Settling In and Making Friends
Year 7: Settling In and Making Friends
We place great emphasis on ensuring that the transition from primary to secondary school is as smooth as possible and an exciting and happy experience for your child. Firstly, they will receive a booklet telling them about everything that will happen before and after they start with us. Our staff then go out to all of our main feeder schools to say ‘hello’ to the children, talk to their teachers and learn all about them and their abilities and needs. Any extra support that is needed will be noted so that it can be in place when your child comes to us. SEND staff will also make contact where appropriate. |
Induction
In July, there will be induction events that will enable your child to meet their new teachers and classmates. They will come to an induction evening and have a tour of the school. There will also be a meeting for all new parents and carers which you are strongly encouraged to attend. Most importantly, all new learners will come to a block of taster days, where they attend lessons, make new friends, get to know their teachers, get used to the behaviour and rewards system, and begin to feel at home in the academy.
Pastoral support is one our strengths. Every child who joins us will clearly know who to talk to if they have things on their mind. That support is with them throughout their school career. Every year group, for example, has a Learning Manager - a dedicated member of non-teaching staff associated with that cohort. When children join us in September, some come with several friends from primary school and some don’t know anyone else. This is nothing to worry about and learners find they make friends within the first few lessons of starting in Year 7! |
Some of my friends joined St James Academy at the same time as me but we also made new friends when we came on induction day because some of us were in different classes. It was good to meet new friends.
Carter P Year 7
Mr. Cole is the senior leader in charge of the induction process. He can be contacted at [email protected].