Going back to school after the summer holidays can bring a mixture of excitement, anticipation and nerves. There is a new routine to settle into, new academic expectations to navigate and, for some children, a new teacher, classroom or even an entirely new school.
As a parent, you cannot control everything about the new school year, but you can make the transition smoother. From re-establishing sleep patterns to creating good study habits early, a little preparation before school starts can help your child feel more organised, confident and ready to learn.
Here are our practical back to school tips for parents, whether your child is starting secondary school, heading into an important GCSE or A-Level year, or simply returning for a new term.
Back to School Tips for Parents
- Establish a routine before the first day of school
- Get organised before school starts
- Ask how they’re feeling about going back to school
- Create space for homework and independent study
- Make the return to learning gradual
- Set goals for the new school year
- Don’t wait for the first set of results to identify problems
- For older children, start thinking beyond the school year
- Protect your child’s wellbeing as the term gets busier
- Review the routine after the first few weeks
1. Establish a routine before the first day of school
When it comes to back-to-school tips, establishing a school routine before the first day can make a big difference.
During the summer holidays, bedtime and wake-up times naturally become more relaxed. Suddenly switching back to an early morning routine can make the first week unnecessarily difficult.
A few days before your child is due to go back to school, gradually move bedtime and wake-up times towards their normal term-time schedule. Getting enough sleep can make a significant difference to concentration, mood and readiness for the school day.
It can also help to practise the practical parts of the morning. Think about what time everyone needs to wake up, when to have breakfast, whether your child is walking, taking the bus or relying on the school run, and how long it takes to get to school.
The aim isn’t to create a rigid schedule for every minute of the day. It is simply to remove as many avoidable sources of stress as possible.
2. Get organised before school starts
There are few things more frustrating than discovering at 8am that a PE kit is missing or that the school bag still contains last term’s forgotten lunch.
Before the first day back, check what your child actually needs. That might include their uniform, shoes, backpack, pencil case, books, calculator, lunchboxes and other subject-specific equipment.
If you’re buying supplies, check information from the school before you shop. Older children in particular may have specific equipment requirements depending on their GCSE or A-Level subjects.
You can also encourage your child to prepare their bag and lay out their clothes the night before. It sounds small, but reducing morning decisions can make getting out of the door considerably easier.
And, of course, you can still leave enough time for the obligatory first day photo!
3. Ask how they’re feeling about going back to school
Preparation shouldn’t only focus on timetables and stationery.
Ask how they’re feeling about the return to school, and give them space to answer properly.
A child might be looking forward to seeing friends while simultaneously worrying about homework. Someone attending a new school might be excited about their new environment but nervous about navigating the cafeteria or playground. Older children may have concerns about exams, subject choices or increasing workloads.
Active listening is often more helpful than immediately jumping into problem solving. If your child raises a worry, acknowledge the emotion and ask what would make the situation feel more manageable.
For younger children, it may help to talk through what their first day back will look like. For older children, the conversation might be more about expectations, workload or academic goals.
Persistent school anxiety is different from ordinary first-day nerves. If anxiety is significantly affecting your child’s daily life or mental health, consider speaking to the school, your child’s teacher, GP or an appropriate mental health professional.
4. Create space for homework and independent study
The start of the school year is an ideal opportunity to establish good study habits before workloads become heavier.
Create space at home where your child can concentrate. It doesn’t need to be a perfect home office: a clear desk, good lighting and somewhere to keep their resources may be enough.
It can also help to agree roughly when homework time will happen. Some children work well immediately after school; others need time to have a snack, decompress or enjoy an extracurricular activity first.
The important thing is consistency. An after-school routine can reduce the daily negotiation around when work gets done.
For students beginning GCSEs or A-Levels, encourage independent organisation too. Rather than managing every deadline for them, help your child develop a system for tracking homework, revision and assessments themselves.
If they need additional academic support as the year progresses, The Profs offers specialist GCSE Tutors and A-Level Tutors across a wide range of subjects. Most recently, 67% of our students achieved an A* or A – that’s 2x the national average!
*Based on respondents to The Profs Client Feedback Survey 2025
5. Make the return to learning gradual
After several weeks away from formal education, expecting children to immediately return to hours of focused study can be counterproductive.
Instead, start small.
In the days before the new term, encourage your child to read, revisit a topic they enjoyed last year or organise their notes and resources. Even 20–30 minutes can help switch their mind back into learning mode.
Once school begins, focus on consistency rather than immediately filling every evening with additional work. As the school schedule becomes clearer, you can identify where more structured study or revision may be useful.
6. Set goals for the new school year
The beginning of a new school year is a natural point to talk about goals, but try to go beyond simply asking, “What grades do you want?”
Useful goals might include:
- Improving confidence in a particular subject.
- Developing a more consistent revision routine.
- Completing homework earlier rather than the night before.
- Participating more confidently in lessons.
- Reading more widely around a favourite subject.
- Preparing early for GCSEs, A-Levels or university applications.
Make the goals realistic and specific enough that your child can see whether they’re making progress.
Parents can help by discussing what actions sit behind each goal. “Get an A in Maths” is an outcome; “complete a weekly set of practice questions and review mistakes” is a plan.
A bonus tip from one of our award-winning tutors:
“My suggestion is to use the 80/20 rule. Focus on 20% of the tasks or topics that will give you 80% of the result. This will ensure that you’re using your time in the most efficient manner!
