Transition to Secondary School

Moving from primary to secondary school is an exciting and significant event in the life of your child.

It is an important milestone which, for many parents, carers and teachers, marks a change in expectations regarding crucial life skills such as independent working and self-organisation.

When a child starts at secondary school, they are expected to cope with a whole variety of new experiences and changes, many of which demand skills and abilities that they have not had to use before. The problem is that these skills do not spontaneously develop in young people in the summer before they begin secondary schools – like reading and writing, they have to be taught, and our young people need support in developing them.

You may be feeling you have a lack of expertise having only had a child at primary school. It is our job to support you with this. The top two worries that year 6 pupils express are social concerns. Although common, most young people report that they are no longer worried about these after just one or two weeks at school!

Contact your child’s year 6 teacher if these worries become too great – they will be able to arrange for your child to meet some other students who will be starting (or who are already at the school) and perhaps arrange a ‘buddy’ for the first two or three weeks.

The remaining worries are nearly all to do with the new organisational demands that they know will be placed upon them. Luckily these are the areas in which we can help the most.

Time spent early on establishing habits of work and independence is an investment that will save endless time, battles and heartache in the long run. The habits and routines that young people develop in year 7 are those that will stay with them throughout their secondary schooling and often throughout their working lives. It is worth the effort of getting it right to start with (so much easier than putting things right when they have gone wrong). If you can help your child to do this, you will really be making a difference. There is a wide range of information that you and your child might like to explore on our website and twitter pages @bidks3_

Mrs Chapman, Assistant Headteacher Outreach, Partnership and Community coordinates all of the activities in the run up to the start in September.

We hope you enjoy the transition process and it puts both your child and your own mind at rest.  In the meantime please see below for further information to help with your child's transition.

We look forward to meeting you soon.

Ms E Simpson
Assistant Headteacher, Key Stage 3