One of the secondary school milestones your child can look forward to is their first work experience placement, usually in Year 10. This is a chance for your son ordaughter to get out and explore the world of work and gain some invaluable insight which could inspire their future career

Many parents will rule out fee-paying schools for their children because of the costs involved. But most independent schools,often known as private schools, will offer financial assistance in the form of scholarships or bursaries for pupils. Fee-paying schools tend to have small class sizes, excellent exam results and a good

In a bid to ensure pupils leave school better prepared for work or further study, GCSE and A-level qualifications have been overhauled in recent years. Although there is still some time before your child will be ready to consider their options, it helps to understand what they will face in

Once your child starts secondary school it’s likely that they will become more exposed to smartphones and social media. And they are never too young to start developing good online habits. One of the best ways to start is to encourage your child to talk to you about how they

Knowing or suspecting that your child is being bullied can be very upsetting, but there’s lots you can do to help tackle the problem. Although you hope it never happens to your son or daughter, there is a chance it might so it helps to be prepared to recognise the

When your child starts Year 7, you may decide it’s time to play a more active role in their school. Most schools will have a PTA, Parents Association or Friends of… group, which can be a great way of getting to know staff and other families while making a real

From playing in the band to being part of a sports team, there is more to school life than just what goes on in the classroom. In addition to their lessons, your son or daughter will have the chance to join in a whole host of extra-curricular activities. Every school

The amount of homework your child has to do will almost certainly increase significantly when they start Year 7. It’s a daily part of secondary school life and your child will be expected to complete it all and meet any deadlines they are set. Homework helps to build on what

Your child will need a good meal in the middle of the day to help them process all the new things they are learning. And the choice is either they take in packed lunch from home or they choose a hot dinner in the school canteen. Both have their pros

There is no getting around it. Kitting out children for their first year of secondary school can be expensive, but there are ways to keep the costs down. According to research conducted by The Children’s Society, which surveyed 2,000 parents across the UK in May, on average they are spending