How to Help Your Child Adjust to a New School
By Pesh Mistry
Starting a new school is exciting. It is also terrifying. For parents, the questions start immediately: Will they make friends? Will they like their teacher? Will they get lost? Will they eat lunch? Will they come home on day one and announce that they absolutely, definitely, categorically hate it?
For children, a new school means new teachers, new classmates, new routines, and a whole new environment to figure out. If you have also moved to Madrid, they may be adjusting to a new city and culture at the same time. That is a lot of change for anyone, let alone someone who still occasionally forgets where they left their shoes.
Help them know what to expect
One of the best ways to make a new school feel less intimidating is to experience it before the first day. At Brewster Madrid, prospective students can take part in a Shadow Day, giving them the opportunity to spend time on campus, experience the school day, meet other students, and get a feel for the Brewster environment.
It can make a big difference when the first day does not actually feel like the first day.
Give them time to find their people
Some children make friends within five minutes. Others need a little longer. Neither means anything is wrong.
Your child does not need to arrive Monday and leave Friday with a new best friend, a full social calendar, and an invitation to their birthday party. Settling in takes time.
At Brewster, small class sizes of 15–18 students help teachers get to know students as individuals, while our close-knit community gives children opportunities to build relationships across the school. Every student also has an advisor who provides guidance and support throughout their journey.
Find something they love
One of the easiest ways for a new school to start feeling like their school is to find something they enjoy. It might be a sport, an activity, a subject, a club, a Learning Expedition, or simply the class where they discover they are surprisingly good at something.
When children have opportunities to explore their interests and strengths, they can begin to feel confident in their new surroundings.
And remember: day one is not the final verdict
Your child might love their new school immediately. They might come home and say, “It was fine.” Or they might stare dramatically out of the car window and declare that they are never going back.
Give them time.
At Brewster Madrid, our student-centered approach, small classes, personalized support, and close-knit community are designed to help students feel known and supported as they settle in and grow.
Your child does not need to have everything figured out on day one. They just need the right people around them.
If you are considering a new school in Madrid, visit Brewster Chamberí or La Moraleja and discover how your child could experience the community before they even make the decision to join.
