Admissions and Transitions

Below gives more information about the support for various transition points including joining the school in Year 7

 

From Primary to Secondary school:

We want our new students to start off well in their new school.  The school gathers information from primary schools in preparation for transfer.  The school will already have significant information for children with an EHC Plan as a result of the consultation process and will attend the Year 6 Annual Review once a place is offered. 

For other children transferring to our school with a special educational need, the primary school will inform the SENCO of particular needs and current arrangements.  SEND information is also transferred directly to the secondary school in order to inform support needs.  In addition, the SENCO attends a SENCO meeting where primary schools share information about students with special needs with the relevant secondary school.

Information about the admission process to the school for children with SEND can be found here.

 

In addition, once a place is offered:

• The Year 7 team makes visits to many local primary schools to meet students transferring to the school and to collect information from their teachers. Where visits are not made, information is requested from the primary school to support transfer and class grouping
• Students are invited to attend an induction day with the rest of their tutor group allowing them to experience life at the school and start to make friends
• A New Intake Evening is held for parents/carers and students where important information is shared. Most new Year 7 tutors also attend this evening to meet their new tutees and their parents/carers.
• Parents are provided with an electronic transition booklet to provide them with an overview of how the school works.  Parents are also asked to fill in a google form to share information they may deem relevant for the school to know, to support their child's transition.
• An additional induction day is arranged for any student deemed by their primary school as particularly vulnerable and needing additional support to cope with the transfer.
• The school provides a Transition Booklet for key students with special educational needs which includes the names and pictures of key members of the Year Team and SEND support staff, a map and pictures of key areas of the school.     

 

On Entry to the School in Year 7

• All students complete cognitive ability and literacy tests so that any potential difficulties can be picked up at the earliest stage.
• The Pastoral Team works with parents/carers and students where there are concerns about settling in; this includes mentoring, group programmes and other support structures as needed.
• There is a Year 7 Information Evening in the first term to further answer any queries, but parents/carers are encouraged to contact the school if there are concerns.

 

From Key Stage 3 to Key Stage 4:

Year 8 students have an Opportunities at 13+ evening for students and their parents.

Students with special educational needs and their parents/carers are able to meet with the SENCO and discuss potential option choices and the transition to Key Stage 4. Students are also given information in assemblies and in Life lessons.

From Key Stage 4 to Key Stage 5:

An Opportunities at 16+ evening is held for Year 11 students and their parents to assist in the selection of courses at post 16. The school holds a “Sixth Former for the Day” event to allow students to try sixth form lessons and experience life in the sixth form.

External careers advice is also available.  In addition, students can access college information and receive support for applications for college courses and/or apprenticeships.

Opportunities to build independence such as walking to lessons without the support of an LSA (who remains within sight) are built into the school day.

School staff will liaise with any work experience placements to ensure that their staff are aware of student needs. Work Experience gives students a taste of a working environment and can help inform them about which course they would like to take, post-16.

Life skills such as: how to order food and buy goods are part of the speech and language targets for some students with an EHCP.  

From Key Stage 5 to Post sixth form work or study:

An evening meeting is held to provide parents with information about Higher Education; students are given support with the completion of UCAS applications; trips are taken to universities; visitors from Universities attend the school to speak to students. 

Those students progressing to college or apprenticeships also have a programme of support to help them with the next steps.

The "Next Steps" career fair run by the Trust’s schools provides further sources of information and is attended by 50+ external organisations.

External career advice is available.

There is specialist support in place from teachers, learning mentors and subject surgeries.