Every September, I watch the same thing happen in different forms: a child who was fine in July becomes tearful, disorganised or exhausted by the second week of term – not because anything is wrong, but because too much changed at once. Twenty-five years of teaching in England has taught me that back-to-school preparation isn’t really about revision. It’s about reducing the number of new things a child has to cope with on the same morning.
Some parents try to compensate for the summer with worksheets and extra practice. What most children actually need is their rhythm back: sleep, mornings, a sense of what to expect, and someone who’ll listen if something feels off.
That said, “back to school” means something different depending on the child. A Reception starter needs almost none of what a Year 11 student needs. This guide is organised around that – practical, age-specific, and built on what I’ve actually seen work, alongside the Department for Education’s current guidance on helping children settle back in.
Start the Back-to-School Routine Before Term Begins
Summer often means later bedtimes, slower mornings and less structured days. There is nothing wrong with enjoying that flexibility, but suddenly changing everything on the night before school can make the first few mornings unnecessarily difficult.
Instead, begin adjusting the school routine after the summer holidays gradually.
Depending on your child’s usual routine, you might:
- Move bedtime slightly earlier over several days.
- Bring wake-up times closer to the school schedule.
- Reintroduce a regular breakfast.
- Encourage your child to get ready at a set time.
- Re-establish reading or quiet time before bed.
- Prepare school bags and clothes the evening before.
Get School Essentials Organised
A simple back to school checklist can prevent unnecessary stress on the first morning.
Before term starts, check:
- School uniform and PE kit.
- Shoes and coats.
- School bag.
- Stationery and other required equipment.
- Lunch arrangements.
- Travel arrangements.
- School timetable, if available.
- Clubs or after-school activities.
- Important school dates.
- Any forms or information the school has requested.
For older pupils, organisation becomes increasingly important. Encourage your child to check what they need rather than doing everything for them. This is a useful opportunity to build independence.
Talk About Going Back to School
Preparing your child for school is not only about practical arrangements.
In my experience, ‘You’ll be fine’ is often meant kindly, but it can accidentally close the conversation. A child who says they are worried about Maths, a new teacher or friendship changes may not be asking you to remove the problem immediately. They may first need help putting the worry into words.
Try asking open questions such as:
- What are you looking forward to?
- Is there anything you are worried about?
- Which subjects are you feeling confident about?
- Is there anything you found difficult last year?
- What would you like to get better at this year?
If your child raises a concern, listen before immediately trying to solve it.
Instead of saying, “Don’t worry, you’ll be fine,” you could ask what specifically feels difficult and work through that concern together.
Help Your Child Become Familiar With What’s Changing
Some children find a change in routine harder when they do not know what to expect.
This can be particularly relevant when a child is:
- Starting Reception.
- Moving into a new key stage.
- Beginning secondary school.
- Moving to a new school.
- Starting an examination year.
- Joining a new class or having a new teacher.
If possible, look at the school’s website, timetable, photographs or information provided to families. If your child will travel independently, practise the journey together.
For younger children, you could talk through the morning step by step:
Wake up → get dressed → breakfast → school bag → leave home → school → collection.
For older pupils, the conversation might focus more on lessons, deadlines, travel, homework and managing their own equipment.
The DfE’s current guidance similarly recommends helping children become familiar with arrangements that may initially feel unfamiliar.
Prepare Your Child Academically Without Overdoing It
One of the most common questions parents ask before September is:
How do I prepare my child academically for a new school year?
Rather than revising everything, start by finding the friction point. Ask: What did my child consistently find difficult last year?
The answer could be:
- Forgotten knowledge they once understood.
- Weak foundations affecting newer topics.
- Lack of confidence despite understanding the work.
- Poor study habits such as difficulty concentrating or working independently.
- Difficulty applying knowledge to unfamiliar questions.
- Exam technique, including timing and understanding questions.
- Organisation, such as managing homework, notes or deadlines.
This distinction matters because different difficulties need different types of support. More practice is not always the answer.
For younger children, preparing for September could simply mean rebuilding positive learning habits through:
- Reading regularly.
- Practising times tables.
