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Family School Partners                May 2010

Transition from Primary to Secondary

In this issue we're going to focus on some of the issues related to parents and schools working together to ensure a successful transition for students from primary to secondary school.

Back in November 2008, we told you about the parent workshops being conducted on this topic by Angie Wilcock and her company High Hopes Educational.

Since then, she's conducted many more workshops, written many articles and addressed conferences including last year's combined ACSSO/APC National Conference on Education. We asked Angie to give us her informed, personal view of where we are in managing primary-secondary transition.

Transition to High School - Have We Done Enough?

A report on the outcomes of parent focus groups conducted early in 2009 by the Family-School Community Partnerships Bureau identified transition to high school as an issue of concern for parents, and one which needed stronger leadership from schools.

Opinion favoured more serious efforts to help parents transition as their child moves to high school, with many believing that "this could cement good relationships between the school and its new families to the long-term benefit of all parties".

So, are we moving towards a stronger commitment to what has been widely recognised and acknowledged as one of the most critical phases in our children's  growth and development? Parent groups and organisations are certainly becoming more vocal in their wish to be more involved in this phase - not only at the school front, but also at the home front. Bottom line - parents WANT information, they WANT training, they WANT to be involved! For the past four years that I have been working with parents and students in this area of transition, it is abundantly clear that the thirst for information and support is not yet quenched!

How are we currently meeting this need...and is it enough? Initiatives at the school level, whilst perhaps differing from one school to the next, remain fairly constant - high school 'links' programs offering subject/teacher 'familiarisation' sessions for students; orientation sessions for parents; information and 'transition tips' uploaded on Department of Education websites etc. These initiatives offer a basic platform of support - but what about the everyday, practical issues which concern both parents and their children at home? Is this support enough? Frankly - no!

The importance of a successful transition from primary to high school has been vastly underestimated - as already mentioned, parent groups and organisations are demanding more support. Since presenting my work at the ACSSO and APC National Education Conference in Hobart last October, I have had requests from state and independent schools' State parent organisations in WA, SA, Victoria and the ACT to work with parent groups and to speak at conferences on the importance of this transition phase and HOW parents can develop and maintain a strong and effective partnership in their children's education. Have the schools themselves been as proactive? In general, unfortunately, no.

Concerns expressed by parents in the Bureau's 2009 parent focus groups are not unique to Australian families. Two UK studies, the Manchester Transition Project (initiated 2002 and still evolving!) and the Department of Children, Schools and Families "What Makes a Successful Transition from Primary to High School?" study in 2008 (report released 2009) reveal the same kind of concerns as expressed by families here.

The Manchester Transition Project, whilst focusing attention on transitioning families from pre-school ('nursery') to school, has had an enormous and positive impact on strengthening the relationship between schools and families in what is broadly seen as a "socially disadvantaged" area. Not all school principals and staff showed enthusiasm for the 'Project' for a variety of reasons, but the results have been outstanding in terms of drawing communities together for the common goal of providing opportunity and a positive, and hopefully long-term, 'connection' to education. One teacher involved in the project claimed, "It seems at last the two polar opposites are supporting each other and working together as a team to educate their child."

The Department of Children, Schools and Families longitudinal study on successful transition to high school canvassed six Local Authorities (or regions) and more than 500 families. A series of surveys and questionnaires included in the study revealed that, when asked about some of the issues 'worrying' parents about entering high school 53% claimed Bullying was their prime concern, but a combined 49%  claimed that Amount of Homework (26%)  and Level of Work (23%)was of major concern; on the issue of what primary schools can do better to help prepare students for high school, a staggering 34.5% of parents believed that students needed better preparation in the area of Yr 7 and increased homework. This figure was followed by 19.7% of parents requesting increased induction and information sessions.

The study concluded that to ensure children’s transitions are successful, "all three areas (social adjustment, institutional adjustment and curriculum interest and continuity) need to be taken into account when planning transition strategies at Local Authority level". Subsequently, plans are underway to tackle the identified needs in these areas.

