How Does Moving House Impact Your Child’s Education?

Unless you’re relocating to a new home in the same area, it is likely that your children will have to change schools once you have moved. This transition will need to be handled very sensitively by parents in order to avoid any negative effects on your child’s academic development.

I have teamed up with an independent primary school in Hertfordshire to explore the ways in which moving schools might impact a child, so that parents can be better equipped to deal with it.

Be positive

If your child is moving to a new school, try and express a positive and optimistic attitude about what the school has to offer. If your child sees that you are confident about the transition, it might settle their own nerves.

Show them the school’s website and prospectus and visit the school together ahead of their start date. This will help your child to familiarise themselves with their new school, rather than suffering with fear of the unknown.

Plan ahead

Sudden changes like a new environment and new people can cause children to suffer from anxiety. Parents should reassure their kids that they can stay in touch with old friends and even meet up with them over school holidays. The trick here is to make them feel a little less alone.

Depending on the child’s age, parents could also consider arranging a play date with some of the new classmates to help their child settle in.

Extra support

When moving schools, it’s not just the building that’s new. The child will also have to adapt to new teaching staff and possibly a new curriculum. If they are behind or ahead in their new class, they might lose interest during lessons.

With that in mind, teachers should really keep an eye on new students and offer extra support should they need it. It is especially important for parents to be patient and not to criticise their child if they are performing poorly to start off with. Remember it will take some time to settle in.

You can also look into online tutoring as an option if you think that your child is falling behind slightly. This is just so that they don’t fall too far behind with the stress of the move and starting at a new school. An online tutor can work with them on their most problematic areas, helping to boost their confidence in themselves.

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