Helping pupils move into Year 7 feeling known, welcomed and ready for the next stage.

Moving from primary school to secondary school is an important step for every child and every family. It brings new routines, new friendships, new teachers, new subjects and a growing sense of independence.

At Trinity, we understand that this move can feel exciting and unsettling at the same time. Our transition process is designed to help pupils feel known before they arrive, confident when they start, and supported as they become part of the Secondary community.

As an all through school, Trinity is well placed to understand the journey from Primary to Secondary. We know what children need as they move from Year 6 into Year 7, and we take time to help them settle, build relationships and begin Secondary school with confidence.

A planned and personal transition: pupils are supported before they arrive, during the move into Year 7 and throughout their first steps in Secondary school.

A planned and personal transition

Transition at Trinity begins before pupils arrive in September. We want families to feel informed, pupils to feel welcomed, and staff to understand each child as an individual.

Our transition programme gives pupils opportunities to visit the Secondary site, meet staff, get to know other pupils, ask questions, experience lessons and become familiar with the routines of Secondary school.

For parents and carers, transition is also about reassurance. We want families to understand who will support their child, how we communicate, what practical information they need, and how Trinity will help their child make a strong start.

One school, one journey

For pupils already at Trinity Primary, the move into Year 7 is part of one continuous journey from Reception to Year 11. Pupils are already part of the Trinity family, and the move to Secondary builds on the relationships, values, confidence and foundations developed in the Primary phase.

For pupils joining from other primary schools, we work carefully to help them feel just as welcomed and included. They are given opportunities to meet peers, learn about Trinity life, understand routines and begin building friendships before September.

This is the heart of our all through approach. Children are not simply moving to a new timetable. They are taking the next step in a long term journey of belonging, growth and ambition.

Leadership that understands the Primary journey

Year 7 transition is strengthened by the role of Ms Amanda Harvey, Head of Primary, who now leads Year 7.

This is an important part of the Trinity story. As Head of Primary, Ms Harvey understands the experiences, routines and relationships that shape pupils before they enter Secondary. Her leadership of Year 7 helps create a thoughtful bridge between Primary and Secondary, supporting pupils as they grow in independence while still feeling known, guided and cared for.

This means transition is not treated as a single event. It is understood as a carefully supported stage in each pupil’s development.

How transition works

Our transition programme includes several stages, helping pupils and families build confidence over time.

Stage	What this helps pupils and families do
Year 5 trial days	Experience a day in the life of Trinity Secondary and begin imagining the move into Year 7.
Open events and visits	See the school in action, meet staff and understand the atmosphere, routines and learning environment.
After offer day	Receive information, begin preparing for September and share important details with the school.
Buddy event	Meet other pupils, take part in activities and begin building friendships before September.
Parent information events	Understand routines, expectations, curriculum, pastoral care and the people who will support pupils in Year 7.
Additional transition support	Offer extra reassurance for pupils who may benefit from a smaller or more personalised transition experience.
Primary school conversations	Help Trinity understand pupils’ strengths, needs, friendships, confidence and any worries before they arrive.
Borough wide transition day	Spend time at Trinity with other pupils joining Year 7 and begin to feel part of the Secondary community.
Summer school	Build confidence, friendships and familiarity with the Secondary site before the start of term, where offered.
First day of Year 7	Begin Secondary life with support, guidance and adults ready to help pupils settle.

Year 5 trial days

Our transition work begins early. Year 5 trial days give pupils from local primary schools the chance to experience a day in the life of a Trinity Secondary pupil.

During these visits, pupils can take part in lessons, meet staff, move around the building and begin to imagine what Secondary school might feel like. These days help pupils understand the rhythm of Secondary life and give families an early opportunity to explore whether Trinity feels like the right fit.

Open events and school visits

We encourage families to visit Trinity before making a decision. Seeing the school in action helps parents and carers understand the atmosphere, relationships, routines and learning environment.

Open mornings, open events and tours give families a chance to meet staff, hear from pupils and experience the school community. For many families, visiting during the school day is especially helpful because it shows what Trinity feels like when pupils are learning, moving between lessons and taking part in everyday school life.

After offer day

Once families know their child has been offered a place at Trinity, the transition process becomes more personal.

We begin helping pupils and parents prepare for September by sharing information, inviting families into school and creating opportunities for pupils to meet staff and one another. This period is important because it helps pupils move from uncertainty to familiarity.

Our aim is for pupils to arrive in September already feeling that Trinity is becoming their school.

Buddy event

The buddy event helps new pupils begin building friendships and confidence before they start Year 7.

This event is designed to be friendly, welcoming and pupil centred. Pupils take part in games, team building activities and opportunities to get to know the school, staff and other children joining Year 7.

