Transition between primary school and secondary school is a significant life event which is both exciting and daunting, providing students with the opportunity to experience new subjects, challenges and meet new friends in a larger school environment. At King’s Academy Bay House, we are passionate about all pupils experiencing a positive transition as this helps set the foundation for their time at secondary school.
Meet the Teams
Mrs Arnold
Mrs Arnold is the transition lead at King’s Academy Bay House. It is her role to organise and support learners moving from year 6 into year 7.
In the summer term the new year 7 team will also offer support, visiting learners in their current school and learning all about them. The year team offers pastoral and academic progress support for learners throughout their time at King’s Academy Bay House.
On the first day of school in September, our new year 7 learners will meet their tutor. They will see their tutor at the start of every school day and so they are the first point of contact for any questions or support needed.
Admissions
Once you have been notified that you have been successful in obtaining a place for your young person at King’s Academy Bay House, you will be contacted by our Admissions department. They will send you all of the registration forms and details of other key information required as part of your acceptance of the place offered. Everyone who is allocated a place will be invited to our ‘Welcome to Secondary School Evening’ which is held in the first half of the summer term.
Work with Primary/Junior Schools
Throughout the Summer term, our transition team will be engaging with the Year 6 teams in the primary/junior schools to ensure a smooth transition for each individual. We will discuss each individual student regarding their academic levels and their social and behavioural development. This is an essential part of the transition process which will enable us to really get to know our students and to start to build a positive working relationship with them.
Students are arranged into tutor groups ready for their September start. The Tutor will become a key adult for the student and will be someone they have daily contact with. When students begin with us, we concentrate on the messages of fresh starts, kindness to all and friendships. We encourage students to remember that they will make lots of new friends and active participation in clubs and societies will help them to settle swiftly into secondary school life.
Transition Days
We offer transition days to all students which will take place in July. During these visits, students will experience a ‘day in the life of a Bay House student’ and will participate in a variety of lessons. These lessons will be confirmed nearer the time of the visits as they are subject to change.
KS2-3 Transition arrangements for children with an EHCP
The district of Fareham and Gosport has 9 secondary schools, all with an inclusive ethos and commitment to meeting the needs of young people with an EHCP. A crucial stage of these young people’s school journey is phase transfer from KS2-3. Where managed successfully, this can have a powerfully positive impact on their chances of success at secondary school, and consequently into adult life. An individual school’s capacity to meet the needs of its children with additional needs is another important factor in enabling these young people to be successful. Consequently, it is desirable that there is a level of equity and certainty about the number and identity of children joining each secondary school each year. Therefore, Fareham and Gosport secondary schools agree and endorse an approach which encourages as many families as possible to choose their catchment school as the secondary school for their child with an EHCP.
Sometimes, a school will have certain features which make it an obviously appropriate choice – for example if it has a Resourced Provision suited to an individual child’s specific needs. However, in almost all instances, it will be the case that the child’s catchment secondary school will be able to meet their individual needs. All schools tend to share similar characteristics, resource and provision in this respect.
In this case, it is likely that a child being placed in their local secondary catchment school will have several benefits to them, for example:
- The logistical/geographical advantages of living near to their secondary school and the likely positive knock-on effects of easy travel to school and on attendance and punctuality.
- The opportunity to meet and form friendships and social relationships with other young people who live nearby and with whom they can spend time with outside of school.
- Easier access to before and after-school support and extra-curricular clubs and activities, important for wider engagement in school and the development of other interests, skills, confidence and cultural and social capital.
Please contact Mike Bowen (mbowen@kgabayhouse.uk) if your child has an EHCP and you are considering joining our school in September.
Additional Support
We realise that transition is different for everyone and some students require further support. If you are concerned about your young person transitioning to King’s Academy Bay House, please do not hesitate to speak to your junior school or contact the King’s Academy Bay House transition team by emailing: transition@kgabayhouse.uk.
Please ensure that we have your most up to date contact information. We will only use the details that have been provided on your initial application to Hampshire County Council. If this is not up to date, you can provide us with alternative contact details by emailing: transition@kgabayhouse.uk. Please state your young person’s full name, DOB and current school on any emails that you send to us.
If you have any questions or concerns regarding transition, please do not hesitate to contact the transition team.