Transitioning to Smithdon High School

We recognise that starting secondary school or changing school is a big step and we do all we can to aid the transition process. 

Please click here to see all the ways in which we work with our primary schools to ensure a smooth, continuous transfer from primary to secondary education.

Year 6 into Year 7

Although we have many primary feeder schools, both within and outside the catchment, we pride ourselves on ensuring that we meet each and every Year 6 student and their parent(s) in the summer term before they start at Smithdon High School in September. We also speak to every Year 6 teacher, to ensure continuity from primary to secondary school.

We get to know the children in our catchment area over many years, including:

• We send our students and teachers out to the primary schools to work with all year groups on reading projects, science days, musical and sports events and more
• In Year 5 we invite every student in our feeder schools to visit Smithdon for our taster days. These are a great opportunity for the younger children to get to know our school, our staff and other students to become part of our friendly community.

For those Year 6 children with a confirmed place at Smithdon our carefully planned induction programme commences in March with visits from a member of the senior leadership team, Year 7 pastoral manager and a Year 7 student, to all the children in their primary school setting. During June we hold face to face meetings with all families at Smithdon to get to know the children and their families and answer any question. Then in July we hold a Transition Day for all Year 6 to spend a day with Smithdon staff and students, experience some lessons and meet their new peers. Also during this time we speak to all the Year 6 teachers and SEND teams to ensure as smooth a transition as possible between schools.  

Pupils will be contacted by their form tutor before the summer holiday and we encourage pupils to write back to their tutor to start building that all important relationship.

Finally in September, we start with Year 7 in school first, this gives the new year group a chance to get used to the site whilst quiet,  get to know the rest of their tutor group, make new friends and settle quickly into our school.

For any information on our transition events or other admission enquiries please contact us.  Please see the link below for additional help:

Transition Toolkit from Young Minds

Other year group (and in-year) transitions:

When an application to join Smithdon High School from another school has been accepted and a start date confirmed, we will contact your child’s current school to gain academic information to date and any other information to help us in ensuring a smooth transition to our school (including any SEN information).

If there is anything specific you would like us to know about your child, please do contact us before their first day to make us aware of the information.

In the first few days, your child will be allocated a buddy from within their new tutor group to help them to find their way around the site and to introduce them to their peers and key staff members. There may be a need for us to assess your child’s Maths and/or English ability with a short test paper to ensure that they are placed in the most appropriate sets for English, Maths and Science but this will be kept to a minimum to ensure the focus is on settling into their new environment.