Demonstrating your school maximises opportunities for teaching and learning throughout transition.
The move for pupils between Year 6 and Year 7 is a significant moment in their lives. It brings with it a huge number of changes in both our teaching methods – pedagogy – and the curriculum itself. And the exciting thing is, research tells us that children genuinely look forward to learning new things, in new ways, and in new environments. This desire for fresh experiences is one of the main draws of Secondary school for our pupils.
In a London borough all 52 Primary schools and 11 Secondary schools agreed to deliver Spanish as their first language choice, with pupils having four years of Spanish before they arrived at Secondary school. Secondary schools provided Spanish teachers to support teaching staff and training to native speaking teaching assistants in Primary settings. Using a common agreed curriculum children experience less frustration, higher familiarity, greater engagement in class, and their learning progresses further.
The school began lesson observations and book reviews cross phase to improve writing outcomes for Key Stage 3 pupils. It was quickly identified by Primary staff that expectations on the length of writing and standard were too low and changes could be made to improve consistency of standards for Year 7s.
They provide all feeder primary schools with 18 weeks of primary outreach work (KS2 units of work in PE and Reading) for Year 6 (12 Weeks) and Year 4 (6 weeks) . They also have a schedule of 9 ‘inreach’ experiences for Year 5 pupils. As part of the Year 6 programme they have devised and deliver a 10 week bridging transition curriculum (5 weeks in Year 6 and5 weeks in Year 7) that also includes pupil and parent activities. All programme elements are delivered by secondary staff which enables pupils to adjust to the learning style and begin to build relationships with future staff. The trust team also host termly ‘talk about transition’ breakfast meetings where they bring together primary and secondary colleagues to shape the direction of the offer and look at best practice for cross phase working.
These are the indicators we assess for the award at the bronze, silver and gold level.
Teachers and support staff have received CPD on the differences in approaches to teaching and learning across phases.
School undertake cross-phase visits to observe Primary lessons and invite Primary staff to visit school and observe Secondary lessons
School offers joint CPD with Primary staff which emphasises continuity and expected discontinuity, developing lifelong learners and the positive opportunities of transition
School observes teaching in Year 6, and adapts teaching in Year 7 to support increased continuity
School takes time to engage with the teaching style in Primary schools and considers how to implement continuity in Year 7 in the pupil experience
School actively prepares pupils for new teaching and learning approaches
School provides information to new pupils on what to expect in learning styles at Secondary school and how this will differ from what they've known at Primary School
School staff deliver curriculum lessons in a selection of Primaries with explicit reference to the language to be expected
School agrees common learning language used across Year 6 and 7 e.g. use of terms such as ‘learning objectives’, ‘plenary’, ‘response partner’ with majority of Primary schools
School provides quality information to parents about the differences in teaching and classroom practices
School provides quality information to parents about the Year 7 curriculum
Parents gain knowledge from school on the curriculum areas and how they can support their child
School invites feedback from parents on their child’s experience of learning through transition and what could support them further
School requests from Primaries information on their Year 6 curriculum and progression/knowledge maps throughout Key Stage 2
School understands what is being taught through the Primary curriculum, and ensures there is continuity through Year 7
School invites Primaries to use facilities and receive specialist lessons (eg. Design and Technology, Art, PE) on site
School participates in joint projects and cross-phase activities which may also include bridging units
School offers opportunities to Primary schools to undertake projects together or learning activities which start in Year 6 and are completed in Year 7
School staff deliver curriculum lessons in Primaries
School offers the Primary schools their curriculum specialists to support learning in the Primary setting
School initiates and invites dialogue with Primaries on Year 6 and Year 7 curriculum content to support continuity
School designs Cross-phase lessons and offers them to Primaries. Lessons are based on common curriculum topics spanning Year 6 and Year 7
School requests assessment data from Primary schools in core subjects
School observes pupils ‘best work’ in Year 6, and Year 7 tutors monitor progress
School have detailed knowledge of progress tracking in Primaries and invite Primary colleagues for a progress review/visit to school mid Year 7
Download the two forms necessary for you to complete this objective. It is a simple assessment form for you to use when compiling evidence.
Don't forget our Resources page has links and documents to help you as you progress through the Award.
Once you have completed the assessment form for all the objectives please send them to your Moving On Well Award Advisor who will then agree a date to visit your school for the in-person assessment.
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