Transition Presentation

Slide1: 

Key Stage 3 National Strategy Key Stage 3 National Strategy Key Stage 2-3 Transition

Five main categories of activity: 

Five main categories of activity Administrative approaches: exchange of information - schools working together Pupil-centred approaches: preparing pupils for upheaval - helping them to cope Curriculum continuity approaches: exchanges of materials, teachers and bridging projects Pedagogic approaches: engaging pupils in new ways of learning Metacognitive approaches: pupils develop a language for thinking about learning and themselves as learners

The National Picture (1): 

The National Picture (1) Schagen and Kerr (1999) Pastoral systems well developed - provision for curriculum continuity and individual progression problematic The National Curriculum has not solved problems of continuity across points of transfer, mainly because: persistence of ‘fresh start’ attitude amongst secondary teachers different teaching approaches in the different phases

The National Picture (2): 

The National Picture (2) Little systematic evidence about the effects of transfer Hargreaves and Galton: 38% of pupils failed to achieve better in EN/MA tests after a year Rudduck : two out of every five pupils fail to make expected progress during the year after transfer Less positive attitude towards school in Year 7 - less engagement in lessons - particularly boys Certain groups make less progress: Boys in English Girls in mental maths Pupils on FSM Pupils with SEN and EAL

The National Picture (3): 

The National Picture (3) Reasons for pupils losing ground at transfer: Adjusting to new routine - e.g. journey, meals, new friends, more teachers and subjects Impact of summer break on knowledge Repetition of work Pupils feel lack of challenge - not like ‘taster’ sessions - under-estimates what they can do Group structures give pupils negative sense of themselves as learners

The National Picture (4): 

The National Picture (4) Wide belief that attainment declines over the summer, but little research evidence NFER 1998 research using Summer Schools : No evidence that summer schools led to an increase in scores in KS2 reading tests Overall decline in test scores from May to September changing summer term curriculum lack of practice in summer holiday anxiety of changing schools different motivation and practice for pre and post test

The National Picture (5): 

The National Picture (5) A similar Canadian study (1996) found: Decline was less evident in reading than maths and spelling Declines related to the students’ social class: middle class students sometimes gained in scores working class students declined

Developments: 

Developments Galton, Gray and Rudduck: We need radical strategies to: address the discontinuities in teaching approaches bridge the gap between students’ expectations and reality enable students to manage their own learning

Developments : 

Developments We need: strategies which make students look forward with excitement - in terms of opportunities to extend their learning, and to be more adult structures which allow students to ask about things they don’t understand - concerns about classroom learning and the expectations of their new teachers

Bridging Projects: 

Bridging Projects When successful they are valued by students Students like projects which involve working with existing secondary students, or where completed work is taken to their new school Some schools have a rather token approach to the work An effective strategy is to build the project into the normal part of an early secondary course More difficult to manage with a wide range of partnership primary schools

Building on Success: 

Building on Success The DFeS has: Introduced a common transfer form - can be used electronically Encouraged the setting up of summer schools summer schools - 75,000 students each year Developed transition modules in English and mathematics Enabled secondary teachers to see primary colleagues teach

Building on Success: 

Building on Success The DFeS will: Ensure better use of second half of summer term in primary schools - encourage secondary schools to receive some/all students for two or three weeks before holidays Provide further transitional teaching frameworks Extend summer schools Provide joint training for primary and secondary teachers Introduce Common Basic Data Set by 2002 Produce better catch-up programmes Provide better advice and support for parents

Main issues in Devon (and probably everywhere): 

Main issues in Devon (and probably everywhere) The timing of data and records transfer The availability of raw KS2 scores Cross-phase agreement on the accuracy of data Curriculum continuity - ‘starting again’ Behaviour

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Key Stage 3 National Strategy Key Stage 3 National Strategy Key Stage 2-3 Transition