Transition
Transition from primary to secondary school
You may well be reading this page because you are a Year 6 student or the
parent/carer of a Year 6 student. If so, you are very welcome. We hope the information below will be useful and reassuring to you. If having read it you still have questions or concerns then please do not hesitate to contact our Head of Year 7.
The move from primary to secondary school is a major event in young people’s lives and needs to be carefully managed. Both children themselves and their parents and carers can feel anxious or lonely at this important time. Our job at Chobham is to make the transition as secure and well organized as possible for all involved. In doing this we have the big advantage of being an all through school. This means that going on for half of our Year 7 students have moved up from Year 6 here in Chobham’s primary phase. Whilst this does not necessarily make the transition to secondary easy for these children, it certainly makes it more manageable as they already know lots of people and understand quite a bit about how the school works.
We know that children can worry about starting secondary school. Common concerns include:
- Getting to and from school
- Making sure they have the right books and equipment
- Knowing who to go to if they have a problem
- Getting lost in the school buildings
- Making friends
- Being bullied
- Homework
- Finding work too difficult
- Getting into trouble
At Chobham, we are very alert to all of these potential concerns and ready to address
them. Our Year 7 induction system helps all new students to settle into Chobham quickly. Form tutors and teachers get to know students as individuals very quickly and we also encourage students to get to know one another. Above all, Chobham is a friendly and understanding place where staff understand that new students may take a little while to settle in and get used to all of the new systems and responsibilities which secondary school brings.
There are also valuable things that parents can do to children feel more comfortable in their first days of Year 7. Here are a few suggestions:
- If your child is new to Chobham, practice the journey with them in the summer holidays
- Help your child into the routine of getting ready for school the night before. Before their first day, ensure all is packed and prepared and that they get to bed early
- Ensure that your child is on time to school and that they do not miss any learning time through lateness
- Remind your child that if they have a problem of any kind then they must tell a member of staff. Explain to your child that everyone in Year 7 is in the same situation, they are not alone.
- Check your child’s planner at the end of each day to help them organize their homework. If your child is regularly spending more than one hour each night on homework then please let their tutor know through their planner
- Reassure your child that if they follow the school rules and behave sensibly then they will not get into trouble
- Have a chat with your child at the end of each day. Ask them about what they learned at school
- Encourage your child to ask questions whenever they do not understand something
- Tell your child that all of the staff at Chobham Academy are here to help them and want them to be happy and to succeed here
