Your child's growing up. Leaving primary school behind for the world of timetables and GCSE options is a big step.

He's used to being one of the biggest children in the playground. He's an old hand - he knows what to avoid, where the bullies hang out and which teachers are a pushover. Then suddenly he finds himself in a huge secondary school.

Little fish, big pond
It's full of people much bigger than he is. Some of them look bigger than the teachers! The boys and girls are snogging and smoking and some of them look really frightening. Instead of having one class teacher who knew him well now he has to cope with different teachers for different subjects. His new school may be much further away from home and getting there may involve travelling on the bus or train. No wonder starting secondary school is scary.

Work
How will he cope with homework or with foreign languages that he's never done before? He might need somewhere quiet to do homework, or occasional help from parents. If he's stressed by the increased workload, can you help him find a way of managing his time and studies? Of course, your child may have the opposite problem. Is he maybe too relaxed? If so, he'll need your input to help him focus and settle down to work.

• Support Organisations: Education