Alverstoke Church of EnglandTransition and New Parent Information
The summer term at Alverstoke Junior is a busy time of year as we say a fond farewell to our Year 6s and warmly welcome children from local Infant schools as our new Year 3s.
The information below details the experiences our children have at both ends of their journey with us.
Transition letter and Booklet
Entry into Year 3
Transition to the Junior school starts during the children’s summer term in Year 2. We understand the mixed emotions that children and parents have during this time as the children move from their Infant school to the Junior School. To help alleviate any worries or concerns we, at Alverstoke Junior School in partnership with Alverstoke Infant school and other local Infant schools, offer a range of experiences for both the pupils and parents.
Buddy sessions
The Year 2 children begin their journey with us by spending time with our Year 5 pupils. The Infant children are paired up with a pupil in Year 5. This pupil becomes their buddy. Their buddy is a friendly face on whom they can ask questions about the school and seek out on the playground if, and when, they wish. The year 5s take the buddy responsibility very seriously and see it as an important part of their passage through the school. The buddy sessions culminate with a summer picnic at the front of the school where the Year 2 and Year 5 children sing songs about friendship. Parents are warmly invited to attend this event.
Three days working with their new teachers for September
Alongside the buddy sessions, we also feel it is important that the Year 2 pupils have the opportunity to meet key members of staff at the school, most importantly their teachers for Year 3. In collaboration with Alverstoke Infants, the Year 3 teachers (for the new academic year) work alongside Year 2 teachers at the Infant school for day 1. Children who are joining us from neighbouring Infant schools are warmly invited to join too. At the end of Day 1, the teachers will be out on the playground so parents are free to introduce themselves and put a face to a name. On that first day, the Year 2 children will be presented with a problem/scenario which they have to investigate and plan for. For the following two days, the Year 2 children, alongside key members of staff from Alverstoke Infant school, join us here at Alverstoke Junior School. During those days, the Year 2 children are taught by their new Year 3 teachers, with the Year 2 staff supporting. The children spend the days, in the classrooms they will occupy in September, working on their projects, which culminates in an outcome which is displayed in the classroom. Parents are invited into the classrooms at the end of Day 3 to see the outcome of the children’s endeavours. This is again, an opportunity for parents to introduce themselves to their child’s new Junior school teacher. During the three days, parents have an opportunity to book a time (after school) to meet with their child’s new class teacher to share any relevant information.
New Parents’ Welcome Meeting
On the evening of Day 3, all Year 2 parents are invited to attend an information evening. The Year 3 team are formally introduced and they share information about what the children will experience during their time in Year 3. The meeting is also an opportunity for us to share some housekeeping news with you for example the importance of reading our weekly school newsletters and how to pay for school dinners! The meeting is attended by key members of the Junior staff and is again an opportunity for parents to put faces to names as well introduce themselves and ask any questions which might they have.
1:1 sessions
We believe that it is really important the children have the opportunity to share information about themselves with their new class teachers. So, the Year 3 staff visit the Alverstoke Infant School and spend time with each individual child getting to know them – their likes and what makes them happy, as well as subjects they enjoy and books they like to read. A separate time is arranged for children joining from other Infant schools.
Extra session to walk the school and meet key adults
For those children who need an additional visit to Alverstoke Junior School, this is arranged with the Infants. A member of staff from the Infant school walk the children to us and spend time walking the site and again meeting key members of staff.
Transfer of key information
A lot of work goes on behind the scenes in welcoming our new Year 3s into our school. Mrs Harrowsmith, our SENCo, works alongside SENCos from the Infant schools to gain an understanding of individual children’s needs so that their transition is as smooth as possible. The Year 2 teachers meet the new Year 3 teachers and pass on information about each child – including their academic prowess and the whole child.
Drop-in
In the first couple of weeks in September, the Year 3 parents are invited into see their child’s classroom and view the work that they have completed so far at the Junior School. Formal parents’ meetings will then take place later in the term.
Moving onto Year 7
Transition to Secondary school starts in the Summer Term of Year 6. The majority of pupils at Alverstoke Junior School transition to Bay House. A few pupils do transition to secondary schools slightly further afield. The information below is based on a transition to Bay House. Each secondary school operates slightly differently so if you choose to send your child to a different secondary school their transition may look slightly different. Whichever school they move on to, pupils and parents experience mixed emotions as the pupils continue on to the next stage in their learning journey. Excitement with all the possibilities that secondary education provides and sadness as they leave a relatively small school community to mix in a larger one. By the time our pupils reach the summer term in Year 6, they are ready for their next educational adventures.
Bay House Transition Website : https://transition.gfmat.org
Transition days
During the second half of the summer term, the Year 6 pupils are invited to spend time at their secondary school. This provides them with an opportunity for them to learn their way around as well as meet key members of the year 7 staff team.
Questions and Answers
The Head of Year 7 and pupils from Year 7 from Bay House visit the Junior School for an afternoon and talk to the Year 6 pupils about their experiences of transition and their time at the school. A question and answer session is offered to Year 7 parents at Bay House during an evening.
Transfer of key information
Just like with our transition of Year 2 pupils, a lot of work goes on behind the scenes in sending our pupils off to Secondary school. Mrs Harrowsmith, our SENCo, works alongside SENCos and pastoral leads from the Secondary schools so that they gain an understanding of individual children’s needs ensuring their transition is as smooth as possible. The Year 6 teachers meet representatives from the Year 7 team and pass on information about each child – including their academic capabilities and the whole child.
