From being the biggest fish in the pond to the smallest in the sea, the change can be daunting. However, it’s important to remember that while it is a big change, it’s another step taken towards your future (as cliché as that sounds). It’s the next step, the steppingstone, towards bigger and greater things. Part of this step is that it equips you with tools to make further, future steps afterwards.

This step can be less scary and more exciting if you are prepared.

Some of our tips include:
1. Coming Prepared
2. Have Your Morning Routine Organised
3. Be Ready to Study
4. Have Fun!

1. Coming Prepared

Make sure you have your uniform (including your P.E uniform) and bag before you start the year. Ensure that you have bought all the stationary items your heart desires before the first day. Most importantly, make sure you have all these items packed and ready to go the night before! The added worry of trying to find your mysteriously missing pens and pencils in the morning of your first day doesn’t sound like fun and will set your year off to a bad start. Making sure to bring plenty of food and water will make sure that you aren’t hungry or thirsty when you’re trying to learn!

2. Have Your Morning Routine Organised

Most schools start between 8-9am in the morning, and to arrive on time means that you must leave the house well before this to make sure you have plenty of time to spare. For many, the trip from home to school will be done by yourself, and this can be daunting if you are used to being driven to school by your parents. Make sure that you know exactly how you are getting to school. Are you walking? Riding your bike? Catching a bus or train? Know what time you must leave the house so that you can get to school on time, or arrive at the bus or train station before they leave.

While our lovely parents were patient and often waited for us if we were running late, a bus or train will not! Knowing what time to wake up so that you can have breakfast and get ready for school adequately will make sure you are feeling prepared for the day. Knowing the plan well in advance will make sure you aren’t running late on your first day.

3. Be Ready to Study

One of the major complaints we have heard from our primary students when talking about entering high school is the perceived large amount of school work that they will need to complete. While this is true, high school does expect more from you, it is important to remember that homework and assignments are not punishments handed out by the teachers because they don’t like you. Homework and assignments are there to make sure you understand what you are learning, and encourages you to practise so that the information can be stored in your memory for continued use.

Setting up a study timetable can be crucial in helping you stay organised and on top of your profound workload. We found that being organised and completing your homework as soon as you arrive home from school would allow you to enjoy the rest of your afternoon. It is also important to include leisure time in your afternoon, such as swimming in the pool in summer, playing with my friends, or relaxing and watching some television. However, your leisure time must not replace or negatively impact your learning. Understanding how to balance both so that you get to both learn and enjoy yourself is essential to completing year 7.

4. Have Fun!

While it is important to remember to wake up early, get to school, listen in class, do your homework, and everything else that seems like a chore, it’s also important to remember to enjoy yourself. Starting at a new school, with other students your age that you haven’t met yet, provides you with a fresh start and an opportunity to get to know lots of new people and make lots of new friends. This isn’t an opportunity that comes around very often. Seize it and enjoy it!

Our Final Piece of Advice…

MWNS is here to support you during this transition and explain those new tricky concepts that aren’t making sense in class. We want you to enjoy your learning experience and through our tailored Maths & English lessons, we aim to build confident learners out of each and every student. This transition is memorable, and we strive to make it that little bit easier for you!