The transition from Junior School (Year 6) to Senior School (Year 7) is an exciting milestone! At Sidcot, we ensure this step is a gradual, well-supported, and positive experience, designed to prepare all students for the academic and social life of our Senior School, whether they are moving up from our Junior School or joining us from a different primary school.
Academic Preparation
At Sidcot, we start preparing our students early, building confidence and familiarity with the Senior School environment and expectations, and laying a strong foundation for continued learning. Ways in which we do this include:
From as young as Pre-School, our pupils begin building the essential soft skills that allow them to become confident learners as they 'step up' into Senior School. Curiosity, a love of learning, and self-assuredness are just some of the traits that we see throughout our pupils by the time they reach J6; the ideal building blocks for success as they continue into secondary school. In addition, we're proud to offer specialist subject lessons to all our Junior School pupils, provided by expert staff, in areas such as the Arts, Languages and Science. This ensures all students develop a solid foundation of knowledge that will allow for a strong start in secondary school.
Throughout their final year in the Junior School, Year 6 students participate in special transition lessons in key subjects, including Mathematics, English, the Sciences, Computing and Modern Foreign Languages (MFL). These lessons are held in specialist rooms on the Senior School campus (such as our Science Labs) and taught by Senior School staff, allowing students to become familiar with the facilities and teaching style they will encounter in Year 7.
Our dedicated Bridging Curriculum events for Years 5 to 8 are designed to link the learning styles and content of the Junior School curriculum with the more detailed, structured approach of Year 7, ensuring seamless academic progression. Crucially, these events bring Junior and Senior School students together in mixed-age groups, providing a platform for Senior students to hone vital leadership and coaching skills, while Junior pupils develop confident relationships with older peers and staff, benefiting from invaluable peer mentorship.
For all students joining Year 7, including external students, we challenge them to complete a fun summer project ahead of starting in September. This helps to ease students into the academic step-up and provides a creative 'common ground' for the entire year group. By arriving with a finished piece of work to showcase, every student has an immediate talking point with their new peers and teachers. This ensures that everyone starts the term feeling confident, connected, and ready to share their ideas.
Pastoral Care
We understand that moving to Senior School is a big step. Our strong pastoral structure ensures every student feels supported. Some of the systems our students cite as being particularly beneficial during the transition period are:
There is close and consistent liaison between Junior School and Senior School staff, as well as with external Junior Schools and parents, ensuring we have a detailed understanding of each student’s academic profile and social needs before they start Year 7. We also host an early Welfare Parents' Evening focused purely on settling in, before shifting to academic focus.
This individual is the primary, daily contact and advocate for your child. They are the first person a student or parent should talk to about any concern. To ensure quick integration and new friendships, tutor groups are intentionally mixed. We carefully balance students coming up from our Junior School with those joining from other schools to form new, cohesive social units, ensuring a smooth transition for everyone.
Peer support in the form of one-to-one mentoring sessions can be arranged to further support Third Form students who need an extra helping hand. In these sessions, they meet with a Sixth Form student who listens to their concerns and offers guidance.
For students who may benefit from extra support, we provide enhanced transition plans.
Students are also supported by their Head of Year, Kate Jones, and can access further support systems, including Rose Cottage (our Wellbeing Hub), the Health Centre, the Safeguarding Team, and Student Wellbeing Ambassadors. This is all a part of our approach to providing the best pastoral care so that students can feel confident being themselves and focus on their learning.
Key Transition Events
In addition, we host a number of events throughout the year designed to integrate all new students and make the transition tangible and fun:
- Third Form Taster Evening (Autumn Term): This event is for all prospective parents and students to trial Year 7 at Sidcot and start the transition process. Sample a range of lessons, get to know future classmates (and parents), enjoy a delicious school meal and fun introduction activities, and spend time with key pastoral contacts, Head of Year 7, Kate Jones, and Head of Lower School, Alex Lickorish.
- Third Former for a Day (Spring Term): Incoming Year 7 students who have already accepted their place at Sidcot spend a full day in the Senior School, where they can experience a typical Year 7 timetable, explore the Senior School campus, and get a feel for Senior School social life, from the clubs on offer to our popular on-site cafe!
- Third Form Fun Games Morning (Summer Term): This event provides an excellent opportunity for internal and external Year 7 applicants to form and develop friendships in an informal setting. The morning is designed to have students integrate and get to know one another, all while having fun!
- Transfer Day (Summer Term): At the very end of the J6 academic year, this day provides a crucial touchpoint for all our incoming Year 7 students. Before the long summer holidays, our students are able to refamiliarise themselves with the campus, their teachers, and their new classmates, easing any anxiety about returning in September.
- Boarding Experience (Summer Term): Junior School pupils can also participate in a boarding night in the summer term, sampling the supportive, social atmosphere of our boarding houses and getting a taste of what it's like to be a UK flexi-boarder at Sidcot.
- Dedicated Induction Day: All Year 7 students have a dedicated Induction Day at the start of the Autumn Term before the main school returns. This allows them to focus on finding their way around, locating their locker, understanding their timetable and getting to know their classmates and teachers without the bustle of the older students.
Life in Senior School
The transition doesn’t end on the first day of term; Year 7 is a dedicated year of discovery where we encourage students to be brave, curious, and proactive. A central part of this journey is our specialist lesson carousels, which allow students to rotate through a diverse range of subjects and workshops. This approach ensures they develop a broad set of skills, from creative arts to technical innovation, helping them find where their true interests lie. This spirit of exploration extends seamlessly into our extra-curricular programme, where students are actively supported to try everything from Lego Robotics and Model UN to Tennis or Drama. By sampling this vast array of opportunities, students build a rich social circle and uncover hidden talents and passions in a low-pressure, encouraging environment.
To thrive in this new landscape, students are empowered to take increasing responsibility for their own learning and organisation. We provide the practical framework to support this independence, such as providing students with a locker, a personalised timetable, and a home learning system. By mastering these tools, students learn to manage their workload and multiple subject teachers with confidence. Ultimately, we guide our Year 7s to take ownership of their education, encouraging them to make the most of the wealth of opportunities on offer so they can shape their own unique Sidcot experience.