In just two weeks, pupils across Suffolk will head back to school after the six-week summer holidays. I hope that families and teaching staff have had an enjoyable, relaxing break and are feeling prepared for the new school year.
I want to begin offering my best wishes to students who received their A-Level, BTEC and T-Level results last week. Young people should be very proud of their efforts, they are a testament to their hard work and dedication as well as the commitment of teaching staff to deliver the best education and support to our young people, throughout their school careers.
I would also like to wish good luck to all students receiving their GCSE results on Thursday. I hope that you achieve the results you need to progress to the next stage of your education or training.
If students have not received the results they expected, there is lots of helpful information at www.thesource.me.uk. It is most important to remember that no matter what grades you receive, you always have options to choose from.
The start of a new school year can present challenges for families and schools alike. The prospect of walking back through the school gates after the summer holidays, or indeed for the first time, can be both exciting and daunting.
While many children and young people will be looking forward to going back to school, I know some families may be feeling anxious and that it can feel quite difficult for many children and young people. It is normal to feel anxious, and there is a lot of support out there to help children manage the transition back into school, including a suite of top tips for families on the Suffolk County Council website: www.suffolk.gov.uk/children-families-and-learning/wellbeing-in-education.
These resources have been written by our Psychology and therapeutic team and were co-produced with the Suffolk Parent Carer Forum. They include advice for families with primary and secondary aged children as well as guidance for families with children who have additional needs and/or anxiety. The resources are broken down into five top tips and I have pulled out five top tips which I think are really helpful to remember:
- Starting conversations about going back to school sooner rather than later will ensure there is time for children to share their worries, think through problems and allow you to find solutions together.
- The things we as parents worry about are not always the same as our children so ask them what they need to feel prepared.
- Taking small steps to try and introduce routines early is a great way to prepare for the return to school. Bedtimes, waking times and mealtimes may well have changed during the holidays so adjusting these gradually to establish a routine to prepare children for the new school term will help them.
- Using visual prompts and timetables and checklists with personalised themes can help with preparation and reduce feelings of worry.
- Planning and knowing what to expect on their first day back. Who will be there and what will happen on their first day.
As well as these resources, InOurPlace offer online courses dedicated to improving emotional health and wellbeing in parents, children, teenagers, adults and grandparents. They have produced a suite of online training and information for parents to support children with the transition to primary or secondary school, called ‘Moving Up’. Families in Suffolk can access online training and resources from InOurPlace for free by visiting www.inourplace.co.uk/movingup and using the access code WOLSEY.
We have been sharing links to these resources on our social media channels and will continue to do so over the next couple of weeks as schools return. I hope that parents find these useful.
I wish children, young people and all school staff the very best as they return to school.
