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Mr Steven Bennett, Head of Middle School at CCGS describes starting secondary school like surfing a wave: thrilling, frightening and unpredictable all at once. 

It's a new phase in the life of every child (and parent) and while there may be bundles of nerves at the prospect ahead, there is also a lot of excitement as a new chapter is about the unfold.

We checked in with the team at Middle School to discover some of their top tips to help your child transition to life in Senior School.

Get organised

Senior School students are expected to be more independent and manage assignments, homework and assessment themselves. With multiple subjects, multiple teachers and multiple classrooms it can be difficult to keep track of everything they need for each subject.

Mrs Jacki Lynch, Deputy Head of Middle School said, "Some students use colour coordinated folders and notebooks at home. This works really well to keep resources and assessments for different subjects organised. The School diary is also a great way to organise school work and cocurricular activities. Getting into these good organisational habits now will definitely help when they start Middle School."

Empower your child

If you haven't already, now is the time to start empowering your child to think, act and be more responsible for their own belongings and actions.

Mrs Anita Parsons, Middle School Administration Manager has worked at CCGS for 23 years and been involved with Middle School for the past 11 years. She's seen every late note, missing bag and laptop.

"When children start Middle School we expect them to be much more independent. Encourage your child to pack their own lunch, organise their own uniform and set their own homework and study schedules. That way when they start Middle School they'll be ahead of the curve."

Making mistakes

Everyone makes mistakes. It's a natural and essential part of life. As a parent you can demonstrate how to handle mistakes and make this an opportunity to show your child what you have learned. Head of Middle School, Mr Steven Bennett said, "Children will come to understand that it is not the end of the world and they can cope when they stumble."

"Allow your child to make choices, decisions and develop solutions to problems independently. Don't foresee and fix every looming situation. It is through these occasions that children grow and build resilience and in some cases make discoveries and innovations."

Don't be afraid to ask for help

Mrs Parsons refers to the Middle School office as a safe haven for your child. She loves students coming to the office because she knows that the Middle School team will be able to help. It's the first port of call when something doesn't quite go right.

"If you've lost your jumper, your laptop and phone are missing, perhaps you're not feeling well, maybe the code on your padlock isn't working or you've forgotten your sports kit for after school - we want you to come to us!"

"It's important for families and students to know we have systems and safety nets in place to help solve these kinds of problems and more. We'll help guide your child to the right place and we'll always contact parents when we need to."

A big change for you too

Let's not underestimate it! The transition from Junior School to Middle School is a big change for parents and carers too. It's a significant milestone. 

Continue to talk to your children often, and most importantly listen to what they want to tell you. Share your positive experiences of secondary school and maybe even some of the fears you overcame at school, where appropriate. 

Finally, work with the school. When schools and families work together, research shows that children do better, stay in school longer, are more engaged with their school work, go to school more regularly, behave better, and have better social skills.

You might not pack their lunch bag anymore, or help them organise their uniform. But you can continue to support your growing teen by creating a supportive environment at home – an environment that values education.