Junior School

SHELLEY PARKES

Head of Junior School

It is wonderful to see everyone back onsite.  If like me you are feeling a little overwhelmed with the return and how to best prepare your child take a moment to read the ‘help sheet’ from the NSW Department of Education.

As always we have incredible staff and resources at Oakleigh Grammar if you require greater conversations or understanding.

Let’s enjoy the remainder of Term 4 and celebrate the smallest successes and the grandest achievements.

SARAH CAFFERY 

Head of Curriculum - Junior School

We are so excited to have our students back in the classrooms. The buzz is music to our ears. As restrictions begin to ease, there will be a need to transition back into society, and we will need to help each other to do so. For children, this will mean returning to school for face-to-face learning in the classroom. Just as the transition to learning from home took some time for children and families to get used to, so too may the adjustment back to school.

As our students are returning to face-to-face learning, it’s normal for them to have mixed feelings about returning to school. Children may feel anxious, scared, reluctant, excited or just overwhelmed. Their feelings may vary depending on their age and stage of development. How children feel about returning to school may vary both between children in the same family, and it may also vary day-to-day for a particular child. It’s important for you, as a parent, guardian, or someone with children in your care, along with teachers, to acknowledge the changes and talk with children about returning to school.

1. Listen and support

Talk to your child about how they’re feeling. Listen to them and reassure them that it’s normal to feel anxious, scared, overwhelmed or worried about going back to school. It’s also normal to feel excited at the same time as feeling stressed or scared about the changes and lifting of restrictions. Talk to your children about the positives of the upcoming changes, including what they like to do at school that they haven’t been able to do at home during Remote Learning.

 2. Create a plan

Planning can help reduce stress and anxiety by adding structure and routine to new, changed or uncertain situations

• Get back into a routine, including dinner, bath and bedtimes.
• Restrict or reduce how much news and media younger children are exposed to, as this may scare or worry them. For older children, help them to source reputable and reliable media and talk about what they’re reading and viewing.
• Talk about and be upfront about any concerns your children may have.
• Stay calm and allow time for your children to transition and settle back to school.
• Support kids to get plenty of rest, particularly in the first week or two after returning to school, as they will be adjusting to a much busier schedule than what they have recently been used to.
• Make positive statements to your children about what they’re doing well, and how they’re coping with the challenges and expectations placed on them by the teachers and the school.
• Build-in some ‘down time’ at home when children return home after a school day. If possible, go for a walk together to the park, or engage in a relaxing activity together.

 3. Give it time

It’s important to be aware that any transition can take time and every child will be different. Some will bounce back into their old routines immediately, while others will take longer to readjust.

Remember that being away from school and then returning to a changed environment can cause anxiety and stress. Problem solve any concerns or issues together and write down strategies that will help your children to cope.