4 year old sleep issues post starting school

[Kim004]

Hi, I’m wondering if anyone had any experience in this or can offer some
advice. My 4.5 year old has never been a particularly great sleeper but we got it good during nursery, about 85% going through the night with putting himself back to sleep upon waking etc. He was going great, then bam! School started in September and it’s been horrendous ever since. He wakes up every 2-3 hours screaming for us to go in a resettle, we go because we have another little one he’s waking up when he does it. I understand that the anxiety of school has caused this and it’s no doubt in my mind pure overwhelming over-tiredness from school as on weekends when we manage to get him to have a nap, he has a much later night but a much better night, I.e last night he fell asleep at 9 as he had a 1 hour nap, but he slept through with just a little call out and putting himself back. He goes to his Nan after school and will not have a short nap to help him there. I just don’t know how to help him as it directly affects his behaviour and everything.

Thanks in advance

He is overtired and going into overdrive. I had to move bed time an hour earlier when mine started school.
Can his nan do supper, story and bath, get him ready for bed, so he can be tucked into bed as soon as you bring him home?

Thank you so much @porridgecake at the moment he eats at nans, comes home with dad at 5, dad feeds his 17 month old brother and then I get home at 5.45 and he is usually in bed by 6.30, asleep do 6.45. We wouldn’t really be able to do any earlier as the youngest is with a childminder until dad does pick up for both, he wouldn’t be able to feed the youngest and put the oldest to bed any earlier. It’s a really tricky one!

What time does youngest go to bed?
It is worth some lateral thinking.
Could ds stay at Nan's overnight on a couple of nights? Could childminder keep younger child later and give him his dinner and you could collect him? Dad can put ds to bed before you and younger one get home?
I used to bring dc home and lift them from car seat into bed. It doesn't last forever. Getting them to sleep even half an hour earlier can make a huge difference. It is all about sleep cycles.