What to Do in the Summer Before Starting Secondary School

The summer before secondary school can feel unusually important.

Your child may be excited about new subjects, greater independence and meeting different people. At the same time, they may be worrying about getting lost, missing the bus, carrying the wrong books, finding someone to sit with at lunch or being expected to understand rules nobody has properly explained.

Parents often feel the pressure too. There is uniform to buy, travel to organise, forms to complete and a growing sense that your child is about to enter a much bigger world.

It is tempting to respond by trying to prepare for every possible problem. You might want to practise the entire journey repeatedly, buy every item of stationery mentioned online and spend the holidays improving maths and English before Year 7 begins.

But children do not need to arrive at secondary school knowing everything.

They need enough familiarity to reduce avoidable uncertainty, enough independence to manage ordinary routines and enough confidence to ask for help when something inevitably goes wrong.

The aim of the summer is not to turn your Year 6 child into a fully organised secondary pupil before September. It is to help them approach the transition feeling rested, informed and supported.

This guide explains what families can do during the summer before secondary school, including practical preparation, travel, friendships, learning, routines, SEND support and managing anxiety about the first day.

Begin by finding out what your child is actually worried about

Adults and children do not always worry about the same things.

A parent may be thinking about academic standards, homework and whether the school has a good behaviour policy. Their child may be mainly concerned about where the toilets are, whether they will be separated from friends or what happens if they arrive late to a lesson.

Do not assume that silence means confidence. Some children avoid discussing secondary school because they do not yet know what to ask. Others worry that talking about it will make the change feel more real.

Choose a calm moment and ask open but manageable questions:

What are you most looking forward to?
What feels confusing?
Which part of the first day are you thinking about most?
Is there anything you are worried might go wrong?
What would make the new school feel easier?
Who would you ask if you needed help?

Try not to dismiss concerns too quickly.

If your child says, “I’m going to get lost,” responding with “Don’t be silly, everyone gets lost” may close the conversation. A more helpful response would be:

“It makes sense that the building feels confusing now. Let’s work out what you could do if you cannot find a classroom.”

This acknowledges the worry without suggesting that disaster is likely.

You can divide concerns into two groups:

things you can find out or practise before September;
things your child will learn gradually after starting.

You may be able to clarify the bus route, uniform rules and first-day arrangements now. Your child cannot fully know what every teacher will be like or who their closest friends will become. That uncertainty is part of starting somewhere new.

YoungMinds advises parents to explore what specifically feels difficult and then break the transition into manageable steps. Its guide to supporting children through transitions and change is useful when a child is finding the uncertainty especially difficult.

Use the information the school has already provided

Secondary schools usually send families a considerable amount of information before September. It may arrive through letters, emails, an online portal, transition evenings, induction days or a welcome booklet.

Read it before looking for generic advice online. Every school operates differently.

Check for information about:

the start date and arrival time;
where Year 7 pupils should enter;
uniform and footwear;
PE kit;
equipment;
school meals and payment systems;
mobile-phone rules;
transport;
homework platforms;
the school day;
form tutors and pastoral staff;
SEND arrangements;
medical information;
after-school clubs;
how parents receive messages.

Create one place for important information rather than leaving it spread across several emails. This could be a folder, notebook or shared digital document.

Ask your child to read the pupil-facing information with you. They do not need to memorise every rule, but seeing photographs, maps, subject lists and staff names can make the school feel less abstract.

If your child attended a transition day, ask what they remember. Which room did they visit? Who did they meet? Where did they have lunch? What seemed different from primary school?

Do not test them on the experience. The aim is to help them build a mental picture of the new setting.

Look at the school website together, but avoid endlessly searching for things that might go wrong. Find the practical pages and then move on.

Contact the school before the summer closure if essential information is missing. Staff may not be available throughout the holidays, so questions about medical needs, transport, uniform or transition support are better raised early.

Practise the journey before the first day

Travelling to secondary school is one of the biggest practical changes for many children.

