Transition plans progress for year 6 pupils

Sunday 28 June 2020

After an unusual year 6, Guernsey's oldest primary school pupils will be trying out life in secondary school this week as transition days are being held as planned.

The island's primary and secondary schools have been working very closely together throughout the lockdown exit as we moved into phase five, to ensure the current Year 6 pupils are given a smooth transition period into Year 7.

Year 6 children always get the chance to visit their new secondary schools during the summer term, to start to learn their way around the building, to meet their new teachers, and to experience taster activities for some of the subjects they will study at secondary school.

The announcement of the move to remove all lockdown restrictions meant all secondary schools, including Guernsey's grant-aided colleges, are able to offer a full day of transition activities on Monday 29 June.

Education, Sport and Culture said it means this year’s Year 6 cohort "will not miss out on this important event".

Pictured: Guernsey's three private colleges are running transition days this week too.

Secondary schools should have contacted parents with more information, which Claire Judd, Headteacher at La Houguette Primary School, said would be very useful ahead of the September term.

“We are so pleased and relieved that the transition day is able to go ahead. Our Year 6 pupils are very keen to visit their secondary schools and it is a really valuable experience for them to be prepared, meet the teachers and students that they will be with in September.

"They are also grateful to have the opportunity to ask all those important questions that they have, for example, what equipment do we need? Who will my form tutor be? And what time is lunch?”

Last week the transition started with secondary school staff visiting primary schools to talk to the children about what to expect and to answer any questions they had.

Additional conversations have taken place between primary and secondary staff to ensure the smoothest possible transitions for all students, with additional support put in place for particular students as required. These measures are always taken but they were stepped up this year as the Year 6 pupils have had a disrupted time to end their primary school lives.

ESC said it wanted to thank staff in both primary and secondary schools for their hard work ahead of this year’s transition, which Executive Headteacher Liz Coffey said has come off the back of working throughout lockdown to look after some students in school, while also providing a successful distance learning programme. 

“Staff have been working closely with teachers across the primary schools to make sure we are able to give every child the best possible start to their secondary education," she said.

Pictured: Executive Headteacher Liz Coffey. 

"We are looking forward to welcoming our incoming Year 7 cohort at the transition day next week, and to giving more information at this week’s parents and carers evenings.”

The transition plans have been further supported this year by the feeder school system which was introduced last year. ESC said that has led to strengthened relationships between secondary schools and their feeder primaries.

Pictured top: Guernsey's four States run secondary schools are all holding transition days this week.