Starting school can bring a long list of things you think your child ought to be able to do. It can also bring a new building, unfamiliar adults and a different rhythm for the whole family. You do not have to turn the weeks beforehand into a course.
Begin with what will help your child feel more familiar with the day. Find out what the actual school expects and what support it can provide, rather than relying on somebody else’s readiness checklist.
Get to know the practical details
Where will you go in? Who will greet your child? How will they ask for the toilet or help with lunch? What happens at collection? These small questions can make the day easier to picture.
The Just One Norfolk NHS starting-school guide encourages talking about school and practising the routine. You might walk the route together, look at information from the school or share a story about a first day. Use real details where you have them.
Practise asking for help
Knowing how to get support matters alongside practical skills. Try a phrase, sign or communication aid your child already uses. Ask staff how they will recognise that your child needs something if they cannot easily say it.
For example, practise finding the adult in a picture of the classroom and saying, “I need help.” This is an invitation to become familiar, not a test your child has to pass before attending.
Share what the school needs to know
Tell the school about communication, sensory, physical or learning needs and what helps at home or nursery. Do this in advance where possible, so support can be planned rather than improvised at the door.
For autistic children, Autism Central’s NHS guide to primary-school transition suggests visits, sharing information about needs and using pictures of the school and important people. Discuss which approaches suit your child with the school’s support lead.
Keep home expectations manageable
Choose one useful practical skill to explore at a relaxed time, such as finding their coat or opening the container they will use. Build in adult help. Do not make comparison with other children the measure of readiness.
When school begins, leave space to hear what was different from what you expected. A familiar plan is useful, and so is being willing to change it. Starting school is a transition for adults too.
Put it into practice
Use our free resource: Starting school: people, places and help to choose a small next step. Keep the parts that suit your family and adapt the rest.
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