Returning to school represents a critical developmental transition that requires students to adapt to new learning environments, routines, curricula, pedagogical approaches, and social relationships. Although many children navigate this transition successfully, some experience adjustment difficulties that may contribute to stress, anxiety, sleep disturbances, and challenges in emotion regulation. Ng et al. (2026) highlighted the psychological challenges that some children may experience during the transition back to school.
Importantly, the abrupt reinstatement of school schedules may exacerbate these difficulties, particularly when wake-up times are advanced without corresponding adjustments to bedtimes (Verrengia, 2026). Consequently, insufficient sleep at the beginning of the school year may contribute to drowsiness, irritability, reduced attention, and difficulties with emotion regulation. Thus, understanding the challenges associated with returning to school, including the role of sleep, is essential for supporting children’s psychological well-being and successful adjustment.
Conversely, the start of a new academic year represents a normative developmental transition that can provide multiple academic, social, and psychological benefits for students. Empirical research indicates that positive school transitions are associated with enhanced school belonging, self-esteem, and confidence, which, in turn, support greater engagement and academic achievement (Waters et al., 2012; Lester et al., 2016).
Longitudinal evidence further suggests that higher levels of school belonging are associated with greater perceptions of school as enjoyable and useful, beyond actual achievement levels, underscoring belonging as a mechanism for sustained academic motivation during adolescence. Successful transitions are also characterised by new friendships, stronger peer support, and positive teacher–student relationships, which can reduce loneliness, anxiety, and victimisation while promoting safety and emotional well-being. Moreover, re-establishing structured routines can facilitate time management, consistent assignment completion, and self-discipline, thereby supporting long-term academic success (Hoang & Johnson, 2022).
Based on her psychological article, Verrengia (2026) suggested several practical steps to facilitate children’s transition back to school. During the final week before school, sleep and mealtimes should be gradually adjusted toward the school routine rather than changed abruptly. Practical preparation can involve children in packing their bags and selecting clothes, while younger children may benefit from pictures or brief visits to familiarise themselves with the school environment.
Unstructured time should be preserved for rest and play, recognising that returning to school represents a significant change. For first-time starters, separation anxiety should be normalised through age-appropriate explanations of what to expect, who will be present, and when the parent will return. Clear, predictable goodbyes and calm parental responses can help minimise distress. When previously attending school children become reluctant to attend, underlying causes should be explored, particularly changes in sleep, appetite, or behaviour that may indicate emotional overload. Finally, sleep, screen use, and morning routines should be stabilised by gradually adjusting bedtimes and wake times, reducing evening screen stimulation, and establishing predictable yet flexible morning preparations to support smoother adjustment.
In conclusion, longitudinal research suggests that positive school transitions may protect against the development and persistence of anxiety. In particular, a strong sense of school connectedness and belonging during the transition from primary to secondary education has been associated with lower subsequent levels of anxiety and depression, even when prior mental health functioning is controlled for. Conversely, elevated anxiety can weaken students’ sense of connection to school, indicating a reciprocal relationship between emotional well-being and school belonging. Therefore, transition practices that promote supportive relationships with teachers and peers, predictable routines, and a sense of inclusion among students may strengthen adjustment and reduce anxiety over time (Lester et al., 2013; Waters et al., 2014).
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