Transition by Emma Lamb

Transition to Secondary School

Emma Lamb

Head of Year 7 – KE VI Camp Hill Boys

“Transition from primary to secondary school is seen as the biggest

step for moving from one stage to another of the educational

process.”Marshall, P. Transition and Continuity in the Educational Process

Why is this the case?

Why is this the case?

What activities are on offer here?

How does this compare to primary school?

If you had to explain to primary school teachers or students in year 6 about coming to a grammar school what would you want to mention?Fill in the person with all your ideas!

What is the best preparation for grammar school? Why?

Is there such thing as a ‘typical camp hill boy’? Why? Why not?

What are lessons and homework like at a grammar

school?

How does this compare to primary school?

Sample task 1Sample task 1

How are primary and secondary school similar?

How are primary and secondary school different?

What are you looking forward

to? Why?

What might help you?

How do you feel about the differences?

What might be difficult? Why?

• Classes may be larger• Bigger school environment• No personal desks and the use of lockers to

store belongings• Subject specific teachers• Moving between lessons• Independent travel to school• Homework – greater volume and expectation• The need for greater organisational skills and

meeting deadlines.• Uniform • Reporting on progress and achievement• Making new friends• Greater quantity of ‘older students’

Biggest challenge that I see – affecting the largest amount of students

Biggest concern for student and for parents

What are the different stages of transition?

How can we prepare them for each stage?

What do your primary schools do?

Common concerns about starting Secondary school

Child•Friendships•Managing work load•Relationships with teachers•organisation

Parents/ guardians•Bullying•Work load•Academic attainment•‘Settling in’

Secondary school•Getting them up to speed•Homework and organisation•Building a successful foundation•Behaviour and learning support needs

Skills

Content Knowledge

Marshall (1988) who found the 5 main anxieties/issues during transition to be: Size and complex organisation New forms of discipline New work demands Prospect of being bullied Losing friends “

“ Results showed that bullying was a major concern for all groups, followed by fears of getting lost, increased workload and peer relationships, among others.”Zeedek et al (2003) Negotiating the Transition from Primary to Secondary School

Session 1 Session 2

Thinking about leaving – helping them get here•The process of transition

•Sample activities to support the transition time line

•Sharing best practice

How to make a successful transition – helping them thrive here

Skills and content knowledge

Sample activities and sharing best practice

Sample task 2: Thinking about leavingSample task 2: Thinking about leaving

Year 5 Year 6 Year 7

What was different

between Year 5 and Year 6?

How did you change between

Year 5 and Year 6?

What do you think will be different between Year 6

and 7?

How will you be different?

How will school be different?

Sample task 2: Taking it furtherSample task 2: Taking it further

If you have strong links with your feeder schools you could get a previous student to come in and speak to the class to share their experiences.

You could write to students who have already made the transition to see if they would write to students in your class to share their top tips

You could attend open days and get pictures of the schools to show the students

Sample task 3: Preparing for open daysSample task 3: Preparing for open days

Imagine that you were thinking about buying house. You are only going to have an hour to look around, what would you look out for? What is important to you?1.2.3.4.5.

Now imagine that you get to see another house, and you have to choose which one to live in. How would you make your choice? What might you consider?1.2.3.

Schools are a bit like this. Imagine that you were going to look at a secondary school; what questions would you ask people at the school?

Who?What?Where?How?When?

What would you look for in the school? What would you try and notice?


You could get students to take photos of the schools and bring them in

Set them a homework to write about the open day

Have a display with pictures of the school(s) and things students noticed on open days added on post it notes

Speak to parents about open days – communicate the dates that schools are open and encourage them to attend

Induction day

All experiences will be different, but it is likely that the secondary school will have tried to make sure that…..

1.Students have fun and feel safe2.There are ice-breaking activities to make friends3.They meet the Head Teacher, their Head of Year and Form Tutor4.They try out a lesson or sample activities5.They meet key people like learning support or House Masters6.They meet current students7.They get to see the whole school8.They get some information to help them start in September.

Prepare students for the day

Review the day with them

Sample task 4: Taster days: Preparing for the daySample task 4: Taster days: Preparing for the day

My new school.

Name:Name of secondary school:

What do you know already?

Research task:-What is the name of the new Head Teacher?

-What is the address of the school?

-What sort of activities to people do at the school?

What questions do you have about your new school?


Questions and concerns… a worry wall that you then discuss with them

Role play how to talk to new people and make friends

Make a list of things to find out about their new schools

What should I do if….?

Sample task 4: Reviewing the taster daySample task 4: Reviewing the taster day

My new school is called………..

My Form Tutor is..

I think that they are…

Three people I met in my Form are…

I think that they are…

My favourite part of the day was….

