Contents
Introduction
2
The Big Picture
3
Getting it right
4
Case studies
8
Summary
10
Conclusion
12
Introduction
Our intention in this document is to provide some practical guidelines for schools to
assist in ensuring that pupils’ transition from primary to secondary school is as
‘seamless’ and constructive as possible.
Recent research from a range of sources has identified specific issues relating to the
impact of 'moving on up', the phrase coined by Professor Tim Brighouse, Director of
Education, City of Birmingham.
It is essential that schools should make sure that pupil progression and curriculum
continuity are in place as pupils move across the phases. In this way they will support
both high standards of achievement and pupils’ enjoyment of their time in school.
‘The Cambridge research shows that most secondary
schools are now very good at allaying anxiety and
settling children in; it’s the academic threads that
break.’ (The Independent, 22 June 2000)
Good practice is established in most schools with regard to pastoral/social provision,
and nationally there have been significant improvements in these areas over recent
years.
Although transfer related activities such as improving the communication of key stage
test results, holding summer schools for pupils at risk or setting up joint primarysecondary projects in the term before transfer are important, they will not in
themselves overcome the potential problems of transfer.
In September 1999, an LEA project was initiated in two partnership areas to look at
ways of helping schools to develop more effective transition from primary to
secondary school.
Much good practice was already in place in our schools and this document brings
together elements and examples of that good practice which others might use and
adapt accordingly.
2
The Big Picture:
Academic research and teachers’ practical experience have concluded that radical
approaches are needed in order to:
 resolve discontinuities in teaching;
 look at the gap between pupils’ expectations of the next phase of schooling
and the reality of these expectations;
 help teachers develop strategies for helping pupils to manage their own
learning.
Some schools have focused attention on Year 8, in order to give them a stronger
identity, the aim being to re-engage pupils who were losing their enthusiasm for
learning, and to recognise pupils’ sense of greater maturity by giving them more say
in their learning or greater social responsibility in school.
Pupils’ attitudes towards subjects are at risk at the time of transfer, since SATs are
administered in May and there is at least a 4 month gap until September.
In many schools, interest in science in particular drops off considerably, despite the
enthusiasm generated on induction days. Investigative work is very much part of
primary science, and changes in approach at secondary school can result in pupils
rapidly becoming bored, disengaged and less interested in the subject.
In 1999 OfSTED identified dips in pupil progress in Y3 and Y8. 'In years 7,8 and 9
an increasing number of children become disengaged, being particularly true of low
achievers but also, worryingly, high achievers too.'
Social issues tend to be sorted out very quickly as pupils move into their new school.
That has often been the main focus of past primary/secondary links, with less
attention given to continuity relating to teaching and learning.
English cuts across all areas of the curriculum and it is important to ensure that high
standards are promoted in literacy. There are transferable literacy skills relating to all
subjects, since all subject teachers generally expect pupils to be able to:







Take notes
Answer questions
Use cloze procedure
Sequence
Extend writing
Write reports
Write factually
3
Getting it right
‘Overcoming the Muddle in the Middle’
In her book, ‘Overcoming the Muddle in the Middle’, Ruth Sutton challenges
common practice in many secondary schools where priorities are often set by the need
to meet performance targets at GCSE and A level. Timetables and personnel can be
determined by these priorities and in some schools the most inexperienced or
ineffective teachers may be time-tabled to teach in Y7.
Some secondary teachers continue to believe that Y7 pupils need a ‘fresh start’. This
is fine for behavioural and social issues but can be a disaster for learning. During the
summer break, children's retention of basic skills tends to erode. This is particularly
true in mathematics and is also true (to a lesser extent) in reading.
Although there may be some need to re-teach and remind pupils of previous learning,
secondary teachers can conclude that primary teachers have not taught the children
very well and that now they will be taught ‘properly’. Such attitudes can erode
professional respect and undermine trust in the previous teachers’ assessments. This
process occurs not only on transfer to secondary school but also between KS1 and
KS2 and at any other time when children transfer from one year group to another.
However, learning tends to ‘leak out’ and is not 'gone forever'. Teachers need to help
children realise that all previous learning is important.
If schools are to continue to raise standards, they need to build on good practice by:
 making more effective use of assessment data;
 planning for effective curriculum continuity and progression;
 monitoring pupils' work to ensure that they make progress in the early part
of key stage 3.
In 1998, QCA produced KS2/3 ‘Bridging Units’ with the aim of incorporating
bridging materials into long-term plans. Transition plans can thus be 'built in' to both
the secondary and primary annual schedule, rather than ‘bolted on’ at the end of the
summer term.
4
The Year 6 - 7 transfer process will be effective if assessment information is:

available for all pupils;

disseminated to all year 7 teachers and tutors;

received in time for it to be of use;

used to inform curriculum planning;

