Supporting kids moving to secondary school

There are good resources available to assist providing quality session to help your children move into the first year of secondary school.

At the start of September I did a session with our 6th class moving into 1st year using Scripture Union Ireland’s Nua Move resource.

3 sessions with accompanying videos. I only had an hour to do all sessions so I split into 20 minute blogs, showing the video then using the work sheet and then discussed what they wrote – sometimes in pairs or small groups.

Additionally I prepared journals for them encouraging them to regularly journal their time because in years to come they will look back and see how far they’ve come.

Additional resource I wrote to accompany NUA Move

Prayer for the school day I stuck this to the inside front cover of the journal:

Dear God,

Wow! You are a big God. Respect!

Bigger than the problems I may face today and help me not to misuse your name today. Today is a new day, help me in what I do and say to bring heaven on earth.

Thank you for all the things in my life today, people, family and what I need to help me accomplish the things I need to do. I am sorry for the times when I made a wrong choice, help me learn from that so next time I act differently. Sometimes Lord things distract me, help me not to get tempted by things that hurt myself, others or make you sad, instead Lord, give me the strength to walk away.

Thank you God for your forgiveness and that I can talk to you today anytime, anywhere. Give me the strength to ask for help when I need it. I give this day to you, and ask for your strength to help me love you more, and shine your light that you are a good God through what I do and say.

In Jesus name, Amen.

Written by: Richie Gardiner, based on The Lord’s Prayer

Additionally I produced a sheet of labels that can be cut out and stuck on a page these contain some key scriptures to encourage thinking about what the bible says. Also labels of topics to journal. I’ve provided downloadable resource is available to download and for best results print on A4 printable label paper.

Downloadable resources

Printable A4 sheet (4 per A4 page) scriptures - download resource

Printable A4 sheet (4 per page) Prayer for school - download resource

Printable A4 sheet (2 per page) topic labels (print in colour) - download resource

Printable A4 sheet (9 per page) name labels - download resource

For the Accompanying NUA move resource you can contact Scripture Union Ireland here.