Finally, the beginning of term is in sight, and parents and teachers are hopeful that with Covid restrictions now behind us, schools and pupils can get back to normal in the classroom.
Whilst there is no doubt that Covid has had a detrimental impact on education at every level, children are resilient, and with a little bit of thought, planning and support, it is possible to ensure your child starts the new academic term with positivity and confidence as well as being where they should be in terms of learning and skills. And here’s our quick three step guide to a successful return to school:
1. Awareness
It goes without saying that every child’s experience of and reaction to the pandemic and school closures will have been different and children are very good at masking what’s really going on. Typical tell-tale signs that your child is anxious about the return to school include bad behaviour, bed wetting, rudeness, tears, avoidance, or being unusually quiet, to name but a few. And these signs often start appearing as the back-to-school deadline starts to loom.
But there are other factors that you also ought to be aware of, such as their end of term reports and any issues they flagged up or perhaps your child’s willingness to read during the holidays. If you did manage a short summer break, how did your child get on with any other children? Were they confident and thriving or were they shy and reserved? Spotting those little tell-tale signs now will help you plan the best way to prepare for the new term.
2. Preparation
There’s no sugar coating the fact that the first few weeks of a new academic year are important. If your child starts the new term anxious and behind in terms of their learning and where they should be, it can put them on the back foot for the year and it can be very difficult to turn things around.
If you find your child is struggling in any way, then perhaps you should consider some private tuition to help them build confidence and skills. At MagiKats, we help build and improve their maths and English, alongside other skills such as problem solving, thinking and reasoning skills and social skills. This not only can give your child an enormous and much needed confidence boost as the mist suddenly lifts and they start to understand the work they are being set but it also gets them on the front foot as they start the new year.
3. Adaptability
We’ve mentioned already that every child is of course different, and a one size fits all approach doesn’t work. So, it’s really important to make sure that any help they receive is adapted to suit their unique needs. Which is why we’ve tailored our programmes so that they are suitable for each individual child. Whether your child is starting out in the first years of primary school, going into their final year, moving up to secondary school or starting their GCSEs or Nationals, we adapt our programme to suit the stage they at as well as the particular issues they may be struggling with. We also keep our workshop style classes small, so that each child gets the attention they need and deserve.
It may take our children a little time to get back to normal and perhaps a little more input than they might otherwise have needed. But with a little extra support, there is no reason why they can’t catch up on any lost skills and go on to achieve their full potential.
Get in touch if you’d like more information about our programmes or find your nearest MagiKats tuition centre here.