used for setting learning objectives for pupils.
Good ideas for good practice:
plan for
continuity and
progression
make more use
of assessment
data
consider
advantages or
disadvantages
of giving Y7
pupils a 'fresh
start'
monitor pupils'
work so they make
progress in the
early part of key
stage 3.
build on pupils'
previous
attainment
consider ways to
overcome
obstacles to
effective transfer
provide
opportunities for
Y7 secondary
teachers to see
primary children in
their learning
environment
arrange
liaison
meetings for
Y6 and Y7
teachers
5
Transition will be effective if senior management in primary and secondary
schools:
Ensure that meetings
take place with year 6
and year 7 teachers
Make National
Curriculum test and
teacher assessment
results at both
individual and cohort
level available to each
Y7 teacher for the
pupils they teach
I'd like a
hat like
that.
Work together to plan
Induction Day
procedures and evaluate
the process
.
Have
an agreed policy which sets
out the aims/purposes of liaison
and identifies roles and
responsibilities.
Who's in
charge?
I know
my place
Monitor:
pupils' records,
assessment data,
pupils' subsequent
progress.
Use Standards Fund money to:
 provide administrative support to review documentation
and set up systems;
 develop bridging projects;
 track a targeted group of children in specific subjects
in their new school;
 provide supply cover for year 6 and year 7 teachers to
work in each other's classrooms, discuss assessment
data, and reach a common understanding of standards.
6
Assessment information, including both test and teacher assessment data for
particular subjects can be used to:
 help group pupils in the new secondary school
 set appropriately challenging work for pupils
 analyse aspects of pupils' achievement and/or underachievement
 diagnose individual needs and strengths
 set achievable targets for groups of pupils or individual pupils
 monitor pupils' progress
Year 6 and year 7 teachers can meet together to:



discuss samples of pupils' work, to reach a common understanding of
standards;
look at schemes of work in relation to a specific subject;
consider ability groups and the outcomes expected, e.g. looking at where
opportunities for reinforcement activities might be useful and where pupils
should be introduced to new knowledge, concepts and skills;

develop joint 'bridging' projects;

track pupils' progress and provide feedback about progress;

consider different teaching styles and strategies on pupils' learning.

discuss continuity in teaching styles, e.g. the use of paired work in reading,
the maintenance of mental skills in mathematics, experimental and
investigative work in science;
 use QCA test materials to explore the expected attainment of pupils at and
after transfer and the implications of the outcomes.
7
CASE STUDIES:
South Holderness partnership
Termly liaison meetings provide opportunities to consider the Transition process
(amongst other items) and have resulted in the following:
 visits from secondary teachers to observe both the Literacy and Numeracy
hours and standards of work achieved in the feeder primary schools;
 trials of QCA Bridging Units for Mathematics with samples of mathematics
to be started in Y6 and completed in Y7 in exercise books supplied by SHS;
 Numeracy and Literacy Schools in August 2000 for children on the threshold
of level 3/4;
 liaison between SHS and Textiles resulted in Story Sacks being produced by
SHS pupils and presented to a feeder primary. The Design Faculty (Textiles)
and Y7 pupils went back to another feeder primary and made a Harvest
Festival banner;
 feedback of effectiveness of cross phase visits;
 changes to arrangements for Induction Day regarding the inclusion of SEN
pupils. CSAs encouraged to accompany the children they support and
appropriate work for those pupils to be made available;
 extra visit offered to SEN pupils and their parents;
 Primary pupils take part in SET (Science and Technology) week activities.
Y6 pupils attend dress rehearsals for SHS productions, sporting and music
activities;
 input is given at the primary/secondary liaison meetings by the Heads of
Faculty for English, mathematics and science;
 active involvement from the Chair of Governors;
 ‘This is Me’ booklets modified to include a letter to the Y6 child’s tutor (an
unaided piece of writing, completed under SATs conditions);
 KS2 SAT information analysed in more detail with a view to identifying
information for target setting.
 comparisons of CASE results with the Y6 SATs (results show that CASE
adds a grade to science performance and adds half a grade to English and
mathematics scores at KS3).
Future developments:
 curriculum continuity in the core subjects as happens in Maths to be extended to
English with the development of a "Bridging Unit" in exercise books from SHS,
starting in Y6 and continuing in Y7. Looking at continuity in science in relation
to the Schemes of Work;
 Y7 pupils to send letter back to their Y6 teachers in the autumn term;
 implications for teaching and learning particularly with pupils who have achieved
level 5 in the end of KS2 SATs. ( A KS3 Coordinator has recently been appointed
to support the KS3 Strategy);
 tracking progress through from Y7 to Y8, since national research shows that many
pupils start to ‘dip’ in Y8 rather than Y7.
 Links with other faculties, developing cross-phase projects with feeder primaries
(e.g. MFL, geography)
 KS2 targets written in the pupils' workbooks at the end of Y6, which can be
referred to after transfer.
8
"Primary/Secondary Liaison meetings are
now much better attended by secondary
school staff than ever before – there’s a
feeling that we are all in this together and
therefore some of the barriers have been
broken down" Headteacher, Burstwick Primary School
"Pastoral arrangements have always been good and the project has
rightly focussed on attainment issues"..........Improvements have been:
 setting in maths from September rather than from the first half
term
 introduction this year of Bridging Units in Maths
 piece of unaided writing to go to secondary school to show pupils'
capabilities
 introduction this year of target setting in English and Maths by Y6
teachers - to be written in English and Maths books provided by the
South Holderness School......."
Thorngumbald Junior School
"We are always looking to improve the
way we help Year 6 students move into
Y7.
The project helps everyone to develop
better strategies."
South Holderness School
9
CASE STUDY
Bridlington partnership
Headteachers were keen to promote more effective curriculum continuity and pupil
progression and transition arrangements between the two secondary schools and the
feeder primaries were reviewed.
The following developments resulted:

