Year 6 to Year 7 Transition

For some children, moving from Year 6 to Year 7 is incredibly exciting, for others it is daunting and overwhelming. We know that parents feel a mixture of emotions too. We have designed the transition process at Hartford Church of England High School to enable all students and parents to feel a sense of belonging within our school community and to ensure that everyone is ‘Happy’, ‘Ready’ for the start of Year 7, able to ‘Achieve’ and feel a sense of ‘Together’ness moving forward.

Ms. Daniels, Head of Transition, leads our transition process, with Mrs. Brown, Admissions Officer, coordinating the administrative side of the move from Year 6 to Year 7.

The Transition Process

Once families receive notification of their place at Hartford Church of England High School, Ms. Daniels and Mrs. Brown make contact, inviting children and parents to our ‘New Intake Welcome Evening’. At this event, families are introduced to the school and hear from the Headteacher and other senior leaders, as well as key people in the transition process, including current students who will become ‘buddies’ for the new intake. These ‘buddies’ are students in Year 8 who will be part of the Year 6s journeys into high school, supporting them on their transition days, being young people who can provide advice and guidance, having recently navigated the move from primary to secondary school themselves. Also, at this event, families are introduced to the Head of Year 7, who will take students through the school, leading them on their journey to Year 11.

Early in June, families are invited to come into school for a ‘drop-in’ session when our uniform providers, Northwich Schoolwear, come along and children can try on blazers and PE kit so that parents know what size to order! This is a good opportunity for parents and children to meet key staff again and build relationships.

At the end of June/start of July, a week of transition activities takes place. This week is designed to enable all students to succeed and feel part of the Hartford Church of England High School community, ready to start Year 7 in September.

• Monday; bespoke sessions (by invitation) are run by the SEND (Special Educational Needs and Disabilities) team to help students settle into the school.
• Tuesday; a full day of acitivies for all students joining Year 7 from smaller schools. Our new intake represents over 25 primary schools and, as such, some students will join the school on their own or in small groups from their primary settings. This day enables students in these categories the opportunity to settle in quickly, make friends and get to know the school.
• Wednesday; a full day of activities for all Year 6 students.
• Thursday; a full day of activities for all Year 6 students.
• Friday; Year 6 disco. The Year 6s are invited to attend the school in the evening for a disco. Parents are invited to come along too, to help out and feel part of the school community.

On Thursday of transition week, in the evening, a Parents’ Meeting is held where information is provided for all parents from the Head of Transition and Head of Year 7. There is also an opportunity to ask any questions following the first full day of transition activities.

Please note: Parents should be reassured that whilst what is listed above are all the events taking place, there are continual communications from Hartford Church of England High School to parents throughout the transition process. Ms. Daniels, Head of Transition, visits all primary schools to find out more information about the children joining us in Year 7, as well as having the opportunity to see the Year 6s in their primary settings. Other staff will also visit the primary schools, including our members of our SEND, pastoral and safeguarding teams.

September of Year 7

On the first day of the school year, Year 7 students arrive first and are the only students on-site at the start of the day with the exception of their ‘buddies’ who are there for support. Following assembly, they have an extended morning of activities designed to get to know their form group and form tutor. They settle in incredibly quickly!

A couple of weeks after the start of the school year, a parents evening is held where parents and carers can meet their child’s form tutor and find out how things are going. This is valuable for the parent, the child and the form tutor, as relationships are formed and built to enable all students to be ‘Happy’ and ‘Achieve’, be ‘Ready’ and ‘Together’ as they move forward at Hartford Church of England High School.