I will be in a form called….

I will be in a House called….

Yesterday I went to my new school I did …..12345

I am a bit worried about…

If I problem there I need to speak to..

Preparing the parents

https://www.oxfordshire.gov.uk/cms/sites/default/files/folders/documents/childreneducationandfamilies/educationandlearning/schools/atschool/absence/transitiontosecondaryschool.pdf

http://www.bbc.co.uk/schools/parents/secondary_getting_ready/

Session 1 Session 2







Common concerns about starting Secondary school

Child•Friendships•Managing work load•Relationships with teachers•organisation

Parents/ guardians•Bullying•Work load•Academic attainment•‘Settling in’

Secondary school•Getting them up to speed•Homework and organisation•Building a successful foundation•Behaviour and learning support needs

Skills

Content Knowledge

Marshall (1988) who found the 5 main anxieties/issues during transition to be: Size and complex organisation New forms of discipline New work demands Prospect of being bullied Losing friends “

“ Results showed that bullying was a major concern for all groups, followed by fears of getting lost, increased workload and peer relationships, among others.”Zeedek et al (2003) Negotiating the Transition from Primary to Secondary School

Content KnowledgeCore Subjects: English, Maths and Science

•Within the first few weeks students will be base line tested•This, in addition to Fisher Family Trust Data makes predictions about expected progress and also performance at GCSE•National Curriculum gives some indicators of expected ability and level of attainment•BUT, Academy secondary schools are under no obligation to follow it – worth checking with the school.

The Department for Education is aiming for the 2016 start of their new framework ‘Secondary Ready’ to replace KS2 tests.This will be a national standard, and the DfE proposes to share the following information with parents, suggesting it’s more transparent than levels:•a scaled score, which will show whether the pupil has met the expected standard and is secondary ready•ranking in the national cohort•the rate of progress from a baseline

Other subjects :

•Will probably assume a ‘start from scratch’ mentality•Will baseline test in the same way as core subjects•The school might provide recommended reading or sample activities as part of the taster days.

Skills

Social

-Making and keeping friends-Different social scenarios-Bullying

Social

-Making and keeping friends-Different social scenarios-Bullying

Safety

-What do I do if?-Travelling to school-E-safety

Safety


Organisation

-Managing a timetable-Having different books-Homework-prioritisation

Organisation


Learning skills

-Independence-Team work-Research-Creativity-Questioning-resilience

Learning skills

-Independence-Team work-Research-Creativity-Questioning-resilience

Social-Making and keeping friends-Different social scenarios-Bullying

Social-Making and keeping friends-Different social scenarios-Bullying

At Secondary school this is then discussed again in Form Time activities and in PSHE

http://www.tes.co.uk/teaching-resource/Name-calling-6084601

http://www.bbc.co.uk/cbbc/articles/bugbears-advice-about-bullying

Advice for parents

http://www.bullying.co.uk/bullying-at-school/advice-on-contacting-your-child-s-school-about-bullying/

Safety


Safety


A maths activity could audit how people will be travelling to school using different forms of transport

A literacy activity could look at ways to respond to problems on the bus

A problem solving activity could involve reading timetables to find different routes

A homework could be to do a practice run with parents/ guardians, followed up by planning an option B !

E-Safety

Be involved in your child’s online life.

Watch Thinkuknow films to learn more.

Keep up-to-date with your child’s development online. Set boundaries in the online world just as you would in the real world.

Know what connects to the internet and how. Consider the use of parental controls on devices that link to the internet, such as the TV, laptops, computers, games consoles and mobile phones.

Emphasise that not everyone is who they say they are.

Know what to do if something goes wrong

Organisation


Organisation


What are the lessons like at secondary school?

How is this different to primary school?

Who will teach you at secondary school?


Where will your books and equipment be in secondary school?


How might staying organised be difficult?

Colour code books with post it notes or dividers

Play memory games to facilitate a discussion about packing your bags

Swap classrooms for an afternoon –then discuss the challenges of working somewhere new

Encourage students to start using pencil cases

Which one best sums up your feelings when your alarm clock goes off….

Errr…. What day is it? What lessons do I

have? What is going on?

Errr…. What day is it? What lessons do I

have? What is going on?

I am so organised – My bag is packed,

my homework is done and I am ready to get to

school and learn

I am so organised – My bag is packed,

my homework is done and I am ready to get to

school and learn

I know I have remembered my homework but

there is something else… I can’t remember

what I have forgotten!!

I know I have remembered my homework but

there is something else… I can’t remember

what I have forgotten!!

Which one would you rather be? Which one would you rather be?

