Going from state to private at beginning of year 5..

[mckenzie]

.. any tips on how to make this as comfortable as possible for DS please?

He is going willingly although he's a tad nervous about it and will be sad to leave his friends (although he will see most of them at cubs etc).

What can I do, if anything, to try and make the process as smooth and stress free as possible, for all of us?

Maybe visit the school beforehand so he can make some connections and talk to some of the other chn and possibly meet up etc before term starts.

Can he go on visits beforehand? The expectations could be suddenly very different , even for thsoe who already attend the school, with much independence expected and harsh sanctions for getting it wrong.

Make sure he is well organised, knows what kit and books he needs on what day etc, where he can leave them so his bag isn't too heavy, ask if he can have a plan of the school so he knows where to go.

Also worth asking what and how things are communicated - by email, letter, regular newsletter, text, diary - so that you know what he should be bringing home or you may neeed to ask of whom. For example - at ours he wouldn't get given a printed team list for a sports fixture, rather expected to check the boards and tell you (it is also on the webiste if you know where to look as a failsafe !).

You will get a seemingly endless list of uniform and kit, but go along to the next second hand sale (school office will have dates) and ask another parent what they really need ! If your ds has any aprticualr extra curricular activities in mind check now if there are spaces or how/when to sign up to avoid any disappointment next term.

thank you both. He has had one day long visit to the school and i have already asked him if he thinks he would like another one after the may half term and he said yes. Hopefully the school will agree. Thinking about it too, we can perhaps make sure we go to the summer fete etc.

He is so NOT well organised Lizs and this is one of the things that really worries me - he's in his own little world half the time . he's also quite immature for his age and so I can feel already that this might well be a hard transition for him but I do believe it will be worth it in the long run.

Those tips about things to ask for are very helpful Lizs - thanks.

Then you probably need to start working on that now. Make him pack his bag the night before, check it in the mornings for example. Write a list of what he needs to take in for each day in advance so he can check it off. Also to fit in it will be important to get the details right.

Will he be expected to write in ink ? That is the main objective during Year 4 at dd's school, which may not be true of all. All will be allowed to do so by the end of the year and expected to next year. Year 5 marks a change away from being based in one classroom with a class teacher taking most academic subjects and they move around to different rooms with a wider variety of teachers involved.

Our school operates a befriending arrangement where new children to school are put in touch with one family that lives locally to them and can meet in the holiday for a coffee. Really useful for those little questions about uniform, routines etc. which you'd feel silly to ask the teacher. Ask the registrar if there are any special arrangements.

My children both switched to private schools for year six. It was remarkably painless. They adapt very quickly at this age. It's a more full-on style of education, IMHO, but both mine (very different types of children) have relished the rigour. I'm sure your son will be just fine.