If your child has enrolled through the Supplementary Admissions Exercise for International Students (S-AEIS) and is joining a class already in progress, start with the school’s confirmed first day, timetable and reporting instructions. Then ask the form teacher which two or three pieces of work matter most in the first fortnight. Knowing where to go, how to find assignments and whom to ask for help can make the academic catch-up easier.
A midyear arrival brings two jobs. Your child needs to learn how an ordinary school day works and identify what the class is already using in lessons. Ask the school which earlier work to review and which upcoming assessments or activities apply. Use the actual dates and expectations the school gives for your child.
- Confirm the reporting time, gate, classroom and first contact.
- Check the timetable and how teachers distribute or collect work.
- Ask which current topic needs one or two earlier ideas.
- Find out what assessments or class activities apply in the first fortnight.
- Review the plan with your child and the teacher after the first week.
Get the first day onto one page
Write down the time to leave home, the school gate, where to report and whom your child can approach if the class has moved. Add the collection plan and one backup if transport changes. Let the child rehearse explaining why they are at the office or asking where their classroom is. For younger pupils, make the directions short enough to remember.
Ask the school what to bring immediately. A first-day list might include basic stationery and items the school requests, while some books or equipment can be bought after a teacher explains what the class uses. Check where to see school messages and how to respond if any account or app access is still being arranged.
Back to contents · Next section
Ask about the current work before collecting old work
Find the next lesson’s starting point
Ask the subject teacher which topic the class is learning now and what earlier idea is needed to follow it. In mathematics, the class might be solving percentage problems that depend on finding a fraction of a quantity. In English, the class might be writing a response that uses evidence from a passage. A small practice task can show whether your child needs to revisit the underlying idea or simply learn how the school expects the answer to be written.
Ask for one representative example or assignment, if the teacher can share it. Have your child show how they would start. Note one thing they can already do and one thing to ask about. This gives the teacher a useful question and makes practice more focused.
Check what counts as current work
Make a small list of assignments and dates the teacher says apply to your child. Ask which earlier work is for reference, which work should be completed and which upcoming assessment arrangements apply. If the child receives several books or logins at once, ask which resource to use first. Keep the list short enough to refer to before packing each evening.
Back to contents · Previous section · Next section
Make the second week easier than the first
After the first few days, ask your child to show you where they find the timetable, assignments and teacher messages. Ask who they could approach in class and where they spend recess. Choose one problem the family can solve immediately, such as a confusing bus transfer, and one question that needs the teacher.
At the end of the first week, share a brief update with the school if a question remains. A useful message might say, “He can now find his classes and check the assignment list. He can do the calculation in maths but is unsure how to show his working. Could you point us to one model answer or tell us what to practise?” That gives a teacher a clearer question than asking for every worksheet the class has used.
Back to contents · Previous section · Next section
Worked example
A pupil joins a primary class after the year has started. The first evening, the family discovers that the pupil missed a homework note while moving between rooms. They ask the teacher where assignments are recorded and practise checking that place before packing the bag. The pupil now has a dependable way to find the next task.
In maths, the teacher suggests revisiting fractions before the next class topic. The family spends a short session checking three examples and writes down one question. By the end of the second week, the pupil knows where to find the current assignment, how to ask for a missing instruction and which earlier topic to keep practising.
Back to contents · Previous section · Next section
Frequently asked questions
Should my child redo everything the class studied earlier?
Ask the teacher which earlier topics are needed for current lessons and which work is expected. Prioritise the small set that helps your child participate this week.
Will my child sit the next assessment?
Ask the school about the arrangements for your child, including the date, scope and what information will be shared with the family.
What if the school account is not ready?
Tell the school which notice or assignment you need and ask for its interim channel. Check that you know how to submit any work due before access is ready.
Back to contents · Previous section · Next section