Head of Year 7, Mrs Hinks, shares what students can expect as we help them prepare to move to Year 7.
Can you tell us more about how we help students transition from Junior to Senior School? Whilst we recognise that this can be an incredibly daunting time for Year 6 students, we also want them to see how exciting it is. Once a place is confirmed, each student will receive some information from me as their Head of Year. There is an ‘all about me form’ to complete and a booklet introducing you to all the key staff for Year 7. The Year 7 team, consisting of Miss Harrison, the Assistant Head of Year, and I, will arrange to visit every student either at their primary school or at Redmaids’ High. In the summer term, all students are invited to spend the day with us for their ‘induction day’, where they will meet other members of their tutor group and some teachers and have lots of fun on the school site. We host two activity days later in the summer, usually towards the end of August. This is another chance to get to know other students in the year group and become familiar with the school site whilst it is nice and quiet!
Once students start with us in September, we will have an exciting programme of activities focusing on developing the key skills you need during this important transition. We spend time in PSHE lessons thinking about developing friendship skills, tutor groups focus on team building, and then we end the first half term with two brilliant days of activities, further focusing on team building.
Do you meet every student before they join us in Year 7? Absolutely! If more than one student is joining us from a primary school, we visit the students at their school. If a student is joining us as a ‘singleton’, i.e., the only joiner from their school, they are invited to a special after-school event where they can meet other students in the same position.
What can students expect from the new starter days in the summer holidays? We pack a huge amount into these two days. Students spend the duration of their time with us in their new tutor groups and have an opportunity to spend time in the Food Technology department and Art and receive their new iPads, a real highlight! There are treasure hunts and photo challenges, which offer the group a chance to feel more familiar with the school site, and we have lots of games which encourage the groups to get to know each other, too.
What do we do as a school to help students settle in once they join us in September? Students are allocated a Year 8 buddy who is there should they have any questions; they also write a welcome card, which is shared with Year 6 on their induction day. In September, we introduce the year group to our Wellbeing Ambassadors, specially trained members of the Sixth Form who are really interested in supporting the wellbeing of our pupils.
Our experience working with this age group and with a single-sex cohort has helped us tailor our PSHE and tutor time (pastoral) programmes to support this transition. We can anticipate certain ‘pinch points’ in our students' calendars and offer pre-emptive support to manage these challenges.
Our two activity days in October are an excellent way to celebrate the end of the students’ first half-term with us. In tutor groups, students participate in various team-building activities, including a visit to an outdoor pursuit provider in Bristol. We also enjoy a pyjama party, with pizza and a movie!
Other extra-curricular activities, such as a year group visit to the pantomime at Bristol Hippodrome and various outdoor adventure trips, offer the students a chance to solidify some lasting friendships.
What is the most common thing students are concerned about with their transition from Year 6 to Year 7? An overwhelming number of students express how the size of the school can be daunting to them. They worry about getting lost and not arriving at lessons on time. They soon realise how lucky we are to have such a beautiful site, with spacious grounds for them to enjoy during break-out times. There is a timetabled 5-minute movement time between each lesson, which is plenty of time to get from class to class. Our friendly student body is used to helping Year 7 students who might look a bit lost, and the teachers are very understanding. In our August activity days, the school is empty, giving new students a real chance to get to know the various buildings and classrooms as they complete various fun challenges.
In addition to getting used to a new school environment, students moving up to Senior School also have to get used to a change in workload and homework. How do we help them prepare for this? This is always a common question when we visit students at their primary schools. We provide all students with a set homework timetable, which we expect them to adhere to, and ensure their study time outside school is well managed. Each day has no more than two subjects allocated, each lasting between 20-30 minutes. All students are frequently reminded that they should not exceed this time limit.
At the start of Year 7, only core subjects (English, Maths, and Science) will set homework for the first three weeks. We find that this helps students settle into new routines and allows them to become familiar with our online homework setting system, Firefly.
Do you have any advice for students preparing to join Redmaids’ High Senior School? Moving up to Senior School is the start of a truly wonderful adventure, and we are always so excited to get to know our new Year 7 cohorts. There will be many opportunities on offer, and I suggest always making the most of everything that comes your way. Try new things, even if they initially make you feel uncomfortable or nervous.
In preparation for the start of Year 7, it is key to ensure that you have a good routine in place at home regarding sleep and device use. The start of the new term will be tiring, and plenty of rest and screen-free time is so important.
For more about joining our school come and visit us at our Open Morning, Saturday 28 September, we'd love to meet you! For more information please click HERE.