cross-phase development of an English ‘bridging unit’ to involve all the Y6
pupils, across the ability range with support provided for those with special
needs. Introductory and follow up activities are carefully planned, using
English books, provided by the secondary schools. Pupils are expected to
continue working in them for the remainder of the term and immediately
after transfer with the aim of ensuring continuity and progression.

The QCA Bridging Units for Mathematics have been used but there is a lack
of differentiation for children at either end of the ability range.
Future developments may focus on the following areas:
 targeting curriculum areas other than English and mathematics, such as PE,
games and sport, music and the arts;
 involving secondary/primary headteachers and Y6 and Y7 teachers in
discussion;
 commonality of Induction Day procedures in order to facilitate consistent
approaches to transfer;
 regular liaison between primary and secondary colleagues, especially those
responsible for the core subjects;
 analysis of pupil information and prior attainment data;
 agreement trials to develop cross phase confidence in the assessment of NC
subjects using level descriptions.
"Improved systematic contacts with primary/secondary schools lead
to common approaches, shared values and agreed standards"
Headteacher, Headlands School
'Bridging Units are an excellent idea:
give focus and emphasis to final weeks
of Y6, the fact that the work is
continued in Y7 is important"
St Mary's C Primary, Bridlington
10
The need to ensure effective transition from primary to secondary school has been
acknowledged and some very worthwhile developments have taken place. In
particular, liaison with other colleagues has been established.
‘Liaison Meetings have provided opportunities for sharing common
problems/achievements with other primary colleagues, and getting to know
secondary colleagues and letting them know just what we do in the primary sector
has been useful.’
HILDERTHORPE JUNIOR SCHOOL, BRIDLINGTON
In primary schools, Y6 teachers are helping children to become more independent and
better prepared for life in the secondary school. Children are expected to take
responsibility for organising their time, resources and personal belongings. To this
end, children are being given Pupil Planners/diaries that are similar to those used in
secondary school.
‘The use of the Primary
Planner (akin to a personal
work diary) has been used
to promote home/school
liaison and prepare pupils
for organising lessons and
homework etc.’
HILDERTHORPE JUNIOR
SCHOOL
"Headlands would like to introduce a 'twinning' system
between Year 6 and Year 7 teachers in specific subjects.
This should help pupil progression and avoid
duplication.......Do we really want the Romans three times in
two years?!!"
"This year, our Y7 tutor groups produced a series of 'survival
packs' for new pupils. This activity formed part of the PSE
programme and was timed to be completed in time for Intake
Day."
Headlands School, Bridlington
11
CASE STUDY
The Snaith School
 Transition arrangements start in September with a visit to the 8 feeder primary
schools for general discussion about transfer;
 Termly liaison meetings are held with primary colleagues;
 The visits provide opportunities to talk about numbers of children, statemented
pupils, special needs issues etc.;
 Liaison with the EWOs from both ERYC and North Yorkshire is well established;
 By the end of the spring term, all the primary schools will have had some
curricular input from the secondary school;
 The Snaith School’s ‘Beacon’ status means that there is money for funding
liaison. Children come into school to use the facilities in several curriculum areas,
with science being a particular popular choice for visiting Y6 pupils. New
members of staff (NQTs) are encouraged to avail themselves of secondary
expertise and are encouraged to visit the school for personal professional
development and experience ‘a day in the life of a Y7 pupil’. Secondary teachers
visit primary schools to observe the literacy hour in action. Secondary teachers
are finding that since the introduction of NLS, the gap between the less able and
more able children is noticeably widening;
 The Snaith School has its own forms for collecting transfer information about
pupils. During the summer, SATs information is collated and mixed ability form
groups are listed;
 A spreadsheet is used for the collation of information with all results recorded so
that ‘tracking’ is established, predictions can be made and targets are set. CAT
tests are carried out in the first fortnight and identify the most able children and
those who are likely to need specific support;
 Feedback is provided to primary schools about how well the pupils perform in
CAT tests, SATs at Y9 and GCSE;
 Induction Day procedures involve sending the current Y7 out of school on a visit
in order to create space for the visiting Y6 pupils. The parent information evening
for the incoming pupils is held the same night in order to deal with any questions
that may have arisen during the day;
 This year QCA Optional Progress Tests are being used with the Y7 pupils in
mathematics. The majority of the children will take the tests so that individuals
will not be singled out. However, those who are not expected to do well will not
be entered. The mathematics department will use these tests as their end of year
tests;
 Mathematics is ‘set’ from the start of Y7 but English is taught in mixed ability
groups due to difficulties with time-tabling;
 This year the Induction Day will involve children in work that will be followed up
in Y6, which is then completed when the children arrive in the secondary school
in September. ‘Bridging material’ has been produced by the English department
and has a pastoral/RE/geographical focus and will become a ‘This is Me’ literacy
project:
 RE - a piece of writing entitled ‘This is Me’
 PSHE – newspaper article
 Geography – persuasive writing (brochures about the local environment)
 History/literature link
 Suitable material for mixed age classes in the primary school.
12
Summary
Nationally recognised specialists in the field of assessment and transition have made
the following comments:
"Assessment is part of a much bigger picture and not an
end in itself"...
Testing has to support the curriculum and the broader
aims of education and teaching and learning. In reality,
(at transfer) the situation could be that a new pupil will
come across 1800 pupils and 100 or more different
teachers leading to:
 bewilderment
 fish out of water
 new kid on the block
For some children the experience is:
 that of treading water
 one of failure
 top of Y6 - suddenly find out how much you don't
know!
......Transition has to happen and if it is not handled well,
pupil progress goes awry."
Tim Cornford, QCA, NFER National Conference, November 2000.
"One of the difficulties faced by the
secondary teachers is learning the
names of all the pupils - an 11 year old
child can be taught by 14 -16 teachers
in one week........"
Ruth Sutton, June 2000.
13
With regard to transition, Tim Brighouse suggests the following list of good
ideas of things to do relating to self-esteem:
 be there to greet children on arrival
 notice the name and identity of each child
 listen to children and ask them what they are thinking
 create a past (reminisce)
 laugh with them and share jokes
 remember events and birthdays
 admire them out loud to others (give people a sense of worth)
 praise them – in writing
 respect their culture and family history
 share interests (football/pop stars/sweets)
 steal crisps from children
 tell stories
 acknowledge something they are better at than you - ‘I saw this and
thought of you’ – clipping from a newspaper etc.
 collect rubbish – set an example
 mark privately – quality mark one piece out of 30 but have a rota to
ensure that every child is quality marked
 find the invisible child
 confess to a private interest
David Blunkett told delegates: "I have become increasingly concerned at the
discernable drop in both motivation and performance of youngsters in the early part
of secondary education....too little is currently expected of pupils in the first year of
secondary education....There must be no gap, no falling back."
North of England Education Conference, Wigan, January 2000.
14
Conclusion

