How these tips can help prepare your children for heading back to school

Watch more of our videos on Shots!
and live on Freeview channel 276

As the summer holidays soon draw to a close, it is time to start thinking about returning to school which not all children will like the idea of.

With six weeks of lie-ins, having fun and no homework it can be a culture shock getting back into a routine as the new academic year is just around the corner.

Although some children will be eager to head back to school, there will be some wishing those summer holidays would never end. Have no fear, we have put together seven tips to help prepare your children for the new term.

Read South Tyneside's news on the go with our free email newsletters - bringing the headlines to your inbox. Catch up on the day's news and sport and enjoy even more from your Gazette. Visit our website here to find out more and sign up.

A teacher and students in a classroom. Image: PA

1) Get them back into a routine – Introduce some early mornings so they can get back into the swing of waking up early and feeling refreshed for school.

2) Discuss any concerns – Ask your child about how they are feeling returning to school. It can be daunting starting a new school or going for the first time so check to see if they have any concerns about their first day.

3) Keep them in the know – Many children don’t like change, or worry about things they don’t know about. Let them know about what will happen once they go back to school so they know what to expect.

4) Do a practise run – Get them to wear their uniform and pack their school bag to get them into the mindset of returning to school so it won’t feel so strange on their first day.

5) Be excited – Children pick up on emotions so fill them with positivity about returning to school so they start their first day in a good mood.

6) Set realistic academic goals – Let your children know that it is important they try their best in their schoolwork and what you expect of them such as doing homework before watching television.

7) Communicate with teachers – Start off the school year in the right way by staying in contact with teachers to check your child’s progress but to keep them in their know about any situations that may affect their schoolwork.