Is Your Child Really Ready for Secondary School?

If your child is moving to secondary school this September, you may already have noticed something.

Perhaps they’re excited one minute and quiet the next.

Perhaps they don’t seem worried at all.

Or perhaps they’re asking lots of questions…

‘What if I get lost?’

‘What if I don’t know anyone?’

‘What if everyone else is cleverer than me?’

As parents, we naturally want to reassure them. We tell them they’ll be fine, that everyone feels nervous and that they’ll soon settle in.

And whilst all of those things are true, sometimes children need a little more than reassurance.

They need an opportunity to explore what they’re feeling, recognise the strengths they already have and discover practical ways to cope with the unknown.

The move from Year 6 to Year 7 is one of the biggest transitions in a young person’s life so far. New routines, new teachers, bigger buildings, greater independence and new friendships all arrive at once. Even children who appear confident can be carrying quiet worries that they haven’t shared with anyone.

The aim isn’t to remove every worry. In fact, feeling nervous before something important is completely natural. The goal is to help children understand that being brave doesn’t mean never feeling nervous, it means taking the next step anyway.

That’s exactly why I created Brave Start.

Brave Start is a fun, interactive workshop designed especially for children moving into Year 7. Through games, discussions, movement, journalling and confidence-building activities, children discover that they already have many of the skills they’ll need for secondary school.

Together we’ll explore common myths about secondary school, share worries in a safe and supportive way, learn simple techniques for managing anxious thoughts and celebrate the strengths each child is already bringing with them.

One of my favourite parts of the workshop is something called the Brave Start Worry Box.

At the beginning of the session, each child writes down one worry or question about starting secondary school. Throughout the workshop, we revisit these worries, answering questions, challenging myths and building confidence together. By the end of the session, children have the opportunity to look back at their original worry and reflect on whether it feels different. Often, the worry hasn’t disappeared completely, but it has become more understandable, more manageable and less overwhelming.

Children also take home practical activities that families can enjoy together over the summer. From confidence-building bingo challenges to conversation cards and simple journalling prompts, these resources help parents continue the conversations long after the workshop has finished.

Brave Start isn’t about pretending secondary school won’t be challenging.

It’s about helping children realise that they are capable of meeting those challenges.

And perhaps helping parents feel a little more confident too.

If your child is moving to secondary school this September and you’d like them to begin this exciting new chapter with greater confidence, practical strategies and a stronger belief in themselves, I’d love to welcome them to Brave Start.

Because sometimes the biggest change isn’t the move to a new school.

It’s discovering just how capable you really are.