The findings of the Homerton/NFER transition research stated that 40% of pupils lose motivation and make no progress in the year after transfer. A focus on reading for pleasure can be a good way to boost primary-secondary transfer activities, as it looks at the interests and preferences of the individual child. Visit other pages on this site for general information on research and issues relating to primary-secondary transition.

Secondary
Both

Secondary

Pupil survey

Survey Year 7 children about their reading habits when they first arrive at their new school to determine which pupils already read for pleasure.

Parent Power

Parents are more likely to be interested in the school when their child is just moving into secondary. Use this interest to enrol parents on 'Keeping up with the Kids' literacy classes, computer literacy classes or encourage them to volunteer to get involved in the life of the school. See family involvement and adult reading role models for more ideas.

Visits

Plan a series of visits to feeder primaries to promote reading. The school librarian could visit schools after SATs with Year 7s and the reading lists they have developed. Recommendations from subject staff in the secondary school could also be used to encourage pupils to find out more about what they will be learning.

Reading personalities

Create a template for pupils from feeder primaries to write about the type of readers they are. A grid listing different types of fiction and non-fiction with space for examples could be used. (Worksheet 1 from English Frameworking 3: Teacher's Resources by Julia Strong (Harper Collins) is useful). Once collated by the secondary school into form groups, new year 8 students could work alongside the librarian to put together book boxes for the new year 7s based on their reading preferences.

Pub quiz

Hold a pub style quiz about books and reading (or have a section in the quiz on books)in the library, and invite parents of new/prospective pupils. You could charge a nominal fee for entry and raise funds for the library. Persuade local businesses to donate prizes such as a pair of cinema tickets.

Both

Reading legacy

Get Years 7 and 8 to put together a list of books they would recommend for students coming into the year they are just leaving. Year 8 could come to Year 7 lessons to present their book lists (they could be detailed with reviews, illustrations and comments, or simple using just titles and a star rating), while Year 7 could send their lists to feeder primaries or go on visits.

Postcards from the gap... (between primary and secondary)

Hand out postcards and get Year 6 to address them to their new secondary school. Ask students to fill them in, telling their new form teacher what they are going to read over the holiday. Send the postcards to the Year 7 form teachers who can then use these to create a display as a quick way of 'personalising' the classroom to make nervous new Year 7s feel at home.

Reading Buddies

Use the National Strategy Reading Challenge (www.standards.dfes.gov.uk) to train older pupils to support students who need extra help to reach level four in their reading.

Summer Reading Challenge

The Reading Agency runs the Summer Reading Challenge in public libraries over the summer holidays. This can help maintain reading momentum between Years 6 and 7. Find about this year's Summer Reading Challenge theme.

See also:
Key Stage Three National Strategy transition units : www.standards.dfes.gov.uk/keystage3

Suggestions from primary teachers for improving the transfer process

Read case studies related to transition