TRANSITION FROM PRIMARY
TO SECONDARY SCHOOL
MANAGING THE PROCESS.
IS TRANSITION FROM PRIMARY TO SECONDARY
SCHOOLS A PROBLEM?
(The context)
 For most young people, transition from
primary to secondary schools is a
manageable experience. (84% according to
EPPASE 3-14 project study)
 16% feel ill prepared for secondary school,
however, only 3% felt this way after the term
had started. (EPPASE 3-14 project study)
 Sometimes, the children that pose few or no
problems in primary schools have difficulty
with transition.
The context
 There is a marked increase in both permanent & fixed
term exclusions from year 6 to year 7 in Wales e.g.
06-07 number of permanent exclusions in year 6=8,
number of permanent exclusions in year 7=22.
Number of fixed term exclusions in year 6=528,
number of fixed term exclusions in year 7=731.
However, exclusions do tend to rise every year until year
11 when there is a reduction in rates. The biggest rise
in exclusion rates happen at transition from primary
to secondary.
The context
 There is an acknowledgement that ‘too
many children still find the transition from
primary to secondary school-some fall back
in their learning as a result’
(DFES 2004- 5 year strategy for learners)
 Historical perspectives on transition do not
help in the process.
 Parental expectations, values, experiences,
anxieties all have an impact.
 Sometimes, unnecessary heightened
anxieties and processes make transition
more difficult for the children.
Some Factors That Influence
Adjustment To Secondary School
 EnvironmentalThe schools,
Socioeconomic status,
Number of concurrent life events,
Support infrastructure, (family, teacher, friends)
 IndividualRace
Gender
Maturity
Academic ability
Health
Disability
The differences between primary
school and secondary school
THE PRIMARY SCHOOL
THE SECONDARY SCHOOL
Generally small buildings
Large spread out buildings
Generally one teacher teaches a range of
subjects
Subject specialists teach their own subject only.
Many contact members of staff.
Pupils usually have a good knowledge of
everybody in their class and of the teacher and
Vice versa.
Pupils can not have a sound knowledge of all
others in their groups or the teachers that teach
them and vice versa especially in the early
stages of transition
Parents and teachers meet readily
Parents and teachers generally meet at parents
evenings only.
Pupils in year 6 are the oldest in the school
Pupils in year 7 are the youngest in the school
Levels of responsibility in the school are
generally given to year 6 pupils.
Levels of responsibility in the school are
generally given to the higher year groups.
The differences between primary
school and secondary school
(contd)
THE PRIMARY SCHOOL
THE SECONDARY SCHOOL
Levels of responsibility in the school are
generally given to year 6 pupils.
Levels of responsibility in the school are
generally given to the higher year groups.
Children generally come from the immediate
local community. The modernising schools
agenda may influence this
Pupils come from the wider community and often
are bussed to school.
Opportunities for enhancing self esteem are
enhanced when there are fewer pupils to target
for such things as musical productions and sports
teams.
Opportunities to be involved in school
representation are often less, when there is a
larger number of pupils to choose from. Esteem
may not be enhanced as readily.
Learning difficulties can be easily identified when
there are fewer contact staff.
Pupils who have learning difficulties may not be
identified as readily when there are more contact
staff.
What makes a successful
transition? (EPPSE project)
 Developing new friendships and improving
their self esteem and confidence.
 Having settled so well into school life that
they cause no concerns to their parents.
 Showing an increased interest in school and
school work.
 Getting used to their new routines and
school organisation with great ease.
 Experiencing curriculum continuity.
National Behaviour and Attendance
Review (NBAR 2008)
 Evidence that there are varied practices from
authority to authority and also from school to school
across Wales.
 Planning for induction into secondary schools is now
more difficult due to parental choice and admission
requirements/arrangements.
 More use should be made of existing WAG guidance.
 Those with difficulties at primary school with
attendance, behaviour and those with identified
special needs-have more difficulty with transition.
 A suggestion was, that secondary schools adopt a
more ‘family and pupil friendly atmosphere’ with
fewer contact staff at least for year 7.
National Behaviour and Attendance
Review (NBAR 2008)-Good practice
 Secondary staff visiting primary schools and informing
pupils about their new school well ahead of time.
 Enabling pupils to visit their new school one or even
two terms before they actually transfer.
 Offering participation for pupils in a series of taster
days to begin to equip them for their new school
career.
 Taking would be pupils on a residential event ahead of
their transfer to school so that they meet and learn
about their new teachers.
National Behaviour and Attendance
Review (NBAR 2008)-Good practice
 Targeting pupils who are known to have SEBD in
primary school and key staff building a relationship to
bridge them into school.
 Adjusting the secondary timetable so that in their
entry year, pupils are taught by a small team of three
or four teachers who come to know them well as
individuals and provide high levels of personal
support.
 Taking would be pupils on a residential event with an
older year group from the school who then ask as
coaches and mentors when the new pupils arrive in
the school.
The Role Of Emotional Intelligence(a study by Catrin Williams Phd student Bangor University,
psp25a@bangor.ac.uk)
 Examined the transition between 2 secondary schools
and ten primary schools in 2006-2007.
 Focused on self esteem, anxiety, depression, anger
and disruptive behaviour and the role of emotional
intelligence.
 Overall findings summary- generally no change in self
esteem, declines in anxiety, depression, anger and
disruptive behaviour across transition.
 However, there was a minority of children who showed
to have difficulties with psychic disorders on
transition.
Some Options!
 Develop further guidance and
legislate to ensure that good practice
is followed nationally.
 Consider Middle School development
as a stepping stone between key
stages.
 Involve the whole community in
transition.
Some Options! (continued)
 Further develop the notion of real
community schools/centres, so that all
young people are educated on one site i.e.
nursery, primary, secondary and special
including SEBD. There should be multi
agency representation on that site including
Social Services, Doctors, Health Workers,
Youth Workers, ALN professionals etc.
There would be no transition