Education
Preparing for
High School
- are you on the right track?
2014 is the last year that Year 7 will be part of the Primary School campus. In 2015, children across Queensland will join the ‘big kids’ at High School. Whether you have children starting High School in 2014 or 2015, it’s time to start thinking about this transition to ‘big school’.
D
o you remember starting high school? Do you remember the look on your parents’ faces as you left for your first day at high school? They were, no doubt, nervous and excited for you, similar feelings to what you are likely to be feeling as your little one takes their first steps toward their secondary school. Today the pressure parents feel as their children move toward high school surround trying to find the best school environment which will optimise their child’s academic outcomes and nurture their spirit. Tricky stuff!
Janette Collins from St John’s Anglican College, Forest Lake shares her thoughts with us on this time of transition. important that you recognise that they will need extra nurturing to help them with their confidence and self-esteem. School and family values should align. Be prepared to take advice from the school about your child and work together for the best outcome. Also be happy to support the new school rules regarding uniforms and expectations. You will need to model appropriate talk about the school and teachers at home.
You have done the preliminary work: attended information nights and Open Days, taken the tours of facilities and looked very hard at the breath of opportunities that your short list of schools have on offer and finally made your choice. Now is the time that you need to work with your child to make the transition from primary to secondary a positive one.
If you have any questions or concerns find out who you should contact at your school to put your mind at ease. They can give you additional information that can help you explain things to your child when you are at home. Sometimes small things, if left unattended can become big things and during this transition, it is best to deal with things at the outset than let them grow unnecessarily. Being proactive about approaching the school and creating clear lines of communication can help prevent misunderstandings.
As your child prepares to enter this very new and exciting environment it is
At the start of secondary school you will need to provide your child with guidance,
but you will have to be prepared to slowly let go and allow your child develop independence. Often, parents say that when their child enters secondary they ‘lose them’; they worry that high school is not as ‘accessible’ as their primary school. A way to get involved and to engage in your child’s secondary school is to become involved in the school culture, join the P&F, assist at the fetes and sports carnivals, and help out with performing arts. Attend any social events on offer by your school or the P&F so that you can meet other parents. This will help when your child develops a different social group. Beginning the secondary years can be a time of trial and change just like life in general. Try to embrace this wonderful time with optimism and positivity. Your little person is bigger, stronger and more independent. You have raised your child to have self-belief, to go confidently into the next stage of their schooling. When working in partnership with the school you have chosen, this will prepare them for their life ahead..
Brigidine College Indooroopilly
Strength and Gentleness Join us for Visitation Day 24 or 25 February 2014 9.30 - 10.30am (07) 3870 7225 www.brigidine.qld.edu.au
8
Your Local Families Magazine – Brisbane Issue 1 - Dec/Jan 2014
A Catholic Girls' Secondary College