Going back to primary school often brings a mix of pride, excitement and a little apprehension, for children and parents alike. Whether your child is starting the first year or beginning the sixth and final one, the year of the CEB exam, they need a reassuring framework to start the year well.
Dreamy, anxious or eager to see their friends again, every child experiences the start of the school year in their own way. Here are 5 simple keys to support them calmly, without pressure or overload.
1. Set up a clear but flexible routine
The first few weeks are the right time to (re)establish landmarks: wake-up time, time for breakfast, a school bag packed the night before, a quiet moment before bed.
These landmarks make the day predictable, and a child who knows what to expect feels safer. There is no need to make everything rigid at once, though. What matters is a gradual approach.
- Sleep first: bring bedtime forward in small steps as the holidays come to an end.
- The school bag the night before: check the homework diary together and what needs to be taken the next day.
- Mornings without rushing: allow enough time to leave without stress.
- An evening ritual: a story, some reading time, a few minutes to talk about the day.
In French-speaking schools (Wallonia-Brussels Federation), the school year has started at the end of August since the reform of the school calendar, and a two-week autumn break follows from mid-October. The first weeks are therefore short and intense: a regular rhythm helps your child keep going until that first break.
2. Prepare a study corner that suits them
No need for a state-of-the-art desk. A quiet, well-lit space with no screen switched on nearby is quite enough for doing homework or reviewing a lesson.
Involve your child in setting up this corner: choosing a lamp, tidying their pencils, hanging a drawing on the wall. They will feel at home there, and this small sense of control builds their independence.
And what if they sometimes prefer working at the kitchen table? That is fine. What matters is that homework time is regular and supervised, wherever it happens.
What the rules say about homework in primary school
In French-speaking schools in Belgium, a 2001 decree regulates homework in primary school:
- in the first and second years, no written homework, only short activities such as reading or telling the family at home what was done in class;
- in the third and fourth years, 20 minutes a day at most;
- in the fifth and sixth years, 30 minutes a day at most.
This homework extends what was covered in class, is not graded and must be doable without an adult’s help. Your role is therefore mainly to offer a calm setting and a kind eye, rather than teaching the lesson again yourself. If homework regularly takes much longer every evening, that is a sign worth sharing with the teacher.
3. Keep in regular contact with the school
At the start of the year, children do not always express clearly what they are going through in class. Pay attention to the signs.
A child who says they are “bored”, that they “don’t like” their new teacher or who has a stomach ache every morning is usually not trying to manipulate you. They are often trying to say something they cannot yet put into words.
A few simple habits help you stay in touch:
- check the homework diary every day and sign it;
- attend the back-to-school meeting, where the class teacher presents the programme and their expectations;
- make an appointment with the teacher as soon as something worries you, without dramatising, simply to build a relationship of trust;
- think of the school’s PMS centre (psycho-medical-social guidance centre) if a difficulty persists: its team can advise you free of charge.
If your child has been dragging their feet in the morning for several weeks, our article My child doesn’t like school will help you understand what is going on.
4. Value effort more than results
From the very first weeks, children start labelling themselves: “I’m bad at maths”, “I’m good at reading”. These judgements often come too early, and they can last.
To avoid this, praise what your child puts into their work rather than the final mark. A simple “you concentrated really well today” is sometimes worth more than “well done, 10 out of 10”.
In practice, you can:
- ask how they went about it, not just whether they succeeded;
- point out progress, even small, compared with the previous week;
- present mistakes as a normal step in learning;
- avoid comparisons with a brother, sister or classmate.
This attitude helps your child keep their self-confidence and their desire to learn, whatever their level. It does not work miracles on its own, but it creates a climate in which difficulties are easier to talk about.
5. Don’t hesitate to get support
If you feel stress building up, homework becoming a source of conflict or your child losing interest, it is best to act early. A difficulty spotted in October is much easier to make up than one spotted in May.
Occasional outside help is often enough to get things back on track. It also eases the relationship between you and your child: homework becomes a time for work again, rather than tension.
At My Sherpa, an educational advisor chooses a coach suited to your child’s age and needs. Lessons take place at home, anywhere in Belgium, or online. Depending on the situation, this can be:
- regular homework help to build good habits and a working method;
- targeted private tutoring in primary school in a specific subject, such as maths, French or Dutch;
- gradual preparation for the CEB in the sixth year of primary school (the CEB is the end-of-primary exam in French-speaking schools; see our guide Preparing your child for the CEB).
In summary
Supporting your child at the start of the school year does not mean controlling everything. Above all, it means:
- offering a predictable, reassuring framework;
- giving them a corner of their own to work in;
- really listening and staying in touch with the school;
- encouraging their efforts more than their marks;
- asking for help early if something is not working.
The more confidently the year begins, the better its chances of going well.