Your child may be walking farther, using public transport, taking a school bus or travelling without an adult for the first time. Even children who feel confident can become anxious when the route includes unfamiliar stops, busy roads or the possibility of delays.

Practise the journey under realistic conditions where possible.

If your child will travel by bus or train:

use the route together;
identify the correct stop;
check how long the journey takes;
practise using a travel card or ticket;
show them how to check service information;
agree what they should do if a service is cancelled;
identify a safe place where they could wait;
make sure they know how to contact you.

If they will walk:

choose a safe route;
practise crossing the busiest roads;
discuss what to do if friends suggest a different route;
identify landmarks;
check how the route feels in wet weather;
agree whether they will walk with anyone else.

Where practical, make one journey at approximately the time your child will travel on a school morning. Roads and buses can feel very different during rush hour.

Your child should know what to do if they:

miss the bus;
get off at the wrong stop;
lose their travel pass;
realise they have forgotten their phone;
feel unsafe;
are delayed and will arrive late.

A simple backup plan can reduce anxiety considerably.

Avoid frightening children with a long list of unlikely dangers. Give clear, age-appropriate guidance about roads, strangers, phones and emergencies, then focus on what they can do.

For some children, particularly those with SEND or significant anxiety, independent travel may need to be introduced gradually. Ask the school or local authority what transport and transition support may be available where relevant.

Build everyday independence without withdrawing support

Secondary school expects pupils to manage more of their own day, but independence does not appear automatically on the first day of Year 7.

Children develop it through repeated, manageable responsibilities.

During the summer, practise skills such as:

packing a bag from a list;
checking the time;
keeping track of keys;
handling small amounts of money;
buying something independently;
remembering a short message;
following a timetable;
preparing a simple snack;
looking after a coat and other belongings;
charging a phone or travel card;
asking an unfamiliar adult an appropriate question.

Let your child experience small consequences while the stakes are low. If they forget to bring a water bottle on a family outing, they can help solve the problem rather than being rescued immediately.

This does not mean leaving them unsupported. It means moving from doing everything for them to helping them develop a system.

Instead of saying, “I’ll pack your bag,” try:

“Show me what tomorrow’s timetable says. What do you think needs to go in the bag?”

Visual reminders can help children who struggle with working memory or organisation. A checklist by the door may be more effective than repeated verbal reminders.

A useful evening checklist could include:

check tomorrow’s timetable;
pack books and equipment;
add PE kit if needed;
prepare uniform;
charge devices;
check travel card and keys;
set the alarm.

Do not expect perfect organisation immediately. Many Year 7 pupils forget equipment, go to the wrong room or misunderstand homework instructions during their first weeks.

The goal is not to prevent every mistake. It is to help your child recover from mistakes without believing the whole day is ruined.

Buy what is required, not everything marketed for Year 7

The secondary-school shopping list can become expensive very quickly.

Families may feel they need a new bag, shoes, stationery set, scientific calculator, lunch box, water bottle, sports equipment, art supplies, folders and an elaborate home study area before September.

Start with the school’s official requirements.

Uniform policies vary, as do rules about bags, footwear, coats, jewellery and PE kit. Do not rely solely on what another parent says their child needed at a different school.

For stationery, a basic starting set may include:

black or blue pens;
pencils;
an eraser;
a ruler;
a pencil sharpener;
a small set of coloured pencils;
a suitable pencil case;
a calculator, if the school specifies one.

Label items where possible, especially clothing and PE kit.

Choose a school bag that is comfortable, strong enough for books and large enough for the school’s expectations. A fashionable bag that cannot hold a PE kit, lunch and folders may create daily frustration.

Let your child take part in decisions where there is flexibility. A water bottle, pencil case or bag can help them feel some ownership over the transition.

At the same time, avoid making possessions the centre of starting secondary school. The “perfect” stationery set will not determine whether a child settles successfully.

If uniform costs are difficult, check whether the school offers second-hand items, hardship support, uniform exchanges or information about local grants. Our guide to school uniform costs in the UK explains what families can expect and practical ways to reduce the cost.

