What administration do I need to sort before the new school year?
Getting the admin sorted early removes a significant source of last-minute stress.
- Update any contact details, emergency contacts, or medical information that may have changed since last year.
- Check the school calendar for the first day of term, any orientation days, and any staggered start arrangements for younger year groups.
- If your child has any medical needs, dietary requirements, or additional learning support arrangements, confirm these with the school before term begins rather than on the first day.
- If you are new to Barcelona and still choosing a school, speak to the admissions teams at the international schools you are considering as early as possible. Places at the most established schools fill up quickly. At Hamelin-Laie, our admissions team is available throughout the summer to guide families through the process.
What does my child need for the first day of school?
Leaving uniform and supplies to the last week of August is one of the most common mistakes parents make. Sizes sell out, delivery times stretch, and a stressed shopping trip the day before term is not the best way to begin the year.
- Check last year's uniform for fit. Children grow significantly over the summer and a uniform that fitted in June may not be comfortable in September.
- Check the school's stationery list and buy supplies in mid-August rather than the final week, when shops are busiest and stock tends to run low.
- Label everything before the first day. Clothes, shoes, bags, water bottles, and stationery all benefit from clear name labels, particularly in the early weeks when children are still finding their feet.
How do I rebuild routine before the new school year?
One of the most effective things you can do in the two weeks before term is rebuild the school-year routine gradually. Summer tends to mean later bedtimes, more screen time, and less structured days. The shift back to school mornings is much easier when it happens steadily rather than overnight.
- Start moving bedtimes earlier by 15 to 30 minutes every few days, beginning two weeks before term.
Reintroduce a morning routine before term begins. Get up at school time, have breakfast together, and practise the school run even when it is not needed yet.
- Reduce screen time gradually over the two weeks before September rather than cutting it abruptly on the first day, which tends to cause more resistance than a steady wind-down.
- Involve your child in getting organised. Children who have a say in packing their school bag or laying out their uniform feel more in control of the transition.
How do I help my child with back to school nerves?
Most children feel some degree of nervousness before a new school year, and children who are starting at a new school or who are new to Barcelona often feel it more acutely. The emotional preparation matters just as much as the practical checklist.
- Talk to your child about the new school year. Ask what they are looking forward to and what they are worried about. Listen without rushing to reassure.
- Connect with other families before term starts. Parent networks and school welcome events help children and parents feel less alone in the transition.
- If your child will be starting at Hamelin-Laie in September, our admissions team is available throughout the summer to answer questions and help families prepare. Families often tell us that a visit to the campus before term begins makes a real difference to how settled their child feels on the first day.
How should I help my child prepare academically over the summer?
Academic preparation over summer does not need to be formal or intensive. The goal is to keep children engaged with learning in a light, enjoyable way so they do not arrive at September feeling completely out of practice.
- Encourage reading in English. Any reading counts, whether that is novels, comics, news articles, or subtitles on English-language films and TV.
- For children moving from a Spanish or Catalan school to an international school, talk through the differences in teaching style they are likely to encounter. The curriculum frameworks used at international schools tend to be more enquiry-based and less textbook-led than the Spanish national system.
- For older children starting IGCSE or IB courses at Hamelin-Laie, encourage some light reading around their chosen subjects over the summer. Arriving at September with some context for new material makes a meaningful difference in the first few weeks.
How do I help my child make friends before term begins?
The strength of your child's friendships going into September makes a real difference to how quickly they settle in. Children who arrive at school already knowing someone, even slightly, have an easier first week than those who arrive knowing nobody.
- Look out for any welcome events or orientation sessions the school runs before term and make sure your child attends.
- Connect with other parents in the school community over the summer. Most international schools in Barcelona have active parent networks that welcome new families.
- Encourage your child to sign up for an extra-curricular activity. Children who join a club or team early tend to settle in faster than those who go straight home after lessons. At Hamelin-Laie, a wide range of extra-curricular activities runs from mid-september.
If your family is spending this summer in Barcelona, our guide to Summer in Barcelona with Children includes suggestions for activities that help children meet peers and build friendships before September.
What extra steps should families new to Barcelona take?
If this is your first September in Barcelona, everything in the checklist above applies to you, but there are a few additional factors to consider.
- Make sure you know the school's drop-off and pick-up arrangements, including any transport options if your child will not be walking or cycling to school.
- Do a practice run of the route to school before the first day. A dry run in the final week of August prevents a stressful morning in September.
- Find out whether the school has a buddy system for new students. At Hamelin-Laie, new students are welcomed into the school community with structured settling-in support from both teachers and peers from day one.
- Reach out to the admissions team with any questions. At Hamelin-Laie, our team is available throughout the summer and happy to help families prepare for the new school year.