How do you prioritise then? Identify the core topics that are essential for understanding future materials. Ask yourself questions like: which topics are the most important for the upcoming assignment or even exam? What topics are repeated or built upon later? Create a priority list and tackle the most crucial one.”
– Dickson | LSE – BSc Economics 2:1 (Honours) | Maths, Further Maths, Economics & 11+ Tutor
7. Don’t wait for the first set of results to identify problems
A key school tip for parents is to spot potential problems early, before they begin to affect progress.
Your child doesn’t need to be failing a subject before they ask for help. If they repeatedly struggle with homework, avoid a particular subject or say they don’t understand what’s happening in lessons, it may be worth addressing the issue before the knowledge gap grows.
Talk to your child first and, where appropriate, communicate with the school. Their teacher may be able to provide useful context and advice.
If you believe your child requires targeted one-to-one support, a tutor can work with them to identify gaps, consolidate earlier material and develop a structured plan for the term. That’s where The Profs can help. Our network of Online Tutors includes qualified teachers, official examiners and experienced academics who collectively boast a +90% success rate for grade improvements.*
*Based on respondents to The Profs Client Feedback Survey 2025
8. For older children, start thinking beyond the school year
For students approaching sixth form, the beginning of term isn’t only about what happens in the classroom.
University preparation can start much earlier than many families realise. Students may need to research courses, check subject requirements, undertake wider reading, develop supercurricular interests and, depending on their chosen course, eventually prepare for admissions tests and interviews.
Starting early gives students time to explore rather than rushing important decisions later.
Encourage your child to investigate subjects and universities that interest them, particularly if they are considering a degree without a direct A-Level equivalent. Wider reading, lectures, academic activities and subject exploration can help them understand what studying that discipline at university is actually like.
For students approaching the application process, The Profs’ University Admissions Tutors can provide support across every stage: from university/course selection and personal statements to admissions tests and interviews. In 2025, a remarkable 99% of our students secured their first or second-choice university, and 2 in 3 offers came from a top 10 UK university.*
*Based on respondents to The Profs Client Feedback Survey 2025
9. Protect your child’s wellbeing as the term gets busier
A productive school year isn’t one in which every available hour is filled with work.
Sleep, exercise, friendships, hobbies and downtime all matter. Encourage your child to maintain activities they enjoy rather than treating them as distractions from academic work.
This is particularly important as exam pressure increases. If every conversation at home becomes about grades, revision and deadlines, school can begin to feel all-consuming.
Try to maintain a healthy balance between showing an interest in your child’s progress and giving them space. Sometimes the best question after a long school day isn’t “What homework have you got?” but simply “How was your day?”
Supporting your child’s well-being alongside their academic progress can help them develop a healthier relationship with learning in the long term.
10. Review the routine after the first few weeks
What looks good on paper before the new term may not work once real life begins.
After a couple of weeks, check in as a family. Is the morning routine realistic? Is there enough time for homework? Are extracurricular activities making particular evenings too busy? Is your child getting enough sleep? Are there subjects they already find more challenging than expected?
Adjust where necessary.
A successful school routine should support family life rather than make everyone feel as though they’re constantly racing against the clock. The goal is not perfection; it’s creating enough structure that your child can focus their energy on learning.
FAQs: Back-to-School Tips for Parents
What is the 7-7-7 rule for parents?
The 7-7-7 rule for parents is a parenting routine designed to create consistent connection with your child. It involves spending three distraction-free, 7-minute periods together each day: 7 minutes in the morning, 7 minutes after school, and 7 minutes before bedtime.
For the return to school, this routine can create regular opportunities to check in, talk about the school day and give your child space to share any concerns. It can also support predictable routines, communication and sleep as children settle back into education.
How can parents prepare their child for going back to school?
Start several days before the return to school by gradually restoring normal bedtime and wake-up times. Check equipment and uniform, establish a morning routine and talk to your child about how they feel about going back.
If they’re starting school in a new environment, practise practical details such as the route to school and talk through what the first day may involve. This can help children feel more familiar with what to expect.
How can I reduce back-to-school anxiety?
Talk to your child and find out what specifically is making them feel nervous. A vague worry about “school” may actually be about finding a classroom, seeing friends again, meeting a new teacher or managing academic work.
Once you understand the concern, you can make it more concrete and manageable. Familiarising younger children with the school run, organising their things in advance and establishing a predictable routine can all help reduce anxiety.
How do I establish a good morning routine for school?
Work backwards from the time your child needs to leave home. Allow realistic time for getting dressed, breakfast, packing last-minute items and travelling to school.
Preparing clothes, bags and lunch the night before can make school in the morning considerably calmer. Practise the routine before the first day if the family’s schedule has changed.
When should students start preparing for GCSEs and A-Levels?
Good preparation starts well before formal revision season. Students can use the beginning of term to identify knowledge gaps, organise their notes and establish consistent study habits.
As major assessments approach, their study schedule can become progressively more structured. Students who would benefit from personalised academic support can work with specialist GCSE Tutors or A-Level Tutors.
What should I do if my child is struggling after returning to school?
Start by asking what they’re finding difficult. Depending on the issue, the next step might be speaking with their teacher, adjusting their routine, providing additional time for a subject or seeking targeted academic support.
Try to address problems early rather than waiting until the next report or exam. A small knowledge gap at the start of a course is generally easier to tackle than several months of accumulated confusion.