Do not buy large quantities of subject-specific equipment unless the school has asked for it. Teachers may have particular requirements, and some items may be provided.

Talk realistically about friendships

Friendship is one of the biggest concerns for children starting secondary school.

Some will move with several close friends. Others may know only one person or nobody at all. Even children arriving with an established group may find that friendships shift once classes, timetables and social circles change.

Avoid promising that your child will remain best friends with the same people or immediately find a perfect new group.

Instead, explain that friendships often develop gradually through:

sitting near someone in lessons;
travelling together;
sharing lunch;
joining a club;
working on a group task;
asking a simple question;
seeing the same pupils repeatedly.

Help your child prepare a few easy ways to begin a conversation:

“Do you know where the next lesson is?”
“Which primary school did you go to?”
“Is anyone sitting here?”
“What did you think of that lesson?”
“Are you going to any clubs?”

This may feel artificial to adults, but having words ready can help a nervous child take the first step.

Encourage your child to be open to meeting people beyond their primary-school friendship group. Staying with familiar friends can feel safe, but it may also prevent new connections.

Talk about what a healthy friendship looks like. Friends do not need to agree about everything, but they should not repeatedly humiliate, threaten, control or exclude one another.

Discuss group chats before September. Children may be added to large messaging groups where rumours, arguments and inappropriate content spread quickly. Agree some basic boundaries:

do not share someone else’s photograph without permission;
do not forward private messages;
leave or mute conversations that become upsetting;
tell an adult about threats, bullying or sexual content;
remember that screenshots can preserve messages.

Our guide on checking your child is safe online without spying explains how parents can stay involved without secretly monitoring every conversation.

If your child does not make close friends immediately, do not treat the first week as a verdict. Relationships often take time to settle.

Keep summer learning light and purposeful

Children do not need to spend the summer completing a private Year 7 curriculum.

Secondary teachers expect pupils to arrive with different strengths, experiences and levels of confidence. Trying to teach the next term’s content in advance may create unnecessary pressure or introduce methods that differ from the school’s approach.

For most children, useful summer learning includes:

reading regularly;
keeping basic number skills active;
writing occasionally for a real purpose;
using money and time;
following instructions;
developing general knowledge through books, visits and conversation;
completing any specific work set by the secondary school.

Our guide on how much learning children should do during the summer holidays offers a balanced plan by age and circumstance.

If your child has clear gaps in reading, writing or maths, ask the primary school which skills would be most useful to practise. One specific priority is more manageable than a vague instruction to “catch up”.

The most useful preparation may not be academic at all.

A child who can read a timetable, organise belongings, ask for help and recover calmly after making a mistake may be better prepared than a child who completed several workbooks but remains terrified of the school day.

Encourage reading, but allow choice. Fiction, graphic novels, magazines, non-fiction and audiobooks can all help children stay connected with language and ideas.

Do not use academic work as a threat:

“You need to work all summer because secondary school will be much harder.”

This frames the new school as a punishment waiting for them.

A calmer message is:

“We’ll keep a few skills active, but the summer is also for resting. Your new teachers will help you learn what comes next.”

Prepare gradually for homework and organisation

Homework is a common source of anxiety before secondary school.

Children may hear stories about receiving hours of work every night. In reality, the amount and organisation of homework varies by school and subject.

Rather than practising large quantities of homework, focus on the habits that make it manageable.

Your child can practise:

writing tasks in a planner;
checking an online platform;
breaking a task into smaller stages;
starting work at an agreed time;
putting completed work back into the bag;
asking for clarification before a deadline;
estimating how long a task may take.

Create a practical home setup. Your child does not need a perfect office, but they do need somewhere reasonably calm to work and a place to keep books, letters and equipment.

Decide how much support you will initially provide.

In the first weeks, parents may need to help check platforms and understand the system. The longer-term goal should be for the child to take increasing responsibility.

Try not to become the manager of every deadline. Constant checking can create dependence and conflict.