It also helps reduce some of the natural worries pupils may have about starting Secondary school. By the time September arrives, pupils have already seen familiar faces and begun to build connections.

Parent information events

Transition is not only for pupils. Parents and carers also need clear information, practical guidance and opportunities to ask questions.

Our parent events help families understand the next stage of their child’s journey. They provide information about routines, expectations, support, curriculum, pastoral care and the people who will work with pupils in Year 7.

These events also give parents and carers the opportunity to share anything important about their child. This helps us prepare well and support pupils more effectively from the start.

Additional transition support

Some pupils need additional reassurance before starting Secondary school. This may include pupils who are joining from a primary school on their own, pupils who feel anxious, pupils with SEND, pupils with EAL needs, children who are looked after, or pupils who may benefit from a smaller, quieter transition experience.

Where appropriate, pupils may be invited to an additional transition day before the wider borough transition day. This helps them become familiar with the school on a smaller scale, meet key adults and begin to feel more settled.

Families are encouraged to share any concerns during the transition process so that support can be considered early.

Working with primary schools

A strong transition depends on good communication between schools.

Trinity works with primary schools to gather helpful information about pupils before they arrive. This may include information about learning, friendships, confidence, SEND, pastoral needs, strengths, interests and any worries a pupil may have.

This helps us understand pupils as individuals. It also means staff can plan support more carefully and make sure pupils are not starting from zero when they arrive in Year 7.

Borough wide transition day

The borough wide transition day gives pupils the chance to spend time at their new Secondary school with other pupils who will be joining them in September.

At Trinity, this day helps pupils experience lessons, meet staff, learn about Family Groups and become familiar with practical information such as routines, uniform and key contacts.

It is an important milestone because pupils begin to see themselves as part of the Trinity Secondary community.

Summer school

Summer school gives pupils an additional opportunity to build confidence before September, where it is offered.

During summer school, pupils can get to know staff, develop friendships, take part in activities and become more familiar with the Secondary site. For many pupils, this helps reduce worries over the summer and makes the first day feel more manageable.

It can be especially helpful for pupils who are nervous about the move, joining without many familiar friends, or keen to feel more settled before the start of term.

The first day of Year 7

The first day of Year 7 matters. By this point, we want pupils to feel prepared, welcomed and ready to begin.

Pupils are supported as they learn new routines, meet their Family Group, understand expectations and start lessons. Staff are there to guide them through the practical details and help them settle into the rhythm of Secondary school.

Our aim is for pupils to begin Year 7 feeling that they belong at Trinity and that there are adults who know them, notice them and are ready to help.

Family Groups and daily support

Family Groups are an important part of Year 7 life. They give pupils a smaller daily community within the wider Secondary school.

Family Group leaders see pupils regularly and provide a consistent point of contact. Family Group time helps pupils prepare for the day, develop reading habits, learn through PSHE, build character, practise revision skills and take part in wider personal development.

This daily rhythm helps pupils feel known and supported as they grow in confidence and independence.

Learning in Year 7

Year 7 learning is broad, ambitious and carefully designed to build on Primary knowledge while introducing pupils to Secondary subjects.

Pupils study a wide range of subjects, including English, mathematics, science, humanities, religious education, languages, creative subjects, practical subjects, computing and physical education.

The Year 7 curriculum helps pupils develop strong foundations, subject vocabulary, independence and the habits needed for future study. It also gives pupils time to discover interests, build confidence and understand the opportunities available in Secondary school.

Opportunities to belong and grow

Settling into Secondary school is about more than finding classrooms and following a timetable. Pupils need opportunities to make friends, try new things and feel part of the wider school community.

Year 7 pupils are encouraged to take part in clubs, pupil leadership, house activities, sport, music, drama, faith opportunities and wider enrichment where available.

These opportunities help pupils grow in confidence, develop relationships and begin to see themselves as active members of Trinity Secondary.

Support for families

We know that parents and carers may have questions throughout the transition process. These may be practical questions about uniform, timings, equipment and lunches, or more personal questions about friendships, wellbeing, SEND, anxiety or learning.

Families are encouraged to contact the school if they have concerns. Early communication helps us work together and make the transition smoother for each child.

A confident next step

Transition to Secondary is a big moment, but pupils do not take that step alone.

At Trinity, pupils are welcomed into a community where they can be known, supported and challenged. Through careful transition, strong relationships, Family Groups, clear routines and wider opportunities, we help pupils begin Year 7 with confidence.

This is the next stage of the Trinity journey: helping pupils grow in belonging, ambition, character and readiness for the years ahead.

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