Same pupil, different school!
Our pupils have the right to an educational experience which consistently enables
them to fulfil their personal potential as they move from class to class and school to
school. Dips in performance and breaks in progress are not acceptable if pupils are to
make the most of their time in school. The concept of continuous progression makes it
imperative that we see children’s move from one school to another as merely a change
in the context of learning and not an interruption.

Get the documentation right and then USE IT!!
Schools will need to ensure that transfer documentation meets the need of the
receiving school, and that all relevant members of staff then use the documentation to
inform themselves of pupils’ achievements, special needs and abilities.

Develop professional dialogue across the key stages.
Teachers in the Primary and Secondary sectors should seek opportunities to engage in
professional dialogue in order to develop professional trust, to promote co-operation,
and to encourage a common understanding of standards. Wherever possible, this
dialogue should focus on children’s work – past, present and future.

Build planning, teaching, and targets on children’s prior
attainment.
Teachers in secondary schools will want to build on the hard work of their primary
colleagues, and make sure that their planning, teaching and targets take full account of
the prior attainment of pupils moving into year 7.
We wish to thank members of the working group who contributed to these guidelines:
Cathie Dance, Hilderthorpe Junior School
Bob Hartwell, Headlands School
Glynn Jones, School Improvement Adviser
Jill Lambert, Thorngumbald Junior School
Jeanne Mundy, Curriculum Project Manager, Assessment
Chris Reep, South Holderness School
July 2001
15
ASSESSMENT FOR ACTION
ENSURING EFFECTIVE
TRANSITION FROM PRIMARY
TO SECONDARY SCHOOL
16
17