How Does Changing Schools Affect Your Children?

There are many reasons why a child would need to change school; perhaps you have a new job across the country and you need to move house, or perhaps your child was being bullied at their last school and the teachers failed to resolve the issue. Whatever the reason, moving your child to another school will come with consequences and it’s important for parents to be prepared. I’ve teamed up with a prep school in London to explore how changing schools might affect your child so that you can understand the best ways to help them.

Children are faced with a variety of different emotions when they move to a new school. They might be upset at having to break friendship bonds with the other children from their old school and they might feel frightened at the prospect of meeting new people. Of course, you cannot predict how your child will respond to the change but understanding some of the possibilities will put you in a position to avoid them to begin with.

Start by creating an honest, open environment where you and your child are honest with one another. Ask them how they feel about the change and explain to them why they are moving and what led to the decision. Talk about the positive sides to moving to a new school, but don’t make any empty promise. Essentially, you need to show them that you are confident in the decision; the more stable you are throughout the transition, the better your child will feel.

Try and familiarise your child with their new school as much as you can. Explore the school’s website with them and even take them to an open morning or taster day. When this isn’t possible, simply visiting the school from the outside can go a long way towards helping them feel comfortable with the change.

Eventually your child will adapt and settle in, but it will happen at a different pace for different children. Perhaps consider registering your child for some extra-curricular activities to help them develop socially and make new friends. If you require any more advice, don’t hesitate to speak about your concerns with your child’s form teacher or someone more senior.

Check out Choosing The Right School For Your Child