| We all remember what it’s like to start at a new | | | | don’t want to do the wrong thing!” |
| school. As summer holidays slipped away, worries | | | | Buddies are important at any age and at King |
| would creep in about making new friends, coping with | | | | Edward’s all newcomers to the sixth form are |
| homework or getting lost in the labyrinth of corridors | | | | given a mentor. “We have a group of Upper Sixth |
| that made up our new school. At the best schools, | | | | pupils who volunteer to look after new starters,” |
| however, much is done to assuage any fears about | | | | says Mike. “They go through a training programme |
| settling in, whether your child is going to school for the | | | | to help them deal with teenage issues and they form |
| first time, or is moving up from primary to senior school. | | | | almost an extra layer of pastoral care. They really |
| A warm welcome at reception… | | | | understand the value of helping those who are joining |
| “We really want girls to feel as comfortable as | | | | from outside.” |
| possible,” says Henrietta Lightwood, Director of | | | | Moving up to ‘big school’ |
| Admissions for Badminton School, in | | | | Making the move from junior to senior can be one of |
| Westbury-on-Trym, Bristol. “Little children tend to | | | | the most challenging phases of any child's life. |
| worry about what they will do at lunchtime, who they | | | | “They worry about the size of the school – and |
| will sit with and whether they will be able to go to the | | | | the size of the older pupils,” says mother-of-two |
| loo. | | | | Nicola Thacker, whose daughter Lucy is starting senior |
| “When they first go into lunch, we sit them all | | | | school soon. |
| together on a table with their form teacher and they | | | | Prior Park places great emphasis on pastoral care |
| have guides from Year 5 to look after them. Gradually, | | | | Good communication between schools in an area can |
| as the term goes on, we start mixing up the groups so | | | | really help with the transition. “Lucy has visited the |
| that the new starters get to know other pupils. | | | | senior school a couple of times this year for sports |
| “A lot of pastoral care is provided at Badminton | | | | projects or arts sessions, so she’s got to know the |
| – from our house mistresses, teachers, nursery | | | | school a bit. Also, as parents, we’ve been invited to |
| nurses and people who come in to help with our | | | | a number of events there, which has made us feel |
| after-school care service if little ones have to stay | | | | more involved.” |
| late.” | | | | Schools that have both a lower and an upper school |
| A taste of what’s to come | | | | can ease the transition by encouraging integration. |
| Many good independents invite children and parent in | | | | “We don’t consider Clifton High as a lower and |
| for a series of informal visits, to help them get their | | | | an upper school; we see it as a whole school,” |
| bearings and meet teachers and fellow pupils. | | | | says head of Sixth Dr Alison Neill. “For example, |
| “It’s about taking away the fear factor so that | | | | some of the lower school lessons are taught by upper |
| when you come back everyone feels more | | | | school specialists in, say, Latin and French. Also, lower |
| comfortable,” says Mike Horrocks-Taylor, Second | | | | school pupils benefit from the upper school facilities |
| Master of King Edward’s High school in Bath. | | | | including the art, music and drama studios.” |
| “The children share contact details across the | | | | Avoiding cliques |
| group so that they can telephone each other over the | | | | Good schools do much to allow groups, forms and |
| summer and build friendships before they come,” | | | | years to mix in order to avoid the creation of |
| says Mike. | | | | ‘cliques’. If large numbers of children are moving |
| Building team spirit and friendships at King Edward's | | | | up from lower to upper school, year groups are usually |
| School, Bath | | | | mixed to prevent pupils who are new to the school |
| Prior Park College, an independent school also in Bath, | | | | feeling left out. |
| runs similar events and makes sure that they are fun | | | | Also, some schools hold social events across the |
| as well as informative. “At our induction day new | | | | groups or years to help new pupils settle in. “In the |
| starters meet their house masters and tutors, and we | | | | first term, we give a party for our new girls which is |
| run a treasure hunt which is a great way of helping | | | | organised by members of the Sixth Form and on a |
| them find their way around the school,” says Dr | | | | House basis,” says Caroline Bateson of Redland |
| Margaret Ruxton, Director of Admissions. “When | | | | High. “They’re usually themed, and we’ve |