As parents we know that not every child is destined to achieve academic greatness - but every child is entitled to be provided with the best chance to achieve his or her potential. Transition from one phase of education to another is significant - it should not be under-estimated or simply waved aside as 'part of growing up'. Too much anecdotal and research evidence is on offer to suggest otherwise.

Bottom line, parents need to convince schools and school principals that more attention is needed in this area of transition - more information, more staff training, more guidance on ways to support their child's learning at home - this is a TEAM effort!

 "Parental interest in their child's  education is the single most powerful predictor of achievement by age 16" (BECTA study, 2009) - strong statement? You bet! 

Angie Wilcock

High Hopes Educational Services
http://www.highhopes.com.au

Further Reading

The Manchester Transition Project

Implications for the Development of Parental Involvement in Primary Schools

Alan Dyson, Centre for Equity in Education, University of Manchester with Emma Beresford and Erica Splawnyk, Manchester Education Partnership, 22-Feb-2007

The Transition Project is a programme for training and supporting primary school staff in working with parents to build strong relationships, good two-way communication, effective support, and involvement in their children’s education from the outset.

This report presents findings from the first phase of this evaluation. Its particular focus is not simply to repeat the earlier review, but to focus on identifying what might be learned from the Project about how schools and teachers can be supported to enhance their work with parents.

Download the report: http://www.dcsf.gov.uk/research/data/uploadfiles/RW95.pdf

What Makes a Successful Transition from Primary to Secondary School?

Findings from the Effective Pre-school, Primary and Secondary Education 3-14 (EPPSE) Project

Maria Evangelou, Brenda Taggart, Kathy Sylva, Edward Melhuish, Pam Sammons and Iram Siraj-Blatchford,  31-Jan-2008

The transitions sub-study of more than 500 children and families sheds light on current transition practices and highlights what helps and hinders a successful transition.

It takes into account the influence of child and family background characteristics such as socio-economic status (SES) and gender.

It suggests how the transition experience could be improved to enhance the smooth continuity between primary and secondary school.

Download the report: http://www.dcsf.gov.uk/research/data/uploadfiles/DCSF-RR019.pdf

Lessons Learned Report

Transition Information Sessions, Demonstration Project 2006-08

Anne Page, Family and Parenting Institute, 31-Jul-2008

Transition Information Sessions for parents (also known as “Starting School and Moving On” sessions) were developed within the demonstration project as one-off events, lasting about an hour but with extra time for any refreshments and informal discussion.

They aim to:

• Lay the foundations for building effective home/school partnerships by welcoming all parents and carers with a child joining reception class, secondary, middle or high school.
• Give all parents - mothers, fathers and other carers - information, ideas and an opportunity for discussion about parenting issues, including how to keep their child safe, happy and learning.
• Give parents information about local and national services which offer families information, advice, help and practical support.

Download the report: http://www.dcsf.gov.uk/research/data/uploadfiles/DCSF-RW055.pdf

School Transition Programs – Do they make a difference?

Mark Walker, Mark's Learning Log, posted 22 November 2009

During our school review we identified student transition as an area to improve student engagement and connectedness to school. Our transition program aims to provide smooth pathways for students moving from one year level to the next or from location to another. Most of the research on this topic is about students transitioning to high school

At Elsternwick Primary there are three transition programs: the pre prep program for those entering our school, the in school program for those students continuing their education at Elsternwick Primary and the year 6 secondary school placement program.

Most parents are familiar with the successful pre prep program which now extends over 5 sessions in November and early December. This article focuses on the in school program, which is relatively new.

Read more at: http://mwalker.com.au/?p=910

Mark Walker is a Melbourne-based teacher, principal and workshop leader on educational leadership and school improvement.

