We’ve seen the news and double-checked our timetables, and it seems like class is back in session for spring in the UK. With millions of children heading back into their schools and colleges this month after weeks learning remotely, it’s likely to be a bit of a stressful time for parents, educators, and students. The Covid-19 pandemic has made fundamental changes to the way we work and study, and introduced a lot to think about when anticipating a classroom return.

That’s why we’ve put together a run-down of how to make the transition from online learning to the classroom a little easier. Let’s tackle some of the back-to-school anxiety that many children and young people might be feeling right now.

Practice Makes Perfect

For some, especially younger students, the big day won’t be as scary if you’ve done it all before. So, a ‘dress rehearsal’ scenario can really help to get a handle on the back-to-school nerves.

Waking up to get ready for school, preparing their school essentials, popping on their uniform, and heading on out for a practice run to the school gate a few times might seem overkill, but it’s a great way to break the anxiety cycle and make the routine change feel manageable. Other ways to incorporate the idea into your back-to-school plans could be practicing packing their school bags or creating a checklist of all the things they need that can be referred to in the morning as they head out the door.

Although many students are an old hand at the school run, it can be comforting to return to familiarity.

Open a Dialogue

Although they’ve done it all before, the world has changed a lot in the past twelve months and many students might be worried about the changes made to their educational environments and exams. Some might feel like they’ve fallen behind whilst learning online; or some might feel like remote education suited their learning style better and they’re worried about returning. Others might be worried about the changes made to GCSE and A-Level assessment patterns, and many students will simply be worried about heading back to multi-household environments.

Making sure that there’s a gentle, ongoing dialogue about what they’re worried about means that parents, carers, and educators can try to tackle these issues early on and identify if anything needs addressing with their schools and colleges.

Masks at the Ready!

Some students are nervous about heading back to school and feeling secure is an important part of finding their in-person learning groove again. Make sure that they’re equipped with a comfortable, well-fitting face covering if they need to wear one—you can find out exactly what the guidance is for your child’s institution of learning in the guidelines set out by the UK Government, although some schools may have their own guidance too.

It’s also a good idea for students to carry something to clean their hands with on the go. Although, the great hand sanitiser shortage of April 2020 has long passed and most schools have dedicated hand-washing and sanitising systems in place, many kids might feel safer carrying their own sanitiser or handwash.

As a third safety check, it can be a good idea to make sure that students understand the rules on social distancing and why it’s important to keep their distance if they can. We all want nothing more than to run and hug our friends, but it’s safer to wait a little while longer, and younger children might be struggling emotionally with the idea that they can’t hold hands or play close-contact games with their classmates.

Stay Social

Research shows that the presence of a familiar face during school transitions can improve the academic and emotional adjustment of students when it comes to heading back to school.

It might be a good idea to organise some socially distanced socialisation, in the case of younger children, or encourage older children to reach out to friends they might not have spent time with since they were last in a school environment. Yes, they might have been seeing them in online classes for the past few months, but creating an organic online environment like a video call where students can be themselves and strengthen a friendship bond can allay lots of fears about heading into the unknown alone and make them feel more confident heading back to class.

Say Well Done!

Learning under pandemic conditions is, in and of itself, an achievement and every one of the world’s students - from those in nursery to those completing postgraduate degrees - has made some huge sacrifices and a gargantuan effort to keep progressing on their learning journey.

It’s a great idea to celebrate these efforts as another part of normalising the back-to-school experience, as well as letting students know that you appreciate what they’re doing. There’s a big difference between hearing “I know it’s hard, but it’s important for your education,” and “I know it’s hard, but you’re doing a fantastic job,”—and prizes in the form of rewarding activities might not go amiss either.

It’s been a difficult year for everybody in education. Pandemic conditions are far from ideal conditions to learn and educate under, and with so many teaching and working remotely for so long, reopening educational facilities is a huge change. But it’s still great to see learning getting back on track and students and staff coming back to school for what’s hopefully the final time, and celebrating their herculean efforts should be at the heart of the classroom return this March.