Back to School: How to Boost Your Child’s English Skills Before Term Starts

As the summer holidays arrive, many parents begin to think ahead to the new school year. Whether your child is starting Year 7, entering the crucial GCSE years, or simply in need of a confidence boost in English, the final weeks of summer offer a valuable opportunity to sharpen skills and ease them back into learning.

As a former Head of English and GCSE examiner, I know how much of a difference a little preparation can make before September. Here are five simple, effective ways to help your child get ahead and feel ready for the term ahead.

1. Set a Reading Challenge

The easiest way to build vocabulary, improve comprehension and foster a love of language is through reading. Encourage your child to pick a book, or several, before school starts. This could be a classic they might study in future (such as Animal Farm or Of Mice and Men) or a modern novel of their choice.

Top tip: If your child struggles to find something they enjoy, try graphic novels, short story collections or even audiobooks. It’s all valuable.

2. Practise Creative Writing

Creative writing is a core skill assessed in GCSE English Language exams. Help your child warm up their imagination by setting short writing challenges. This could be as simple as:

• Writing a description of a summer’s day using the five senses.

• Creating a character profile for someone they’ve seen while out and about.

• Starting a story with the line: “It was a day I would never forget…”

Encourage them to focus on ambitious vocabulary, varied punctuation and interesting sentence structures, all of which examiners actively look for.

3. Refresh Grammar and Punctuation Basics

After six weeks off, it’s common for students to feel a little rusty with technical accuracy. A quick refresher on key grammar rules, such as using apostrophes correctly, avoiding comma splices and knowing when to use a semi-colon, can prevent bad habits setting in early.

Resource tip: The BBC Bitesize English site has clear, student-friendly guides that are ideal for brushing up on basics.

4. Revisit Past Work and Targets

If your child received feedback on their English work before the holidays, now’s a good time to revisit it. Look at any targets or comments from teachers and set one or two personal goals for the new term. For example:

• I will aim to improve my paragraph structuring in essays.

• I will work on varying my sentence openings.

• I will revise key literature quotes each week.

Goal-setting builds motivation and gives your child something tangible to work towards.

5. Book a Pre-Term English Assessment

If you’re concerned about gaps in your child’s English skills, or simply want a professional perspective, consider booking a one-to-one assessment before term begins. At English Results, I offer personalised online or in-person assessments to identify strengths, areas for development and tailored recommendations for the year ahead.

It’s a positive, pressure-free way to start the academic year with clarity and confidence.

Final Thoughts

A little preparation now can make those first few weeks back at school far smoother. Whether it’s reading, writing or revising, these small actions help keep your child’s skills sharp and mindset positive. And remember, it doesn’t have to feel like hard work.

If you’d like expert support this September, I have a limited number of tutoring slots available both online and in-person across Stockport, South Manchester and surrounding areas. Contact me today for a private tutoring quote, whether it’s GCSE exam preparation, building confidence in English or tailored support for home-educated students.

Visit my Contact page to get in touch.