1. Primary to Post-Primary
Transition Issues
24th June 2008

2. Transition…
‘The transition is a change on a scale that makes transfer from first to second level a significant life event’ (O’Brien, M., 2004).
It involves a triple transition
From a familiar school environment to a new one
From familiar friendships and peer groups to new peer groupings
The developmental move from childhood to adolescence

3. Slides 10 and 11
Moving Up -ESRI/NCCA 2004

4. ESRI/NCCA Study of 900 pupils in First Year…
Most settle in by end of first week
25% settle by end of first month
1 in 6 take longer than that
Difficulties
Girls take longer than boys to settle
Students who are less self-confident and have a more negative view of themselves
Ethnic minorities including Travellers
Students have both positive and negative feelings about moving to post-primary school. Most tend to feel excited but nervous – moving from the familiar to the unfamiliar.
Main changes
More teachers/subjects. Different teachers for different subjects
Scale – possibly moving from a small school ( 2-3 teachers) to a large school, from same teacher/classroom to coping with timetable that requires classes to move at the end of each class period, having correct books for subjects, finding their way around - map
Longer day
Homework for different teachers

5. Post-primary schools Pre-entry contact
Open day – 5th and 6th class pupils/parents
Visit primary feeder schools
Meeting between 6th class teacher and PP personnel – students’ achievement, learning strengths and material covered at primary level
Tests – before or after entry to identify students who need learning support, to assign students to classes
Home school links – accessible information
Home School Community Liaison Co-ordinator
School Completion Programme – Transfer programmes
Transfer of information / Data Protection issues
S. 28 of Education Welfare Act as quoted in Assessment Guidelines p. 96 places a responsibility on the principal to pass on information regarding the welfare of a child to other professionals involved in supporting his/her education. Should schools get parents to sign consent form to pass on records to secondary school?

6. Induction
Positive school climate – encourage good relationships among students and between students and teachers
Induction day at the start of the school year
Role of class tutor/year head
Student mentor scheme
Clear and effective code of behaviour and anti bullying policy
Extra curricular activities

7. Helping with settling in (students)
Moving Up, pp.241 & 242
Social networks – having friends from primary school, being involved in extra curricular activities and having an older brother or sister in the school were seen by students as helping them to settle into post-primary school.
Nearly two thirds of students saw school personnel – class tutor, student mentors or subject teachers as playing a key role in their transition.
Moving Up -ESRI/NCCA 2004

8. Post-primary schools
Differ in how they structure the learning process for first-year students
Mixed ability groupings - students develop during the year, promote positive attitudes - more confident as learners
Streaming in a minority of schools – less common than in the 1990s
Labelling
Teachers moving too quickly or too slowly when covering subject material
Students in higher stream classes take longer to settle – increased pace / volume
Lower streams – less progress in reading and maths during first year
Positive attitude diminishes over the course of first year – less positive about school, teachers, own academic abilities

9. Opportunity to try out different subjects before selecting ones for the Junior Cert (no negative effect on students’ progress in reading and maths or on how well they settle in)
Delay subject selection until end of first year
Taster programmes
In 1/5 of schools students choose their subjects before or immediately on entry
Minority of schools - no choice of subjects
Monitoring of student progress
More progress in reading and mathematics where there is an emphasis on settling in
10% got learning support
Students with SEN - IEPs

10. Curriculum
It is important that subject teachers understand the teaching and learning approaches that characterise students’ experiences in primary schools
When post-primary teachers are familiar with the Primary School Curriculum they can help students to make connections with and build on the learning that has taken place in primary school
ESRI study identified a mismatch between the primary and post-primary curricula - especially Irish, English, Maths.
Positive about new subjects especially those with more practical elements – Technology etc.
Only half of post primary teachers feel they are familiar with the primary school curriculum. Almost 1/3 of students say that many subjects in first year repeat what they have already learned in primary school

11. Principles of Primary Curriculum
Integration
Unique individuals
Learn in different ways
Active involvement
Skills and concepts as well as content
Holistic development – personal, social, academic
Need to experience success – life long learners

12. Social, Environmental and Scientific Education (SESE)
Language
Gaeilge English
Mathematics
Social, Environmental and Scientific Education (SESE)
History Geography Science
Arts Education
Visual Arts Music Drama
Physical Education
Social, Personal and Health Education (SPHE)
Religious Education
The curriculum is presented in 7 curriculum areas – some of which are further divided into subjects. For example the subjects history, geography and science are grouped together as SESE. You will see from the curriculum books that each area is colour coded.
The development of curriculum for rel ed remains the responsibility of the different church authorities.

13. Post-Primary Fact Sheets
NCCA website: Information for 6th class parents, pupils, teachers to inform them about subjects at post primary level

14. Transition – some issues
Recurring event
A complex stage for students
Opportunities and challenges
Needs good planning

15. Transition issues
Workshop

16. Workshop
What practices in your schools promote positive experiences for all first year students?
Are there practices that could be improved?
Whole school
Subject departments
Individual teachers
Positive experiences for all students, including
students with special needs
students with exceptional ability
students for whom English or Irish is not their first language
students who have difficulty settling in to their new school?
Consider
Curriculum issues
Organisational issues
Pastoral care issues
Additional activity:
Individual reflection/homework: Devise an action plan for you rschool/subject department in relation to transition arrangements.