Helping Your Child Transition from Pre-Prep to Prep School

collaborative guest post

Moving from a nursery to a prep school can be a big change for a child. It will mean adjusting to a bigger school environment, new teachers, and peers. As with any, it's vital that you prepare for the transition. Help them to become familiar with what to expect so that it’s not so alien and they have an easier time settling in when they start. We’ve teamed up with an independent school in Cobham to share a few of our tips for helping children with the move.

An Exciting New Step

The start of prep school marks a new chapter in their life where they are able to grow, make new friends and reach new heights. Like their move to pre-prep, they will settle in and do just fine. Reassure them of that and talk about all the things that they have to look forward to.

Saying Goodbye and Preparation

As a part of that transition, you will need to make sure that they have enough time to get their head around things and process that they will be moving into a new class and have new teachers. Talk about it, see how they’re feeling and discuss any questions they have. It may take more of a toll on them emotionally than you know, and they may not always be able to find the words to explain. Take a note of their behaviour as the weeks progress.

When something’s unsettling a child, you can sometimes tell in their behaviour. They may start wetting the bed for instance if they’re anxious or scared, or become quieter than usual.

Playdates and Staying in Touch

While children grow up and move on eventually, initially it may be hard to say goodbye to friendly faces they’ve gotten used to. What you can do is try and stay in touch with them and their parents, and arrange playdates so that they’re not missing them too much.

Take The Along to Open Days

Your child should be just as much a part of the decision-making process as you. When looking for a prep school, we encourage you to take your child along. They will be able to share their thoughts and get used to the environment prior to starting which will make for a smoother transition.

We hope that these tips help! For more parenting guidance and resources, feel free to take a look at my other posts.