Tips from Aloha College Principal

There are many reasons why a child may be starting a new school.

It may be they reach compulsory school age -4, 5 or 6 years old depending on the country of residence- or when they finish Primary School and enter Secondary School. Moving to a different area or another country, or simply seeking a better educational institution are additional reasons.

Whatever the reason, your child needs to experience a smooth transition. Why don’t you consider some of Mrs Batchelor’s advice?

As a parent, you can help your child by doing the following:

1) BE POSITIVE – It is normal to be anxious about the new situation, but you need to express confidence and optimism about their start – children perceive parents’ feelings and will be influenced in one way or another.

2) BE COMMUNICATIVE – This is a crucial tip for all ventures. This means talk to your children, whether a toddler or a teenager, about the things they do in school, being responsive to their concerns. This also means being willing to learn about the school, and about the way things work, so that we can set up a proper home-school partnership.

3) BE FRIENDLY – The thought of making new friends in a new environment can be very stressful for children. We can help by making them understand that this is really an opportunity to have a new start and make different friends. Also, we need to be open to meet their new friends and parents, and to participate in school and community events

4) BE HEALTHY – Regardless of the new situation people encounter, healthy habits always help us to cope with anything in a better way. Ensure your children have plenty of sleep, eat a balanced diet and have consistent routines at home.

In the school, you should be able to find:

1) A CARING ENVIRONMENT – Regardless of age, you should expect an environment with qualified professionals who care about your children’s welfare and who are able to offer them plenty of opportunities to learn. The home-school partnership is paramount.

2) CLEAR EXPECTATIONS – To have clear expectations helps in school in the same way as at home. Our children need to know what it means to make good or bad choices in terms of behaviour and work. The clearer the expectations are, the more confident the children will feel to meet their new challenges.

3) CHILDREN AS INDIVIDUALS – All children are unique and have different maturity and skills. Schools need to recognise this and be able to support them in their growth to make them well-balanced adults. This is only possible by respecting their different backgrounds and abilities, monitoring closely their progress and offering individualised opportunities to further develop their learning.

As Principal, I guarantee these expectations of the school are clearly met at Aloha College. We have welcomed many new children to our school this term, some from the local community and others from further afield. Our published Inspection Report confirms the high quality education that we provide with an “outstanding, caring and supportive ethos” (ISI Inspection Report), helping these parents to have made their choice.

Our excellent examination results (see facing page) make the school even more attractive.

We look forward to welcoming you to our wonderful school,

Elizabeth Batchelor

The full inspection report is available for public viewing at: http://www.aloha-college.com/about-us/