A useful routine might be:

Your child checks the homework system.
They explain what needs doing.
You help them decide the order where necessary.
They complete the work independently where possible.
You are available for specific questions rather than supervising every minute.

If homework regularly causes distress, our guide to helping your child with homework without the stress provides practical ways to reduce conflict while maintaining reasonable expectations.

It is also useful to explain that forgetting one homework task is a problem to solve, not proof that they cannot cope with secondary school.

Make sure SEND, medical and pastoral support is ready

Children with SEND, medical needs, disabilities or existing mental-health difficulties may require more than a standard transition day.

Do not assume that every detail known by the primary school has automatically reached the right person at secondary school.

Before the end of the summer term, confirm:

who the secondary-school SENCO is;
what information has been transferred;
whether existing support will continue;
how medication will be stored and administered;
whether a healthcare plan is needed;
which adjustments will be in place from the first day;
who your child can approach when overwhelmed;
whether additional visits, photographs or maps are available;
how the school handles sensory or movement needs;
when support will be reviewed.

For an autistic child, useful preparation may include photographs of important rooms, a visual timetable, information about noisy or crowded areas and a clear explanation of what happens at break and lunchtime.

NHS Autism Central offers practical guidance on preparing an autistic child for secondary school, including travel, routines, communication and the larger school environment.

Children with dyslexia or other learning needs may need reassurance that support remains available even though expectations are changing.

Make sure your child understands their own support in age-appropriate language. They should know:

what helps them learn;
what they can ask for;
which adults know about their needs;
what to do if agreed support is not available.

If your child receives SEN Support or has an EHCP, our guide to the difference between SEN Support and an EHCP explains how the two arrangements work.

Where concerns remain unresolved, put important questions in writing and request a transition meeting. A clear plan made before September is better than waiting for your child to struggle.

Reduce anxiety without pretending there is nothing to worry about

Some nervousness before secondary school is normal.

Your child is entering a larger environment with new people, routines and expectations. Feeling both excited and worried is a reasonable response.

Avoid repeatedly asking, “Are you nervous?” throughout the holiday. Constant discussion can make September feel like a threat approaching in the distance.

Instead, create occasional opportunities to talk and focus on specific concerns.

When your child shares a worry:

Listen before offering solutions.
Name the concern clearly.
Separate what is known from what is imagined.
Identify one practical action.
Remind them who can help.

For example:

“You’re worried you won’t know anyone in your form. We cannot know exactly who you will become friends with yet, but you met two pupils on transition day, and your form tutor can help if you are alone at break.”

Childline advises young people starting a new school to write down worries, ask questions, use routines and give themselves time to settle. Its advice for starting a new school can be useful for children to read themselves.

Help your child identify calming strategies they can use discreetly:

slow breathing;
focusing on the next task only;
carrying a small reassuring object where permitted;
finding a quieter space;
speaking to a trusted adult;
using a prepared phrase to ask for help.

Practise simple help-seeking phrases:

“I’m not sure where I need to go.”
“Could you explain that again?”
“I’ve lost my timetable.”
“I’m feeling overwhelmed. Where can I go?”
“Who should I speak to about this?”

If anxiety becomes severe, causes panic, affects sleep or eating, or makes your child feel unable to attend, contact the school and seek appropriate health advice. Our guide to school anxiety and emotionally based school avoidance explains warning signs and possible support.

Use the final two weeks to restore a school-day rhythm

The whole summer does not need to follow a school timetable.

Children should be able to enjoy later mornings, relaxed days and a break from constant deadlines. However, moving directly from very late nights to an early school start can make the first week unnecessarily difficult.

During the final one or two weeks:

move bedtime earlier gradually;
bring waking time closer to the school routine;
reintroduce regular breakfast;
reduce very late screen use;
check uniform and shoes;
practise the journey once more;
prepare equipment;
review the first-day arrangements;
decide where school items will be kept at home.

