Personalised gift for meeting a new teacher: your child's New Teacher Hello

What happens in your child's New Teacher Hello

1. Your child puts on their school uniform and thinks about the new teacher.
2. At the classroom door, your child practises a quiet hello.
3. The teacher welcomes your child and notices their thoughtful question.
4. Your child asks where to put their things and is shown around the room.
5. By home time, your child feels proud of saying hello and asking for help.

How the first page could read

Your child stood outside the classroom door in their neat school uniform. Inside, there were little chairs, bright pictures and a teacher arranging books on a shelf. Your child had a question tucked away, but first there was something important to say. “Hello,” whispered your child.

Your child’s name, look and little details replace these words, and the whole story is written for their age.

Why this story works

Meeting a new teacher can be one of the biggest moments of starting Reception or joining a new school. This story gives your child a simple, recognisable way into that moment: arriving at the classroom door, saying hello and asking one useful question. Rather than making the whole school day the focus, it stays close to the first conversation with a teacher and shows that questions are welcome. For a child aged 4–6, the familiar details of uniform, a classroom and putting belongings away can make the story easy to talk about before school starts. Seeing themselves as the main character gives parents a gentle prompt to practise a greeting together.

Reading it together

• Read the opening together and let your child choose a question they might like to ask their teacher.
• Pause at the classroom-door scene and practise saying “Hello” in a quiet, confident voice.
• Read the story again the evening before school, then talk about one thing your child is looking forward to seeing.

Suggested art style: Storybook watercolour

Soft storybook watercolour suits the everyday school setting and keeps the classroom scenes calm and welcoming. A sidekick idea: a small robin waiting by the classroom window. You can pick any of the four styles and change the details in the form.