Year 6 Transition

A message from our Transition Leader

Hello to all the Year 6 who are getting ready to be our new Year 7 and to your families.

The move to secondary school can be a big step for a child, in fact for all the family, and for some it can create all sorts of questions and even a few fears. The world of ‘big school’ and of Key Stage 3 can seem forbidding and very different but in our experience every child will rise to the challenge and enjoy real success at their new school. They will be expected to aspire to the highest standards, contribute to the life of the school and respect others within it.

We are currently in the process of speaking to all the Year 6 teachers to gather information about our new students and I hope that I will be able to go and visit students at their primary schools during the summer term.

We want to give you our assurance that the Year 6 students progression and transition to OIEA will be done safely and securely and is always the top of our list.

We can’t wait to see and meet you all, until then if you have any queries or questions, please feel free to contact me at the Academy via email on [email protected].

Mrs S Callaghan

Mrs Callaghan will be the Transition Lead for Year 7. She will oversee all aspects of transition and support students to make a fantastic start at OIEA. Along with the rest of our OIEA family, she is incredibly excited to meet you all.

All Year 7s will be in a Tutor Group and will be allocated into a House. Form Tutors will be the first port of call for parents as they will see the students every day during form time and Head of House staff will be there to support parents and students.

Many of the subjects that students study at secondary school will be familiar to them from primary school. Some subjects might be new though, which is really exciting.

The subjects studied in Year 7 are: Mathematics, English, Science, Geography, History, French, Religious Education, Information Technology, Art, Drama, Design and Technology, Music, PE and Literacy. They will also have a lesson each week on Personal, Social and Health Education.

Please refer to our school day page.

In most subjects in Year 7 students are taught in the tutor groups. In some subjects (Maths, Science, English) there is setting or streaming. This is based normally on Key Stage 2 SATS and CATs tests. CATs tests are nationally recognised tests that are run by GL Assessment.

These tests are taken early in September and require no preparation or revision. As there are no SATs this year, setting will be based on CATs and teacher assessments.

There are usually between 22-30 students in each class according to subject.

Homework is an important part of learning at OIEA and is set every school day. All homework is set using the online ShowMyHomework website. Parents and students are provided with a login for this. Students will be asked to complete homework for at least one subject per night. There is more information on homework in the ‘Parents’ section of our website.

Students can use the Learning Resource Centre (LRC) before school from 8am, at break and lunch, and after school until 4pm as a place to do their homework. Our LRC staff are there to support students with their research.

Please refer to our uniform page.

We are very proud of our canteen team and the lovely food that they prepare and serve daily. We provide a service at breakfast, break and lunchtime. Most parents pay for the service using Parent Pay (information on our website). Free school meals are available to eligible students. Students pay for their food using a thumbprint. Students are also welcome to bring packed lunches if that is your preference.

For the first few weeks, Year 7 students go to lunch a little earlier than other year groups, so that they have time to get familiar with the new systems.

OIEA is a fairly big site compared to some primary schools. To help students find their way around, we have lots of signs around the school to help. Each building has a corresponding letter and each classroom in that building has a number so you will get used to what areas are where.

During the first few weeks we will have lots of staff around the site to help you. Our older students are brilliant at helping the younger students find their way.

We recommend that you watch the transition video that will be released on the virtual transition days (2nd and 3rd July) and we hope to spend some time to with just this year group on return in September top help and support them with this.

In Year 7 most subjects are taught in tutor groups. However, in some subjects such as Maths, you will be in sets and will be with different students. You will also mix with new students in social time and in clubs and activities. It is a great time to make new friends!

We want all of our students to be happy at school and to have the opportunity to be successful. However, there are moments in our lives where things can go wrong and we get upset or worried.

The most important person for a new Year 7 student is their form tutor. Students see their form tutor every day and they are there to listen to any problems or concerns that you have and if needed, pass on those concerns to others. Parents and carers can contact form tutors if they have concerns that they want to share.

If you are struggling with a subject your teacher is there to support you. If you need help with homework, you can message your teachers using Show My Homework. You normally have a week to complete homework, so there is plenty of time to ask for help.

You will need a letter from home advising us what time you need to leave school. When you are due to leave you take you letter to Student Reception who will sign you out. If you are returning to school after an appointment, you come back via Student Reception and sign back in.

If your appointment is early, so you arrive at school after the start of the school day, you go straight to Student Services on arrival and sign in.

We recommend that a copy of the letter or the appointment card is brought with you for our records. If you have received an appointment by text then this can be forwarded to the academy.

We also recommend making appointments out of school time where possible.

You will need to bring a super-positive attitude and a smile!

Also, you will need a pencil case and equipment, a sensible bag (it is useful to have one that is waterproof and big enough to fit an A4 folder in!), a coat and a bottle of water.

You can bring your phone to school however at morning address your phones will be handed over into storage and handed back at the end of the day.

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