- Writing a short diary entry.
- Playing number or word games.
- Revisiting spellings.
For children preparing for Year 6 SATs, focused practice can help strengthen specific areas of the curriculum where they need support. The 11 Plus is different: it is an entrance assessment used by some selective schools, so it is not something every Year 6 child needs to prepare for. Where relevant, parents can explore Year 6 SATs preparation or 11 Plus exam preparation, depending on their child’s needs and school admissions process.
Older pupils may benefit from:
- Reviewing difficult topics from the previous year.
- Organising notes and learning materials.
- Checking upcoming coursework or deadlines.
- Reading ahead where appropriate.
- Identifying subjects that need additional attention.
The goal is not to complete hours of revision before September. A small amount of targeted preparation can be more useful than revising everything without a clear purpose. Where additional support is needed, online tuition can complement a child’s normal schoolwork.
Establish a Homework and Study Routine
A good back to school routine does not mean starting homework at the same time every day. A better question is:
Does your child need a routine, or a recovery period first?
Children respond differently after a full school day. Some may be ready for homework after a short break, while others may need time to eat, move around or simply unwind before concentrating again. Current DfE guidance also recommends allowing children time to decompress after school, recognising that some need active play while others prefer quiet time.
The after-school sequence should be built around your child, not an ideal timetable. For example:
- Needs to unwind: snack, quiet time or a short activity before homework.
- Has lots of energy: outdoor play or exercise before sitting down to work.
- Feels tired: complete the most important homework first rather than forcing a long study session.
- Needs structure: keep a consistent time for homework once they are ready.
The aim is to create a routine your child can realistically maintain, while still giving them enough time to recover from the school day.
Make Time for Reading
Reading more pages does not always mean better reading. A child can read several pages without understanding much of what they have read.
One simple way to make holiday reading more useful is to talk about the book occasionally rather than testing your child on what happened. For example, ask:
- “Why do you think the character did that?”
- “What would you have done?”
- “What does that word mean from the context?”
- “What do you think will happen next?”
For younger children, share books together and discuss characters, events and unfamiliar words. Older children can choose fiction, non-fiction, newspapers, magazines or other age-appropriate material that genuinely interests them.
The aim is not to count pages. Conversation about what your child reads can strengthen comprehension, vocabulary and confidence in expressing ideas.
Help Your Child Set One or Two Goals
The new school year is a good time to discuss goals, but one meaningful goal is often better than ten. A long list can feel overwhelming, while one clear target is easier for a child to understand and practise consistently.
A goal such as “get better at Maths” is too broad to guide a child. “Ask for help when I don’t understand a question” is something they can actually practise.
Other realistic goals could include:
- Read for 20 minutes on most school nights.
- Complete homework without repeated reminders.
- Improve accuracy in Maths calculations.
- Learn and use new vocabulary.
- Become more organised with equipment.
- Participate more confidently in lessons.
For an older pupil, ask:
“What is one thing you would like to be better at by Christmas?”
This keeps the child at the centre of the conversation rather than making the goal entirely parent-led.
Encourage Independence, Not Dependence
Getting children ready for school does not mean doing everything for them. As children get older, gradually hand over appropriate responsibilities. The key is to help without taking over.
A younger child might choose between two outfits or pack their pencil case with help. A secondary-school pupil can check their timetable, organise their bag and prepare for the following day independently.
A useful way to build this independence is to move gradually from doing → prompting → checking → trusting.
For example:
Instead of: “Have you packed everything?”
Try: “What do you need for tomorrow?”
Instead of: “I’ll sort your homework.”
Try: “Show me which part you’re finding difficult.”
The aim is not to leave children to manage everything alone, but to give them increasing responsibility and confidence in managing their own education.
Think About the Year Group Ahead
Every new school year brings different expectations.
A child moving into Key Stage 2 may need greater independence with reading and written work. A Year 6 pupil may be balancing SATs with secondary-school preparation or, depending on their circumstances, the final stages of 11 Plus preparation.
Similarly, starting secondary school brings a significant change in organisation, while Year 10 and Year 11 students face increasing GCSE demands.
