Features image c/o of Leiada Krozjhen on Unsplash
The Girls’ Day School Trust’s Girls’ Futures Report, based on research with 5,000 girls and young women across the UK, found that confidence can fall noticeably as girls move through their teenage years. While 81% of girls aged 14 said they believed they could overcome challenges, this dropped to 68% by age 18, highlighting how confidence and resilience can fluctuate as girls move through the education system.
Insights from the report suggest this can be influenced by a range of factors as girls grow older, including the physical and emotional changes that come with puberty, increased awareness of societal pressures, growing academic and exam pressures, and friendships becoming more complex.
With September marking a fresh school-year transition for millions of pupils, Julie Taylor, Executive Principal of The Belvedere Academy GDST in Liverpool, is sharing seven practical ways parents can help their daughters approach the new academic year with greater confidence. From managing friendship worries and rebuilding routines to navigating academic pressures, encouraging independence and giving girls space to overcome challenges themselves, these practical steps can help parents support their daughters through the transition.
Julie Taylor said: “The start of a new school year is an important transition, and it is completely normal for girls to experience a mixture of excitement and uncertainty. What our research shows is that confidence is not necessarily a straight line, it can fluctuate considerably as girls move through their school years.
“That is why the beginning of a new academic year is a valuable opportunity to help girls recognise what they are capable of, rather than putting pressure on them to have everything figured out from the first day. Small experiences of independence, challenge and success can all contribute to building confidence over time.”
7 practical tips to help make back to school a bit easier this September:
1. Start talking about the new school year before it begins – rather than waiting until the first morning of term to ask how your daughter is feeling, start introducing the idea of returning to school gradually.
Parents can use everyday conversations to find out what their child is looking forward to, what they are unsure about and whether there is anything about the new school year that is making them anxious. The aim is not to eliminate every worry, but to give children an opportunity to put those worries into words.
Julie Taylor said: “Talking about school before term starts can help make the unknown feel more familiar. It does not need to be a formal conversation, asking what she is looking forward to, who she is excited to see or what she thinks might be different this year can open the door.
“It is also important not to dismiss worries simply because they seem small to an adult. What feels minor to us can feel very significant to a child, particularly when they are facing a change in their school routine.”
2. Focus on what she can control – a new school year can come with plenty of unknowns, from who will be in a class to what teachers will expect and how friendships may develop.
Parents can help by encouraging their daughter to concentrate on the things within her control, such as preparing her school bag, getting organised, asking for help when she needs it and thinking about one or two things she would like to achieve during the term. This can help turn a potentially overwhelming ‘new year’ into a series of manageable steps.
“When something feels overwhelming, breaking it down into smaller things that you can influence can make a big difference,” Julie Taylor added. “Instead of thinking about the whole school year, encourage your daughter to think about what she can do today, this week or during her first few days back.
“That sense of agency is important for confidence. Children do not build confidence because everything goes perfectly; they build it by experiencing challenges and discovering that they can handle them.”
3. Re-establish routines before the first day – late nights and relaxed holiday routines can make the return to school feel even more abrupt.
Gradually bringing bedtimes, wake-up times and morning routines closer to the school timetable in the final days of the holidays can make the first week feel less of a shock. The focus should be on creating predictability rather than expecting children to immediately return to a perfect routine.
“After a long summer break, it is natural for children to need some time to adjust to the structure of the school day again. Reintroducing routines gradually can help make that change feel more manageable, rather than making the first day of term feel like a sudden switch.
“A consistent bedtime, a familiar morning routine and knowing what to expect can give girls a greater sense of security as they prepare to step back into school life.”
4. Don’t underestimate friendship worries – for many children, returning to school is not just about lessons and homework, it is about navigating friendships.
A daughter may be excited to see her friends but simultaneously worried about whether friendship groups have changed over the summer. Parents should avoid immediately trying to solve every friendship issue. Instead, listening without judgement and asking open questions can help children feel that they have somewhere safe to talk.
Julie Taylor explained: “Friendships can feel particularly significant during the school years, so it is important that parents do not underestimate how much thought a girl might be giving to where she fits in.
“Sometimes the best response is simply to listen. We do not always need to provide an immediate solution. Knowing that there is a trusted adult who will listen without judgement can give a girl the confidence to work through friendship challenges herself.”
5. Avoid putting pressure on her to have a ‘fresh start’ – a new school year is often presented as an opportunity for a complete reset with new goals, new habits and a better version of yourself. But that message can inadvertently create pressure.
Parents can instead encourage girls to see the new academic year as an opportunity to continue developing, rather than something that requires them to reinvent themselves.
“Making small goals, such as speaking up once in a lesson, trying a new activity or making an effort to talk to someone new, can be more meaningful than a long list of resolutions.”
6. Give confidence room to grow – confidence is not something parents can simply tell their children to have. Instead, parents can create opportunities for girls to experience confidence for themselves by allowing them to make age-appropriate decisions, solve problems and recover from setbacks.
“It can be tempting to reassure a nervous child by telling them, ‘You’ll be fine’, but confidence is more powerful when a child discovers that for herself giving girls appropriate opportunities to make decisions, try something new, speak up or solve a problem allows them to build a bank of experiences that they can draw on when the next challenge comes along.”
7. Remember that settling in takes time – perhaps most importantly, parents should not expect everything to feel settled immediately. The first day, first week and even first few weeks of a new school year can involve adjustment.
A child who appears nervous initially may simply need time to become familiar with new routines, teachers and expectations.
Julie Taylor said: “Rather than asking, ‘Are you settled yet?’, parents can keep conversations open and check in regularly about what is going well and what remains difficult. There is no deadline for feeling settled. Some girls will walk through the school gates on the first day feeling completely at ease, while others will need a little longer to adjust.
“What matters is that they know they have support around them while that happens. The goal is not to remove every challenge from a girl’s path, but to give her the confidence, relationships and sense of belonging she needs to navigate those challenges.”
5 back-to-school hair must-haves
Our pick of bulk braiding hair and hair pieces to help make protective styles a breeze this September:
Feather Crochet offers 100% Remi human hair crochet that blends seamlessly with natural hair. Lightweight, breathable, and easy to maintain, it delivers versatile, long-lasting styles that protect and showcase healthy hair. Perfect for doing your own child’s braids, it allows for styling and heat application without compromising quality.
Made for all braiding styles, the Lagos Braid is the queen of versatility. With generous 42″ and 46″ inch bundles, you can achieve beautifully neat canerows, box braids, micro plaits and more. Plus, there is no need to compromise on comfort despite providing more volume and root-to-tip thickness compared to standard braiding hair; the Lagos Braid feels lightweight on the head and soft to the touch. Simplify the braiding process with this pre-stretched hair, which can be hot water set to finish off your child’s look.
The Ruwa 3x Bohemian is the go-to texture for the latest viral crochet styles: Passion Twist and Butterfly Locs. Made with a water-repelling Aquatex® fibre (here comes the science bit), the hydrophobic coating naturally repels water and moisture speeding up drying time. So, whether your child is playing their favourite sports or enjoying their swimming lessons, they won’t have to worry about soaking wet hair. One pack contains three generous bundles, saving time and money too.
The Feme Collection Ponytail is what updo dreams are made of. The easy-to-wear hairpiece is the perfect option for pony styles of every kind. From sleek updos to low slung tie-ups, the in-built comb and velcro lining make it extra secure to withstand every hair flip. The on-trend wraparound feature gives the finish a seamless, natural blend!
