Decision details

The Committee heard evidence from Dr Frances Rice, Senior Lecturer at Cardiff University and co-author of the School Transition and Adjustment Research Study (STARS).

She highlighted that the pastoral and academic aspects of school are linked and therefore support during the transition process is beneficial to both. The study found that how transition activities were carried out was more important than what was done.

A discussion followed in which the following was noted:

·         There was no clear evidence either way to suggest whether transition would be better at 11 or 13. The research was clear, however, that fewer transitions led to better academic outcomes

·         The all-through school model could potentially be beneficial to pupils

·         Pastoral needs must be met in order to achieve academic success, but the Chief Inspector of Schools had said there was too much emphasis on pastoral support at the cost of academic learning.

The Chair thanked Dr Rice for her participation.

The Chair invited Members that had been on the recent visits to local primary and secondary schools to present their key findings.

The following was noted:

·         The level of contact between primary and secondary staff was good

·         Primary school children were anxious about what secondary school children are like. One school takes Year 7 pupils to visit Year 6 children which Members felt was beneficial for the primary children to dispel the myths and for the secondary children as a skills building exercise

·         There is a huge time burden in dealing with transition, with primary schools wanting secondary schools to do more. Schools had a difficult task in balancing classroom teaching with transition. Schools were concerned about budget pressures impacting on their capacity to support transition.

·         Prompt exchange of information from primary to secondary, in a standard format and on time, was necessary but not always happening

·         Primary children were fearful of secondary children but with good support that fear quickly evaporated and rarely materialised

·         The most talented children were going out of borough for secondary school. Lewisham needed to offer a high standard of secondary education to stop this from happening.

·         The visits had revealed a lot of anxiety among both Y6 and Y7 children around the journey to and from school, which was a particular concern for children facing long journeys, often without local friends to travel with. This was particularly so for children travelling longer distance, for example to grammar school

·         Members had been impressed that children between the ages of 10 and 12 had such clear ideas about their life and career plans

·         Children considered community links an important factor in their school choice, such as being at the same school as cousins and other family members

·         Thought was to be given to whether specific responsibility for transition should fall to a nominated school governor

·         Thought was also to be given to whether Pupil Premium could be specifically allocated to transition work.

Officers informed the Committee that the back page advert of Lewisham Life would now be used to advertise Lewisham schools.

Jackie Jones, Service Manager – School Improvement, provided an update on the Transition Working Group (TWG) which had met earlier in the day. Key points to note were:

·         Officers advised that to the draft Pupil Information Form the TWG proposed to add:

o   Language spoken at home

o   Secondary school the child is going to

o   How they like to learn

o   Embolden “if possible” so as to avoid raising hopes

·         It was also planned to change the order of questions so “what are you looking forward to at secondary school?” came ahead of “what worries do you have”.

·          The TWG had ascertained that the best time for Y6 to complete the leaflet was just before the May half term once SATS were completed as this was when primary schools tended to turn their focus to transition.

·         Secondary schools would benefit from receiving the leaflets ahead of the Induction Day in July.

·         The self-evaluation document had not been tested as there was a reluctance among secondary schools to engage given the size of the task. Work would continue to get secondary schools to test the document.

·         Consideration was being given to creating an additional day, along the lines of the SEN day in March, for Children in Need (CIN) and children subject to a Care Order.

·         The purpose of the day would be to enhance information sharing.

Officers were pleased to inform the Committee that there had been an approach made by the Globe Theatre to run a free transition activity around A Midsummer Night’s Dream for one Lewisham secondary and primary school.

RESOLVED: that the evidence of Dr Rice and Jackie Jones and the contents of the report be noted.