Do not leave uniform checks until the night before. Children grow, footwear can become uncomfortable and sensory concerns may only become obvious when an item is worn for longer than a few minutes.

Ask your child to pack their own bag with you nearby.

On the evening before school, keep the atmosphere as ordinary as possible. Avoid delivering a long motivational speech or repeatedly asking how they feel.

A simple message is enough:

“You do not need to know everything tomorrow. Listen, ask for help and take one part of the day at a time.”

Prepare for a tired child at the end of the first day. They may not want to answer many questions immediately.

Instead of asking, “How was it?” try something more specific later:

What was easier than you expected?
Which lesson did you enjoy?
Who did you spend lunch with?
Was anything confusing?
Is there anything we need to sort out for tomorrow?

Settling in is a process, not a single successful first day.

Frequently asked questions

How much schoolwork should my child do before starting secondary school?

Most children do not need intensive summer study. Regular reading, keeping basic maths skills active and completing any work set by the school will usually be enough. Practical preparation, organisation and rest are equally important.

Should my child practise the school journey alone?

Begin by travelling together. When they understand the route, you can gradually reduce support if it is safe and appropriate. The right level of independence depends on the child, the journey and local conditions.

What should a Year 7 pupil carry in their school bag?

Follow the school’s instructions. A typical day may require books, a planner, pencil case, water bottle, lunch or payment card, and PE kit when scheduled. Avoid carrying every book every day; teach your child to check the timetable.

Does my child need a smartphone for secondary school?

Not necessarily. A basic phone may be enough for travel and emergencies. Check the school’s mobile-phone policy before deciding. Some schools require phones to remain switched off and out of sight throughout the day.

What if none of my child’s friends are going to the same school?

Acknowledge that starting without familiar friends can feel difficult. Encourage your child to attend transition events, join clubs and practise simple ways of beginning conversations. Tell the form tutor if your child is particularly anxious or isolated.

What if my child is placed in a different form from their friends?

Explain that forms are only one part of secondary-school life. Pupils may meet friends during breaks, lunch, clubs, travel and some lessons. Different forms can also create opportunities to meet new people. Contact the school if separation creates a serious pastoral or SEND concern, but schools may not change forms solely because friends were separated.

Should I contact the form tutor before September?

Contact is sensible when there is important information about SEND, medical needs, anxiety, bullying or previous school difficulties. Keep the message concise and practical. Routine introductions can usually wait until the school explains how parent communication will work.

How can I help a disorganised child prepare?

Use visual checklists, a consistent storage place and an evening bag-packing routine. Teach one system at a time. Do not rely only on repeated verbal reminders, and do not expect perfect organisation during the first weeks.

What if my child gets lost at school?

Reassure them that this is common. They should ask a teacher, reception staff member, prefect or another pupil. Help them practise the phrase, “Please can you tell me where this room is?” Most schools give Year 7 pupils additional help during the opening days.

How long does it take children to settle into secondary school?

Some settle within days, while others need several weeks or longer. New routines may initially feel tiring even when the child appears happy. Look for gradual progress rather than expecting complete confidence immediately.

What should I do if my child says they hate secondary school after the first week?

Listen carefully and ask what specifically feels wrong. Early tiredness and uncertainty can improve as routines become familiar. However, take reports of bullying, feeling unsafe, severe anxiety or unmet support needs seriously and contact the appropriate member of staff.

What is the most important preparation for secondary school?

The most valuable preparation is helping your child understand that they can cope with uncertainty and ask for help. Equipment and academic practice matter, but children also need practical routines, realistic reassurance and adults who remain available as they become more independent.

The summer before secondary school does not need to become a long preparation course.

Use it to answer the questions that can be answered, practise the skills that genuinely matter and leave space for your child to rest after primary school.

They will forget things. They may get lost, misunderstand a rule or have an awkward lunchtime. These moments do not mean the transition has failed. They are part of learning how a new school works.

Your child does not need to begin Year 7 completely confident and independent. They need to know that confidence can grow, independence can be learned and help is available when they need it.