19 – Kids Helpline
- Returning to normal after COVID-19 – Kids Helpline
- COVID-19: What if things don’t go back to normal – Kids Helpline
- COVID-19: I’m not ready to go back to normal – Kids Helpline
Moving Schools
Advice for parents of children changing schools can be found in these resources:
- Moving schools – Raising Children Network
- Starting a new school – Kids Helpline
- ‘Top 10 tips for students changing schools’ – Dr Aaron Balick
Life After School
Leaving high school and joining the school of life: Words of caution and hope – Maggie Dent
Supporting students leaving school – Kids Helpline
How to make and keep friends after leaving high school – ABC Life
