#802 Primary/Secondary Interschool Visits (Year 6-7 Transition)

Feedback from participants was overwhelmingly positive, especially with regards to how much they had learnt from the visits. Following the visits participants were invited to a meeting and the key outcomes were discussed. This in turn led to a curriculum bridging project in both English and Maths and the proposal for more in science, and over the language of behaviour. Some teachers immediately changed how they prepared their Y6 for their new schools in light of their observations.

All secondary schools were asked to choose a suitable day and a contact/lead to manage the visit and visitors. All the dates offered by secondary schools were listed and sent to primary schools by the NOA project manager so they could select the ones they wanted to attend. All primaries were asked to propose the staff they were sending and let the project manager know who they were and their contact details, which were then shared with the lead at the secondary school. The lead then sent them all the relevant information about the event and timetable etc directly. This was then repeated for the primary schools hosting the secondary schools.

It would have been better if we had asked the primary schools for their dates at the same time as the secondary schools. The idea for the secondary schools to host too came a little later and was therefore a bit rushed. It would have been better if all the secondary schools had taken up the primary school offers and sent more staff to each- not all primary schools had a secondary school visit them and not all secondary schools sent subject specific people to the primary schools. This was a bit of a wasted opportunity when paid cover was being offered to schools but this was possibly the result of primary visits not being planned with the same amount of lead in time.

Refreshments for parents and their children at the event. Teacher cover costs.