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In 2003, delegates attending the NLT primary conferences took part in group discussions about how to improve primary/secondary transfer. The one element that dominated the feedback was the need for joint activities between primary and secondary teachers to boost understanding and respect between the two sectors.
Below are the suggestions arising from the feedback divided into relevant categories.
Also see Reading Connects primary/secondary transfer pages
A central theme was the need for more involvement from secondary
colleagues as well as the need for commitment from both sides.
The feedback emphasised the need for joint activity to help
each side of the partnership understand the other's world
better. The complexity of the context was recognised: one
secondary school may have many feeder primaries; one primary
may feed into a range of secondary schools and each secondary
school has its own agenda for the child. Delegates saw the
need to develop secondary school colleagues' expectations
while helping primaries understand Year 7 expectations.
Joint inset was seen as the best way forward to
open a dialogue, understand each group's needs and to value
each other as professionals. The following suggestions were
made:
- involve key feeder schools and a secondary
- value what is already done well eg pastoral links and
focus on what should be improved eg academic transition
- share good practice/resources
Team teaching and visits to lessons were seen as
an excellent way to create mutual understanding and familiarity
with the primary/secondary environment. Ideas included:
- reversal of staff ie Year 6 taught by Year 7; Year 7 taught
by Year 6 staff
- Year 7 staff observing Year 6 lessons and vice versa
- secondary teachers visiting to teach in primaries - not
just Year 6 but younger classes
- shadowing pupils; interviewing Year 7
- booster classes provided by secondary schools
Joint meetings were seen as another way of increasing
understanding, such as:
- booster classes provided by secondary schools
- cross-phase coordinator meetings
- two-way dialogue between Year 6 teachers and secondary
colleagues
- cluster group meetings between primary and secondary teachers
Joint pupil initiatives were seen as equally important. The
child should be at the centre of the transfer process and
thus involving the children is crucial. Maximising Year 6/Year 7 communication not only encourages effective transfer
but provides the pupils with a genuine audience for speaking
or writing. Joint activities suggested included:
Specific transfer activities
- buddying systems set up linking Year 6 and Year 7 - this
could include email pen pals. Once the pupil has transferred,
there would then be a Year 8 person to relate to
- Year 7s to show Year 6s around in initial visits to secondary
schools
- more visits for Year 6 children to their secondary schools
- Year 6 to interview pupils - use email/websites
- Year 7 send letter back to primaries
- display primary work in secondaries
- take children as cohort to secondaries for lessons
Joint projects other than transition
- Carnegie Shadowing
- young enterprise links
- invite Year 6/7 to concerts or watch dress rehearsals
- Year 6/7 sports days/activity afternoons at secondary
schools
- Year 7 pupils writing/visiting Year 6 in summer term and head
of Year 7 involved (talk about fears as well as what they're
looking forward to)
- Year 7 create videos about what secondary school is like
- extra visits led by Year 7 pupils for Year 6 SEN
The importance of moving children on from where they have left-off was emphasised by many groups. Suggestions included:
Bridging units (though this requires high levels of planning and may
not be useful when a large number of feeder schools is involved):
Ideas included:
- photographic bridging unit - take pictures at end of Year 6
beginning of Year 7 and use in Year 7 lessons - this could include
use of disposable cameras/digicams to make "graduation" photo diary which could be used to illustrate a transfer
autobiography
- transition units for other areas
Joint planning
- Year 6/7 teachers set curricular targets and follow through
- Cross-phase moderation of written work
- coordinate approach to teaching text type across the sectors
Other suggestions
- joint use of planners eg homework diaries
- prepare Year 6 for Year 7 through social skills, study
skills
Most groups emphasised the need for an effective exchange
of key information but there was concern that it did not reach
the right people in secondary schools. The following points emerged:
Set up an agreed system of information eg target statements
related to high expectations which identify key objectives/strengths
weaknesses so secondaries can hit the ground running. Suggestions
for the information to include were:
- records of texts studied
- children's targets
- copies of test results and a piece of writing/ literacy
samples/ portfolio of children's writing from Year 6
- social, family information
Many groups included the fact that, to be successful, transfer
needs to be a priority for both primary and secondary school
and this means dedicated staff, SMT involvement, time and
funding. Some teachers made the very important point that
the whole process can be blighted by the nature of the transfer
process in some authorities such that many children feel they
don't have a school to transfer to. In more positive circumstances,
other groups felt that structural changes in the way schools
are organised need to be made to help bridge the gap between
primary and secondary schools. Suggestions included:
Teacher liaison
- appoint a cluster liaison teacher
- meet with secondary subject heads
- secondary school English coordinator liaises with primary
school teacher
- pastoral link with secondary senco
Timetable alterations
- more teachers in Year 6; fewer teachers in Year 7
- teacher swaps between primary and secondary
- share teaching staff
- taster lessons - more time spent by primary pupils in
secondary school before the move
- First week of autumn term for Year 7 only - find way around
school and know teachers before the rest arrive
Special needs perspective
- put extra focus on children at risk of failure so that
they meet teachers and become familiar with the school they
are to go to
- teacher consultations to discuss seamless transfer of
individual pupils
The important role of parents was also recognised, particularly
the fact that primary schools are in a better position to
build up strong parent/home links than secondary schools. |
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