What Should Parents Focus on at Each School Stage?
| Stage | What usually matters most |
| Reception–Year 2 | Settling into routines, listening, reading, independence and basic number confidence |
| Years 3–5 | Consolidating core skills, reading fluency, times tables and increasing independent work |
| Year 6 | SATs where applicable, transition to secondary school and specific learning gaps |
| Years 7–9 | Adjusting to multiple subjects, organisation and gaps that become more noticeable at secondary level |
| Years 10–11 | GCSE knowledge, revision habits, exam technique and managing an increasing workload |
For families considering broader academic support, Adnan Khan Tutoring’s Maths, English and Science tuition covers primary and secondary education alongside SATs, 11 Plus and GCSE preparation. (Adnan Khan Tutoring)
Know When to Ask for Support
Sometimes a child needs more than a few weeks to settle. If academic difficulties continue, speak to the school and try to understand what is causing the problem.
Not every child who struggles needs tutoring. But every child who continues to struggle deserves to have the reason understood.
If you have noticed a persistent gap in Maths, English or Science, or your child is entering an important examination year, the next step is to identify exactly where they need support rather than simply adding more work to their week.
The right support depends on your child’s age and needs. A Year 5 pupil preparing for an entrance test will have different priorities from a Year 8 pupil consolidating Key Stage 3 work or a Year 11 pupil preparing for GCSEs.
Adnan Khan Tutoring offers online tuition across different year groups and subjects, including Maths, English, Science, SATs, 11 Plus and GCSE preparation. The focus should always be on understanding the gap first and choosing appropriate support from there.
Back-to-School Checklist for Parents
Before the first day, check that you have:
- Re-established a suitable sleep routine.
- Organised uniform, shoes and school equipment.
- Checked travel and collection arrangements.
- Reviewed important school dates.
- Talk to your child about returning.
- Discussed any worries they have.
- Reintroduced some reading or light learning.
- Agreed a realistic homework routine.
- Set one or two achievable goals.
- Given your child opportunities to practise independence.
- Left enough time for rest and family activities.
You do not need to complete every item perfectly. The checklist is there to make the transition easier, not create another source of pressure.
Frequently Asked Questions
How can I prepare my child for going back to school?
Start by gradually restoring school routines, organising essential equipment and talking to your child about any concerns. Reintroduce regular reading or light academic practice without turning the final days of the holidays into intensive revision.
How do I get my child back into a school routine?
Start roughly a week before school by moving bedtime and wake-up times gradually towards the school schedule. Reintroduce the morning sequence — getting dressed, having breakfast, packing the school bag and leaving on time — rather than changing everything at once. The goal is to make the first school morning familiar, not to recreate a full school timetable during the holidays.
What should parents do before children go back to school?
Check school equipment, uniform, arrangements and important dates. It is also useful to talk to your child about the new school year and identify anything they may be worried about before the first day.
How can I prepare my child academically?
Focus on areas your child genuinely needs to revisit rather than intensive revision. Regular reading, short practice sessions and addressing specific gaps can help rebuild confidence without making the end of the holidays feel like school.
How can I help my child settle back into school?
Keep routines predictable, listen to your child’s concerns and give them time to adjust. If difficulties continue beyond the initial settling-in period, speak to the school to understand what may be causing them.
What should children do before going back to school?
Children can organise their equipment, practise their morning routine, read regularly and talk about what they expect from the new school year. Older pupils can also check their timetable, prepare their school bag and make sure they know about any upcoming deadlines.
A Positive Start Matters More than a Perfect One
Once school begins, you will have a clearer picture of how your child is managing the new year. That is the right time to review what is going well, identify genuine difficulties and decide whether additional support is needed.
The goal of back-to-school preparation is not to make September perfect. It is to make the changes predictable and manageable.
If your child is struggling, avoid immediately adding more work to their week. First consider whether the difficulty is related to knowledge, confidence, study habits or something else. Understanding the reason makes it easier to choose the right support.
If structured academic support would benefit your child, you can explore online tuition from Adnan Khan Tutoring and choose support according to their year group, subject and learning needs.
