School & childcare
Ask about an ordinary day on a school visit
A school tour becomes more useful when you can picture your child arriving, learning, eating lunch and finding help.
24 articles
School & childcare
Questions to ask, information to gather and new school days to get used to.
School & childcare
Make a school shortlist around your child’s needs
Begin with the conditions your child needs for an ordinary school day, then find out which schools can actually meet them.
School & childcare
Compare school options using the same questions
School labels are a starting point. Compare the daily provision, entry arrangements and future pathways behind each one.
School & childcare
Keep school applications from becoming separate paper piles
One record of dates, documents and decisions can keep several applications understandable.
School & childcare
Gather the school records a new school actually requests
Ask for the receiving school’s requirements before requesting translations or sending a large bundle of personal records.
School & childcare
What to tell a new teacher about your child
Bring a few observations that help the teacher know your child, and leave with a clear way to continue the conversation.
School & childcare
Prepare for the first school week without rehearsing everything
Prepare the parts that make the first mornings work, and leave room to learn the school’s routines once your child is there.
School & childcare
Pack the school bag from the school’s own list
Start with the school’s requirements, then make the bag easy for your child to find things in and carry.
School & childcare
Work out the uniform before buying several of everything
Check the exact requirements, fit and replacement options before buying a full wardrobe of school clothes.
School & childcare
Learning how lunch works at a new school
Lunch arrangements are part of learning a school. Check the process as well as the food before the first day.
School & childcare
Give school messages a regular place in the week
Separate messages that need action from information you only need to read, and give each task an owner.
School & childcare
Write a teacher email with one clear question
Make it easy for a teacher to identify your child, understand the issue and see what answer you need.
School & childcare
Prepare for a school meeting with an interpreter
Arrange language support early and give the meeting enough room for questions, interpretation and a clear written outcome.
School & childcare
Supporting homework in a language you are still learning
Separate understanding the task from doing the work, and ask the school what help is appropriate.
School & childcare
Put the school calendar where it can change your plans
School dates matter most when the household can see what they change: care, travel, transport and time off.
School & childcare
Questions to ask before choosing school transport
Look beyond the journey time to supervision, handover, communication and what happens when the usual plan changes.
School & childcare
Leave space before signing up for after-school clubs
Choose activities around the child and the whole journey home, then see how the week feels before adding more.
School & childcare
What an ordinary hour can tell you on a childcare visit
Look beyond the tour and notice how children and adults move through an ordinary part of the day.
School & childcare
A handover note that helps another adult care for your child
A short note should make the next few hours clear, without asking a carer to search through the whole family history.
School & childcare
Make a backup plan for a broken childcare arrangement
A backup arrangement works better when the people, hours and handover have been discussed before a cancellation.
School & childcare
Joining a school parent group without taking on everything
You can join the conversation and contribute something small without becoming responsible for the whole group.
School & childcare
Start a learning-support conversation with observations
Bring examples of what your child finds difficult, what helps, and what you want to understand next.
School & childcare
Joining a class halfway through the school year
A child joining midyear needs the information other pupils learned gradually, as well as a place in the class.
School & childcare
Plan for the school holidays that do not match your work
Map the uncovered hours before you choose camps, leave dates or favours from friends.