Helping Middle School Students Make the Transition into High School

Nancy B. Mizelle, Clearinghouse on Elementary and Early Childhood Education, August 1999

The importance of parents being involved in their young adolescent students' transition from middle to high school can hardly be overestimated. When parents are involved in their student's transition to high school, they tend to stay involved in their child's school experiences (Mac Iver, 1990); and when parents are involved in their child's high school experiences, students have higher achievement (Linver & Silverberg, 1997; Paulson, 1994), are better adjusted (Hartos & Power, 1997), and are less likely to drop out of school (Horn & West, 1992).

Parent involvement in the transition process to high school can be encouraged through a variety of activities. Parents may be invited to participate in a conference (preferably at the middle school) with their child and the high school counselor to discuss course work and schedules, visit the high school with their child in the spring or in the fall, spend a day at the high school to help them understand what their child's life will be like, and help design and facilitate some of the articulation activities for students.

In planning activities for parents, high school educators will want to remember that parents of students who are already in high school are an excellent resource for other parents and may also help to encourage new parents to be more involved in school activities.

At the middle school level, teachers and administrators can inform parents about transition activities and encourage them to participate. Perhaps more importantly, they can work to keep parents involved in their child's education and school activities during the middle school years so that they are comfortable "coming to school" and confident that their involvement makes a difference in their child's  academic success.

Read more at: http://ceep.crc.uiuc.edu/eecearchive/digests/1999/mizell99.pdf

A Review of Middle Schooling Concepts and Approaches

Trevor Cobbold, NTCOGSO, September 2005

The middle years of schooling usually refer to the ages from about 10 to 14.

There is increasing focus on middle years education in Australia. Numerous reports have identified student alienation and disengagement as contributing to under-achievement by many students in the middle years.

The transition between primary and secondary school generally involves a dramatic change in teaching methods and school organization which can contribute to problems of adjustment, self-esteem and motivation that affect learning outcomes.

Read more at: http://www.ntcogso.org.au/topics/pdf%27s/A%20Review%20Of%20Middle%20School%20Concepts%20&%20Approaches.pdf

The Effects of Pupil Grouping: Literature Review

Peter Kutnick, Judy Sebba, Peter Blatchford, Maurice Galton and Jo Thorp, with Helen MacIntyre and Lucia Berdondini, 27-Oct-2005

This extended review of the literature on pupil grouping includes an analysis and synthesis of current and yet to be published research to identify types of grouping suited to particular pupils, the range of organisational policies regarding pupil grouping within schools that are related to different levels of performance and subjects suited to particular types of grouping.

The review also considers how type of grouping may affect pupil learning and how the transition from primary to secondary school may be affected by various pupil groupings.

This review of the literature draws upon studies undertaken in primary and secondary schools.

Read more at: http://www.dcsf.gov.uk/research/data/uploadfiles/RR688.pdf

Primary-secondary transition: support materials

NSW Public Schools website

This resource is designed to assist schools in developing successful primary to secondary school transition programs, from an initial audit of needs, through development, to successful and ongoing implementation. It acknowledges and builds upon the current work and achievements of many NSW government schools in the development of effective, comprehensive transition programs.

This resource is intended to support staff in primary and secondary schools who wish to develop and implement effective transition programs. These materials comprise:

• research information about primary to secondary transition
• a possible process for developing and reviewing a transition program
• a suggested approach to auditing current activities, needs and opportunities for transition
• factors that could be considered when implementing and evaluating a transition program
• case studies of transition activities and programs in NSW government schools.

Read more at http://www.schools.nsw.edu.au/gotoschool/highschool/transitions/index.php

Transition from Primary to Secondary: Managing the Process

David Messum, Head of Service at Conwy Social Inclusion Service in Wales, gave this presentation to the 2nd National Conference of the All Wales Mental Health Promotion Network in October 2008. Among some interesting research findings he offers this table:

Download the PowerPoint presentation notes at http://www.iechydmeddwlycyhoedd.org/w-docopen.cfm?orgId=749&id=107356