September is upon us, which means one thing: back-to-school week is nigh –and teachers are urging parents to prep their kids now ready for the big return.

Whether your child is starting school in Reception, heading into a new year after the holidays, or going into secondary school, there’s a lot we can be doing as parents to not only help our kids, but also make teachers’ lives easier – because let’s face it, back-to-school week will be pretty exhausting for them too.

We asked teachers what they want parents to know. Here’s what they said.

For children in the early years...

In short, the biggest way parents can help their kids (and, as a result, teachers) is to help teach their kids to accomplish some tasks independently. That way, they will “feel less overwhelmed by new challenges at school,” said Sarah Holyoake, Head of Early Years at Stephen Perse Cambridge, a network of schools in Cambridge and Essex for children aged two to 18 years old.

This might include tasks like getting themselves dressed at home, taking coats on and off, putting shoes on, and going to the toilet by themselves.

“Being able to recognise their name is a crucial skill for any child starting school,” added the teacher. “Much of their daily routine will be dictated by identifying their peg or their drawer or their seat so reading and letter identification are important.”

We all know sharing can be a bit tricky for younger children, but Holyoake advises parents to provide kids with “important opportunities to manage their emotions in social settings, such as practicing taking turns with friends”.

For children of all ages

Steven Britton, a mathematics tutor, advises parents to start establishing routines nice and early so back-to-school (or starting school) week doesn’t come as a complete shock to the system.

“Have a consistent bedtime and wake-up time at least a week before school starts,” he suggested. Getting........

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