| they join they take part in team-building activities and a | | | | had Disney parties, Harry Potter nights and talent |
| trip to Mill on the Brue, an outdoor activity centre in | | | | shows. This really helps them feel part of the |
| Somerset, for all Year 9 pupils ensures good | | | | school.” |
| integration between boys and girls and day pupils and | | | | Not settling? Pastoral care is key |
| boarders.” | | | | If a child is struggling to fit in or settle at a new school, |
| Armed with knowledge | | | | there is much that can be done to try to solve the |
| Redland High in Bristol publishes a handy booklet to | | | | situation. Good schools make it clear who children can |
| help new starters understand the school. “A couple | | | | talk to – whether it’s teachers, tutors, other |
| of years ago we decided it was so important to help | | | | pupils or house mistresses. Also, some boarding |
| our new girls settle in that we commissioned a | | | | schools have counsellors who visit the school on a |
| pocket-sized book, a guide to ‘Getting it Right at | | | | regular basis to have confidential chats with children |
| Redland High’,” says headmistress Caroline | | | | about anything that is concerning them. |
| Bateson. “It’s written as a diary, in the voice of a | | | | The best school is a happy schoolAt Badminton, |
| girl called Kat who gives lots of details about her first | | | | boarders have three people they can go to - a Head |
| term at the school. We give it to all our new Year 7 | | | | of Year, a form teacher and a boarding mistress - if |
| pupils in July so they can take it home and read it over | | | | they have any concerns. “Equally, if they’ve |
| the summer. It helps to dispel any anxiety that might | | | | done particularly well at something and want to pursue |
| otherwise build up during the summer holidays.” | | | | it further, all those people can help,” says Henrietta |
| Buddy systems | | | | Lightwood. |
| Playtime and making new friends can be things that | | | | Parents have a 24-hour contact at Badminton and |
| young children in particular worry about when starting | | | | someone they can get hold of quickly no matter what |
| a new school. “At Badminton, we have a | | | | time zone they are in. Whether your child is starting at |
| ‘buddy bench’ where girls can sit if they want | | | | a day or boarding school, state or independent, you |
| someone to come over and play with them,” says | | | | should always be made aware of who to contact |
| Henrietta Lightwood. “That helps the little ones along | | | | regarding any concerns. That goes for your son or |
| when they need some confidence.” | | | | daughter, also (for more details, see ‘First steps into |
| Redland High publishes a handy booklet for | | | | school’). |
| startersMany leading schools run buddy systems | | | | If a new starter feels as though he or she isn’t |
| where an older pupil is given the responsibility to help a | | | | really fitting in, then tailored pastoral care can be a |
| new starter settle in. At Redland High, all new girls are | | | | lifeline. “Every pupil that comes in is different,” |
| given a buddy who meets them in the hall on the first | | | | says Mike Horrocks-Taylor. “You can’t have a |
| day and looks after them initially to make sure that all | | | | one size fits all pastoral care system. It has to adapt to |
| goes well. “They can seek their buddy out at any | | | | the children.” |
| time if they want to and that’s reassuring for many | | | | “Parents should be made welcome, too” |
| of the new starters,” says Caroline Bateson. | | | | Nicola Thacker believes that schools should be friendly |
| The buddy system seems even more important for | | | | places for adults, too: “Children watch how their |
| boarders, who may be coming to study from | | | | parents make friends and that’s so important. If the |
| overseas and will have many questions in their mind | | | | playground is a friendly place for adults and there |
| regarding their new school. “Anyone coming in new | | | | aren’t any cliques, then the parents will be more |
| to senior school at Badminton in Year 7 will be given a | | | | sociable and the children will follow their lead. |
| guide over the summer prior to them coming,” says | | | | “Parents should feel positive and welcome at the |
| Henrietta Lightwood. “She’ll know the school | | | | new school, so that they can pass on those feelings to |
| already and will send them an email over the holidays | | | | their children. I think that senior schools are getting |
| so that they can keep in touch. This is so helpful for | | | | much better at this, but some primaries can still feel |
| boarders. They ask things like ‘is it cool if I bring my | | | | exclusive to many parents. |
| teddy’ or ‘can I bring my iPod?’ They | | | | |