Primary to Post-Primary

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. 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

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

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 -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

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

11. Principles of Primary Curriculum Integration

13. Post-Primary Fact Sheets

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