Making the Transition

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Making the Transition

• Nicole Lyons

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Context

• Minster School, Southwell Humanities Specialism
• Work to improve transition between Primary and
  Secondary Geography
• School has strategies to improve transition
  between Secondary and Degree Level Geography

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Why is it important to manage the transition?

• It is important for pupils to study Geography, as
  it is relevant to their lives and will teach them
  to consider the world that they live in carefully
• Pupils must have a consistent (and good)
  experience of Geography
• We want to encourage pupils to continue to study
  Geography post-14

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Why is the transition difficult to manage?

• Communication main limiting factor
• Important for the same subject to be presented
  throughout education
• Equally important for difficulty and complexity
  to increase throughout education
• Breadth of subject allows for flexibility but
  can be difficult to manage

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What do you want from other people?

• Not clear what we our own responsibility is
• Not clear what others would like us to do
• A good idea of this may improve transition
• ACTIVITY
• Write a list of three things that you would like
  the next/previous phase of education to do to aid
  the transition process

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Feedback

• Clear information at what is taught in
  neighbouring phases repetition, continuity
• Prevention of gaps and overlaps
• Advice on assessment
• Resources
• Visits
• Encourage pupils to continue to study Geography

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How can we actually aid transition?

• Practical advice rather than philosophy
• Use of expertise of individuals SEN information,
  course information, skills, resources,
• Collaboration use existing good work
• Must meet needs of both parties
• KS4/5 HE transition particularly difficult
• Communication is vital!

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My experiences of Primary-Secondary Transition

• Part of schools specialist status
• Many initial meetings
• SoW Western Africa
• 6 interactive lessons with resources, plans etc
• Work booklet
• Assessment material
• Extensive consultation
• Team teaching/Support
• Africa Day at end of term?

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PRACTICAL ACTIVITY

• Work in pairs
• Plan a 6-lesson SOW using sheets provided for
  Year 6 pupils (focus on pri-sec transition as no
  HE representatives here)
• Complete 1 sheet each so that you are able to
  take this away
• SOW must not be about Weather, Europe, Natural
  Hazards

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PRACTICAL ACTIVITY - continued

• Rationale why bother to teach this subject?
• Learning objectives consider ability of pupils
• Remember that Y7 pupils who start secondary
  school have just finished Y6
• Resources use best knowledge
• Activities active, ICT, citizenship, role play,
  enquiry, fieldwork, personal Geography
• Responsibility important to establish early
• Difficulties be realistic
• YOU HAVE 15 MINUTES FOR THIS ACTIVITY

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Feedback

• What did you find easy?
• What did you find difficult?
• What other information will you need?
• Lessons for the future
• Easy enough to do in the future?

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Plenary

• To Do list for Primary Secondary transition
• Tick the activities that you feel you are able to
  do, in an appropriate timescale
• This will create a list of what you need to do
  Communication in Summer Term will allow project
  to run during the following year
• Similar list could be formed for KS4/5 HE
  depending upon objectives of project

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Contact

• nll_at_minster.notts.sch.uk