Transition from Primary to Secondary

Huge bagpacks lugging all the school books; mountains of homework; older pupils towering

over you; getting lost on your way to class; meeting new teachers; making new friends. We’ve

all had the same fears moving from year 6 where you’re king or queen of the primary school

to year 7 of secondary school, where you feel like you’re back at square one.

Do you remember your first day at ‘big school’?

I remember my first day – There I was, my mother’s encouraging and proud smile behind me and a

huge, red brick building looming in front me. This was it. Who knew what awaited me inside

those walls. Would it be an angry, overworked Science teacher? Would it be the school bully I

had heard so much about in the movies on the hunt for their next innocent victim?

Would it be the nightmarish detention hall waiting for me because I lost my pencil

case?

This might resonate with some of you and memories of your own childhood as you prepare your

child for this transition into secondary. We are here to make sure that transition goes smoothly.

Growing hearts and minds

Our mantra of ‘growing hearts and minds’ from the moment your child starts their journey

with us is rooted in a deep sense of inclusion and personalised care which permeates our

secondary school corridors, classrooms, playground and teacher-pupil interactions. These core

values drive our teaching and personal development of the whole child which builds trusting

bonds that pupils will remember forever.

When your child transitions into secondary school, or indeed joins us from another school,

they are welcomed, respected and appreciated for who they are – individuals with

curious minds ready to explore and create beautiful work. This collective approach is

particularly crucial during the transition from primary because we know that change can be hard for

some. It’s a time of personal challenge. Some of us relish such a challenge, others

take longer to embrace it and that is because we all deal with change in very different ways.

Some young people become comfortable with their existing routines and class teacher in

primary school and might resist change because they do not want to disrupt things.

Supporting Transition

That is why at The Olive Tree School your child is supported on their transition to Year 7 quite

early on because we know that adapting to change is a process. We have a Secondary Q & A

club that takes place every Thursday fortnight in our library and is open to Year 5 and Year 6 to

drop by and ask any and all questions about life at secondary school to help put their minds at

ease. It’s hosted by some of our fantastic secondary ambassadors and also gives your child the

chance to see for themselves that the older kids aren’t so scary!

Our mentoring programme also gives our new learners an opportunity to meet with the school

mentor every fortnight for a chat and some guidance on all the questions or concerns or even

celebrations your child will have about their debut into secondary school. We know how

important it is to make sure your child feels supported and listened to during this step up from

primary school.

Secondary School Taster Day

And finally, this year we will host a secondary school taster day for Year 6 pupils where

they prepare for secondary by spending a whole day with us. This includes a taste of learning in

the Science laboratory, our ICT suite and our Art studio. It is on this day that

mindsets shift and a readiness surfaces for this big transition. Anticipation bubbles and

suddenly pupils can’t wait for Year 7.

Instagram - Year 7 pupils

You can see some of our current Year 7 pupils on the school Instagram feed talking about their

transition into secondary and see for yourself what makes The Olive Tree secondary school so

special.

By Kevin Eastwood, Assiatant Head of Secondary