Improving the transfer to secondary school: how every child's voice can matter

Abstract

Children in their final year of primary school (Year 6) were asked about their experiences of transition to high school so far. This multi-method study included questionnaires, discussion, drawing and writing. The children raised a range of issues including mixed feelings; friends; bullying; getting lost; race; being the only child from their primary school; teachers; growing up; and school choice. Learning issues were rarely raised, suggesting that the social aspects of the move are most important for children at the end of Year 6. Most students wanted as much experience of their new school as possible, before they start attending there as a pupil. A key finding from this study is that children can be a very valuable resource in improving transition. Given accessible opportunities, which need not take up large amounts of time or resources, all children can inform the transition process and contribute to ongoing improvement.

Preparing to transition to secondary education: perceptions of Dutch pupils with migrant backgrounds

“…Gutman and Midgley 2000;Jindal-Snape and Foggie 2008;Newman et al 2000;Reyes et al 2000), less research has been conducted specifically on the perceptions of pupils in the final year of primary school (known as 'group 8' in the Dutch school system) on the preparatory process for the transition to secondary school (Akos and Galassi 2004;Ashton 2008;Tobbell and O'Donnell 2013), and especially on the preparatory process of pupils with a migrant background (Benner and Graham 2009;McGee et al 2003). The present small-scale qualitative study examines how Dutch pupils with a migrant background perceive and experience this preparatory process, and how they can be encouraged and supported in preparing for the transition to secondary education in the Dutch system (i.e.…”

“…The transition from primary to secondary education is an important moment in the school career of children (Anderson et al 2000;Ashton 2008;Jindal-Snape andFoggie 2006, 2008;Jindal-Snape and Miller 2008;Naayer et al 2016;West, Sweeting, and Young 2010;Zeedyk et al 2003). Pupils may experience feelings of stress and worry with regard to social relationships (e.g.…”

“…Pupils may experience feelings of stress and worry with regard to social relationships (e.g. friendships) (Ashton 2008;Zeedyk et al 2003), their well-being (e.g. self-esteem) (West, Sweeting, and Young 2010) and the new school system (e.g.…”

“…self-esteem) (West, Sweeting, and Young 2010) and the new school system (e.g. getting lost in a new environment) (Ashton 2008;Jindal-Snape and Foggie 2008;Zeedyk et al 2003). Research suggests that these difficulties are greater for pupils with migrant backgrounds than for non-migrant pupils in the primary-secondary school transition (Caulfield, Hill, and Shelton 2005;Coffey 2013;Galton and Mornson 2000;Graham and Hill 2003;Gutman and Midgley 2000;McGee et al 2003;Naayer et al 2016;Rice, Frederickson, and Seymour 2011;Rosenblatt and Elias 2008;Topping 2011), as migrant pupils may also experience adjustment difficulties related to discrimination, language and a lack of relevant resources (e.g.…”

Factores condicionantes de las trayectorias escolares en la transición entre enseñanza primaria y secundaria = Determinants of schooling trajectories in the transition from primary to secondary education

“…Otras investigaciones se han centrado en la ansiedad que genera en los estudiantes el cambio de etapa educativa (Ashton, 2008;Weller, 2007), y cómo ésta influye en el rendimiento escolar. Concretamente, Weller (2007) obtiene evidencia de la importancia que tienen las redes sociales de amistad con los iguales en el momento de la transición para superar la ansiedad y como instancia de apoyo en general.…”