The transition from KS2 to KS3

For many children this transition will represent their first change of school since transferring from their pre-school setting to primary school. It not only represents a major change for the child in the nature of their educational environment, it also coincides with a major change in physical, mental and emotional terms as they move into adolescence.

Casey (2002), citing the earlier work of Maines and Robinson (1988) highlights the following findings about secondary transfer:

■ Approximately 30 per cent of pupils transferring from primary to secondary schools show a drop in academic performance.

■ Failure to adjust adequately brought about low motivation in some pupils – this proved to be a permanent feature of their subsequent response to schooling.

■ Pupils with a poor self-concept found the transition harder.

■ Poor readers have greater problems adjusting.

■ Projects started in the old school and continued in the new one are useful in helping pupils to make a successful transfer.

■ Pupils settle in more easily if they are in a class with their friends.

■ Pupils found assembly at the beginning of the first day very threatening.

■ Boys are more at risk than girls.

■ An informative video about the new school which is shown to leavers prior to transfer is generally found to be well received and perceived as useful by pupils.

■ The most effective ‘pupil tours’ are those with limited numbers of pupils and which maximize pupil–teacher interaction and minimize pupil distraction. The most successful visits are those that pair pupils with peers of approximately the same age.

■ Familiarizing pupils with minor differences (e.g. presentation, layout, methods) can be reassuring.

(Casey, 2002: 93)

Discussion

Can you add any others to this list? For each of the items on the list consider:

■What might be the pupil’s feelings/concerns in relation to each item?

■How could the pupil be supported before, during and after the transition in relation to each item?

Commercially available resources to support transfer (e.g. Casey, 2002; Cossavella and Hobbs, 2002; Maines and Robinson, 1988) typically include a mixture of activities that focus not only on different terminology, routines and personal organization requirements associated with secondary schools and familiarity with the physical layout of the school, but also on particular social skills and coping strategies.

For the child with AEN, the prospect of transition to secondary school will potentially be more daunting than for other pupils. The child is likely to have sufficient awareness of their own needs to be able to predict the difficulties they may encounter. It is therefore important that the child is given the opportunity to voice these concerns and that these are taken seriously.

Case study

The primary school has used a ‘calm down’ area and has successfully reduced the number of angry outbursts from Tony. A lot of work has been done with Tony on both recognizing when he is becoming angry and on reframing the way he thinks about the triggers he has identified. Staff are also aware of the signs that Tony is becoming angry and know when to prompt him to ‘remember his plan’ and when it is better to ‘back off’ completely and to follow up later.

In preparation for secondary transfer, the school involves Tony in group work that covers many issues related to secondary transfer but also includes an element on keeping your temper. This work incorporates role play activities to rehearse language for apologizing for being late or forgetting homework and other similar situations that could lead to conflict with staff. The work explores how Tonys responses can shape the course the interaction takes. Similar techniques are also used to cover pupil-pupil interactions.

A planning meeting is held in the summer term attended by Tony and his mother, the primary teacher, the primary SENCO, the secondary SENCO and the secondary form tutor. During the meeting Tonys views are sought about the progress he has made in primary school in relation to managing his anger and the kind of support he feels he will need in secondary school.

Prior to transfer the secondary school ensures that it has identified both a defined calm down area that Tony can use and a key adult that he can go to at any time. The teachers who are timetabled to teach Tony are all briefed by the secondary school SENCO about his patterns of behavior. The school revises its on call system so that all staff know who can be summoned should a problem arise. All staff know that if Tony leaves the classroom they should not intervene but should ensure that the school office is aware that he is out of class so that someone can check he has either arrived safely at his calm down area or is with his key adult.

The secondary school provisionally puts Tony on the list to be involved in an anger management group that will start in the autumn term.

Case study

The primary school has developed a system where when Michael shows signs of becoming angry he is taken to a calm down area by his TA. The school has become very good at recognizing when Michael is getting angry. The primary school staff are worried that it will be hard for colleagues in a large secondary school to develop the same awareness. To try to help secondary staff, the school logs all incidents when Michael loses his temper.

Out of concern for Michaels secondary prospects, the primary school calls a meeting. The meeting is attended by the primary class teacher, the primary SENCO, Michael and his mother and the deputy head from the secondary school. The primary class teacher and SENCO explain that they are worried about how Michael is going to cope when he gets to secondary school and, summarizing the incident log, suggest that the triggers to Michael losing his temper are when he can’t get his own way or if he becomes frustrated with the work.

The secondary Deputy Head explains that the school has high standards of behavior and that the behavior exhibited in primary school would not be tolerated. The Deputy describes to Michaels mother how the detention system works and how parents are called in if the pupil is at risk of exclusion. The Deputy explains that he personally has little contact with Year 7 pupils and tells Michael that he will get the chance to see his Form Tutor when the Year 6 pupils from the area come for a taster day in July.

The Deputy asks Michael if there are any particular pupils he doesn’t get on with as it might be possible to ensure that he is put in a different class from them.

Discussion

■Compare and contrast Case Study 2 and Case Study 3.

■Draw out elements from Case Study 2 that demonstrate that both the primary and secondary school are concerned with Tonys personal development and are prepared to look at the interventions and adaptations they can make in order to support this.

■Draw out the elements from Case Study 3 that demonstrate that both the primary and secondary school are concerned with achieving a level of behavior that allows Michael to fit in with the expectations of secondary school.

■ In both case studies, how might the child and parent feel about the prospect of transfer?