1.Have a calendar2.Have his bag packed

before bed3.Check his planner in

the morning and at night

4.Have a routine5.Set a reminder on his

phone6.Write a note before

he goes to sleep

Day Date Work set Due date

Priority

Monday 22nd History – find out three facts about Nero

French- learn words about your family for a test

Tuesday 23rd Music – find out what appegio, allegro, and pianissmo mean

English – finish draft of poem

Wednesday

24th Biology – label the human heart

Maths – complete exercise 2.3

Chemistry – write up the experiment in your exercise book

Thursday 25th RS – ask 5 people their views about God and record their answers in your book

Geography – label the map

Friday 26th Computing – finish the online questionnaire

This student has forgotten to write down when their work is due, can you help them?•French is always set on Monday and handed in on Wednesday•History is always due in a week later•Biology and Maths are due on the same day•Music is due in on Friday•They have 2 days to do their Chemistry homework•Maths is due on Friday•They have a week to do their RS•Computing takes 4 days to do (including the weekend)

This student is really worried about homework . Imagine they are looking at their planner on Monday night, in what order should they do the tasks set?

Session 1 Session 2







“Let’s say you drop a pass in touch football, and that smart-mouth kid Kevin who’s always bothering you says something sarcastic like, ‘Hey, good hands!’

Now, you could get mad and scream at him or take a swing at him, but that’s not going to win you any friends or make the other kids want to play with you.

Instead, why not disarm Kevin with humour, by poking fun at yourself: ‘Yeah, I coat my hands with axle grease before every game.’“Or you could return the insult, but with a smile on your face: ‘Gee, thanks so much for pointing that out, Kev. Love you too, dude.’

“Or you could ignore him. You really want to look cool? Keep your mind on the game and try to catch the next pass. That would be the sweetest revenge of all.“Once you stop reacting to teasing, you take all the fun out of it. After a while, you probably won’t get teased as much.”

Activit

ies I do

My

stre

ngth

s are

I’m really proud of...

Things I need to work on

Friends I have made

My long term hopes for life At CHB….

This year I would like to....

What keeps me going

Tips for Transition – Suggestions for Primary SchoolsTeach the students how to read school timetables and get samples from post-primary schools – this can be done within whole class maths lessonsGive the class different due dates for certain pieces of homework in order to prepare them for a more complex timetableConsider colour coding copies and books. For example, place a red sticker on the edges of the Maths book and Maths copy, blue on English, etc. This strategy can facilitate organisational skills.Teach key words for specific subjects such as Home Economics, Metalwork (Materials and Technology), Business Studies, etc. This can be done within the oral language strand of the English curriculum.

Integrate transition activities into the SPHE programme. For example, teach students about post-primary school, dealing with change, etc.Attend open evenings in the post-primary school. This is a good opportunity to take photographs of rooms, etc. These can be used to familiarise the student with the school prior to entry.Identify key personnel in the post-primary school and explain their roles to the student: e.g. class tutor, year head, chaplain, guidance counsellor, etc.Model and practice recording homework in a journal at the end of lessons as opposed to the end of the school dayEncourage parents to inform the post-primary school as soon as possible in relation to their child’s SEN, as resource hours and assistive technology may need to be reapplied for by the receiving schoolBe prepared for the post-primary school to make enquiries once the student has enrolled.

Department for education report on ‘successfultransition’

http://www.ioe.ac.uk/successful_transition_from_primary_to_secondary_report.pdf

1 Expanding friendships and boosting self-esteem and confidence4.4.2 Settling very well into school life4.4.3 Showing a growing interest in school and work4.4.4 Getting used to new routines and organisation of secondary school4.4.5 Experiencing curriculum continuity4.5 Children's and parents' recommendations for a successfultransition

SO WHAT IS DIFFERENT ABOUT SECONDARY SCHOOL?Classes may be largerBigger school environmentNo personal desks and the use of lockers to store belongingsSubject specific teachersIndependent travel to schoolHomework – greater volume and expectationThe need for greater organisational skills and meeting deadlines.Career choices at a time when the child may not see he has any strengths

Key transition difficultiesNegotiating the way around school – he may get lost and this may result in being late for classMeeting new children who may not understand his difficultiesMeeting new teachers who do not recognise he has difficultiesLearning about the rules of the school – explicit and implicitLearning new teachers’ names and their expectations and styles of teachingLearning about the timetable and the appropriate books and tools requiredCarrying equipment around all day – no central place to return to – therefore increasing the chances of losing equipment or having incorrect equipment for the next classCoping with change determined by others not himselfIndependently organising his work and managing his own timetableIn PE and games coping with more complex activities such as changing in/out of PE kitAt break times there is less supervision from teaching staff so the child is able to wander around on his own more (not seeking social interaction) or be more open to being bullied by othersCoping with new topics he has not studied before