For a child, changing schools can be exciting, but it can also bring many emotions that are difficult to put into words. Who will sit next to me in class? Will I make friends? Will I manage? What will the teachers be like?

Parents naturally tend to focus on choosing the right school – the curriculum, academic results, or timetable. But for children, new beginnings are often about something else entirely: the feeling that they belong somewhere and that they are genuinely seen and welcomed there.

At Avenor, helping new students settle in does not begin on the first day of school, nor is it limited to a campus tour or a few administrative details. We see it as an important process, carefully built step by step, so that children start the school year with confidence, familiarity, and curiosity rather than anxiety.

Why the induction period matters so much

Especially at younger ages and during transition years – such as Pregătitoare or the beginning of Middle School – relationships and emotional safety have a huge impact on how children adapt and learn.

A child who feels they belong to a group will feel more confident participating, asking questions, exploring, and taking on new challenges. When everything feels unfamiliar, however, most of their energy goes into adapting rather than learning.

That is why, every year, we try to create opportunities for children to get to know the school before school officially starts: to discover the spaces, interact with teachers, build their first friendships, and begin forming a natural connection with the Avenor community.

“Every year, we see how important it is for children to enter a new environment without the pressure of the unknown. When they already have a few familiar reference points – a classmate they know, a teacher they have already interacted with, or a space where they feel comfortable – the start of school becomes much more natural. Integration does not begin in September. It begins the moment a child feels they belong in that place,” says Raluca Tarcea, Director of Experience & Strategic Development at Avenor College.

Summer School as an induction experience

One of the most valuable induction experiences for new students is Avenor Summer School, our summer programme built around exploration, play, relationships, and authentic learning experiences.

From the outside, it may simply look like “a summer school”. In reality, for many children, it becomes the first moment when they begin to feel part of the community.

During the summer, children discover the campus at a relaxed pace, without the pressure of assessments or a rigid academic schedule. They spend a lot of time outdoors, go into the forest, take part in treasure hunts, creative projects, art, music and drama workshops, team games, and practical experiences that help them learn naturally through exploration and collaboration.

For children preparing to start school at Avenor, all these experiences also play a very important role in helping them settle in: by September, many things no longer feel completely unfamiliar.

They already know where their favourite classroom is. They recognise a teacher in the corridor. They have laughed together with a few classmates during Water Fun Day or spent their first night away together at the sleepover organised on campus.

And all these small moments make a huge difference to the way school begins.

“We want Summer School to be an authentic summer experience for children – with plenty of time spent outdoors, creative activities, and experiences they will remember with joy. Last summer, some of the children’s favourite activities were the school sleepover and Water Fun Day, so we included them again in this year’s programme. In addition, the children will also go to the Wellness Greenfield swimming pool for water activities and games,” says Cristina Farcaș, Avenor Summer School Coordinator.

A school begins with the relationships we build

At Avenor, we believe that learning is always built on healthy relationships and a sense of safety. That is why, for us, induction is not only about organisation or campus orientation, but about helping children feel that this is their place too.

 

For families whose children will be starting Pregătitoare or grade 5 in September 2026, we are offering two free weeks of Avenor Summer School to help them get to know the school and settle in more easily.

We want children to walk onto campus on their first official day of school not as if they are entering a completely unfamiliar place, but a space where they already have memories, connections, and the familiar feeling of belonging to a community.

The free Avenor Summer School offer is available for enrolments for the new academic year (Pregătitoare and grade 5) completed between 18 May and 25 June.

For more information, please contact: admissions@avenor.ro.