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xLife at School: Transition to Secondary School
Date: 14th August 2019
Category:
Respect for the views of the child, Education, Leisure and Cultural Activities, Education, including vocational education
Author:
Children's Parliament
Aberdeen children advise on how to get the transition from primary to secondary right for them.
In the ambit of the ‘Imagining Aberdeen’ project, the Imagineers – a group of 25 children from across the city, aged 9 to 12 - have reflected on their experiences of transitioning from primary to secondary school. The Imagineers have shared what is going well, what isn’t and identified what primary and secondary schools can do to support children’s transition.
Recommendations to primary schools include:
- organise more visits for children to the secondary school
- help children think about how to make friends
- inform children on the rules in the new school
- during visits to the secondary school, the children should take part in more lessons, meet new teachers and get a more detailed tour of everything about the school, including the local area
- children should do more advanced work during primary school to be better prepared for secondary school work
- primary school teachers should visit the secondary school more, so they can help their children get ready for learning at the secondary school
Recommendations to secondary schools include:
- make sure there is enough help, so that children understand the work
- provide children an opportunity to learn things they are interested in and things that are helpful for their future
- have lunchtime and after school clubs, including sports
- help children that can’t afford things like a uniform or shoes
- getting more staff to help in preventing fights
- letting children use their phones
- give less homework
This, as well as the other activities within the project aim to provide children a platform for sharing messages important to them, and help adults better understand children’s experiences and aspirations.