Helpful Advice for parents as we go back to school...

Whether your kids are straight back into the routine, starting a brand new school, or you are still doing half days and settling in sessions, this time of year is always a period of adjustment for us parents as well as for our children. There are so many emotions to negotiate, so much information to process, and lots of worry for many of us.

This week we have brought together 5 wonderful local experts to bring us a range of help, support and resources to give you the best possible start for this academic year. You can access the full range of resources in the Mums (and More) in Bath group and bookmark this blog for more resources appearing throughout the week.

Here, CEO of Bath-based School Guide, the UK's best school finder website, gives us her round up of helpful resources for parents at the beginning of a new academic year.

'My eldest son is about to start his final year of secondary school. One minute they are little dots in oversized jumpers holding your hand on their way to their first day in Reception. Next, they are 6ft-somethings and you are looking at university applications. The school journey is at the cornerstone of family life, and I’m passionate about helping parents getting the right information so their children can get the best start. When I first began looking for schools in Bath, I couldn’t believe there wasn’t a site that put all the school information at your fingertips.

So I decided to make one. School Guide was my third baby!

School Guide now collects and displays data on 34,000 schools across the UK and includes everything you need to make a successful school application. Exam results and Ofsted gradings are mixed with thousands of TripAdvisor style parent reviews and exclusive catchment area heat maps. Our data has been used by companies including Rightmove and Mumsnet but we are Bath born and bred and love helping local parents to navigate the fantastic educational options on offer in our wonderful city. In addition to the data and catchment maps, we have a weekly newsletter that delivers key updates on everything that’s happening in school and education. You can sign up for our free and super friendly weekly newsletter here. Every week, we also have brilliant blogs from a wide range of fantastic teachers, writers, tutors, and even pupils. Recent A* reads include: Starting School: 3 Proven Ways Parents Can Head Into The First Weeks With Confidence 8 Reasons Why It's Never Been A Better Time to Choose a Language at GCSE and A level Advice for Starting Secondary School from Top Head Teachers How To Get Into A School Out Of Catchment Area How Do I Get My Pre-Schooler Ready for School During the Pandemic? I’m also always happy to hear from Mums (And More) In Bath members and you are warmly welcome to like our School Guide Facebook page and send me a message if you have a question about a school in Bath. Here’s to a happy and healthy new school year.

–– Victoria ''