School warns first-grade transition can be harder than starting school

The move into first grade brings new demands that can leave children more tired, a school on the island of Funen has warned in a letter to parents, DR reports.

At Glamsbjerg School in western Funen, head of the early-years department Michael Bøgeskov says the transition from the preparatory class to first grade can be bigger for many pupils than the move from kindergarten to school, yet receives less attention.

The school’s structure and expectations change in first grade, Bøgeskov says. He believes parents and teachers should work together and pay attention to how each child responds.

Louise Vestergaard Larsen says her daughter Mynte, who is in first grade at the school, is more tired after the school day and often wants to go straight home rather than attend after-school care. On Tuesdays, Mynte also has swimming later in the day, and her mother says she needs time at home to rest beforehand.

Ditte Winther-Lindqvist, a professor of educational psychology at DPU, says children move from a more play-based environment to something closer to traditional classroom teaching, and may also have more teachers. The new demands can cause extra tiredness, she says, but that does not necessarily mean something is wrong.

Winther-Lindqvist advises parents to keep an eye on their child’s energy and avoid filling the calendar with too many activities if the child is tired. She also recommends discussing the transition with the class teacher, particularly whether the child still wants to learn and feels able to contribute at school.

Parents may also need to lower expectations for what their child can manage after school. If the child no longer has the energy for activities such as football several times a week, families may need to adjust their plans for a while.