Sadly we know the summer holidays will not last forever. Back to school preparation will shortly be upon us and here are some things to consider so everyone can start the new school year more prepared and organised.
Make sure any holiday homework is completed
It is important that students get on top of this early and not leave until the last minute. We are regularly checking in with our senior 1:1 students to see how they are going and encouraging them to keep chipping away at it. Here is a link to a recent blog on this specific topic – How to get started and on top of your holiday homework.
Purchase the necessary supplies
Have a think about what uniform, stationery, books or supplies are needed for the year ahead. When it comes to uniform it is best if children can get what they need as close to starting school as possible, particularly school shoes so they last longer with growth! For stationery it can be useful to do a stocktake of existing supplies and only purchase those that are needed rather than a whole new set of everything as often suggested on book lists.
Set up a homework station
Ensure the space/s are well lit, have a good chair, that supplies are accessible and the space is free of distractions (ie remove devices not needed while studying). We often recommend that students have a magazine holder on their desk where they keep all of their school work and materials so they are easy to find when needed.
Work out what type of planner/calendar to use
Many students these days don’t think they actually need anything to help them with managing their workload and activities. However in our experience we see too many students struggling and overwhelmed as a result of not using anything. Our advice to students is to have a go at using a few different tool/s so they can work out which one will assist them best in managing their time ie planner, diary, calendar – paper or electronic.
Here’s a link to the reusable whiteboard planners we now have available and many students are using these to help them to plan and manage their time and tasks at both school and university. At the end of the day we don’t mind what they use but encourage them to use something that is going to assist them succeed.
Begin routines early
Start talking about back to school routines and the timing of them over the break so that everyone has an idea of what will be expected of them and when. One important point about routines is to begin thinking about the bedtime routine over the last few weeks of the school holidays and get children back into regular patterns particularly if they haven’t been following them over the break. This will make the first few days and weeks of school much easier to handle for everyone!
We trust you have found these back to school preparation tips useful and my best wishes to the whole family for a successful school year!
For any further assistance that you or your child may require, please don’t hesitate to get in touch to see how we can assist.
