Top Ten Tips for a Great Start to School

1. Know your clothes

In advance of the start date: Check the College’s Uniform Shop webpage and contact the shop to book time to fit and purchase all uniform needs, or purchase items online. 

The night before school:  Layout out all the clothes needed the next day, with shirt ironed, shoes polished, tie and socks, hair ribbons, hairbands and clips all discovered and within easy reach.  Check the activity timetable for sports and activity days and prepare or pack any additional uniform items. 

2. Choose familiar food

Make Day One at a new school as easy as possible by packing familiar food for recess and lunch and having an after school snack ready to go. Packing extra food is helpful, as it ensures they have the fuel needed for the extra mental, emotional and physical activity.

3. Open and shut containers and bags

Especially for young children, if you’re using new food containers, drink bottles or even a new school bag, in the days leading up to day one give them some practice opening and closing the containers, bottles and the bag so there aren’t any surprises. Check they know what is held in which compartment in their school bag so they can confidently find what they need. 

The aim is to limit or remove unnecessary stress points where possible. 

4. Label everything

 Yes, everything! Hats, socks, bags, containers, drink bottles, pencil cases. You name it (literally), label it, and not just with a surname, find and use labels that allow you to add a contact number so you can be easily reunited with expensive and/or much needed items. 

Relabel it too! If you’re making great use of a pre-loved item of clothing or sports equipment etc, make sure to update the label so it’s current and legible.

5. Practise Daily Transport

Leave extra time for transport on the first few days when everyone is in the same predicament of starting a new school year.

Buses: Check out bus information page here to find local bus company contact details, bus pass information, our College bus contact, dedicated College bus routes and more.

Cars: A practice run to and from school is a great idea and helps calm everyone’s nerves around how long the journey takes. Don’t forget to factor in the impact of traffic volume peaks on the roads around the College campuses and within each campus. 

Other: For walkers, bikers, scooters etc, again a practice run to and from school will pay dividends and help identify any trouble spots and access points.

6. Know bell times

Check your campus bell times or class times and write them down for you and your child. 

This information is in the Junior School and Senior School handbooks (see Parent Portal).

What time does school start?

What time does school finish? 

What times do recess and lunch start and finish?

7. Charge your tech

Make sure all your communication and IT devices are fully charged and ready to go. For Senior students, this means your laptop (see IT/Tech section in Parent Portal) is charged and ready for a full day. 

8. Update communication tools

Make sure you have added the College main contact details to your smart phone’s contact list.

Download the College communication app (Operoo) and check out the location of the Absentee Form within the app (see Forms section of Operoo) so you can easily advise the College of any absence. You can find Operoo information under  the News & Communication section in the Parent Portal.

Check the College’s social media pages and all sections of the Parent Portal to become familiar with the location of news and information. 

9. Be Upbeat

You can set the tone for a positive school experience by being upbeat,  normalising it and being engaged in their learning journey.

For younger children it helps to read books on starting school, and explain the repetition of school – five days in a row, then two days off; lots of weeks the same, then holidays, then back to school; the same children in their class each day, and the same teacher. 

10. Reach out

We are here to help. 

Rest assured you’re not alone in this journey, and neither is your child. 

If you have any questions or concerns please contact the College reception staff who can provide you with information and connect you with support.

Each year across all Year groups we welcome new students and it is our aim to make their start and yours a positive experience. 

As your child puts additional energy into navigating an unfamiliar environment and new friendships, they may be very tired at the end of each day, or express their stress in different ways. Patience and understanding, healthy food and lots of water are a great way to provide support through the early days of their new school journey.