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Transition
Finishing primary school and moving up to secondary school is a major milestone, both for children and their parents. The move to a completely new school for Year 7, with new rules, a new layout, hundreds of unknown children (and seemingly almost as many teachers) can be a challenge. This guide is intended to help both children and parents prepare for and adjust to the changes that are inevitable when moving up to secondary school.
The choice of secondary school is often one that is shared by parents and child; it's one that both should be happy with and certainly not a decision that should be made lightly - after all, your child's future depends on it!
Watch this virtual tour with a Lytchett student guide to get a real sense of what Lytchett is about.
Our aim is to enable all students to lead successful, responsible, active, happy and fulfilling lives. Lytchett gives students the opportunity to learn in a unique environment, with the very best chances of success. Our students know that if they make the commitment to work hard and get involved, they will reap the rewards of their efforts. Students are well cared for. Our house system underpins our whole pastoral support system, providing every student with a sense of belonging and of being valued as an individual.
The quality of teaching and learning is demonstrated by our excellent exam results. Lytchett offers a broad and balanced curriculum (you can read more about this here) and students leave as well-educated, well-rounded, polite, sophisticated young adults, highly literate and numerate, with an appreciation of aesthetic values and an understanding of the wonders of modern science and technology.
The learning environment is nothing short of inspirational; our buildings provide the perfect blend of the very best in traditional and modern architectural design.
You will receive notification of your place at Lytchett Minster School around March and you should expect a letter from us with more information about the Transitions process.
Firstly, please read our admissions pack, available via the button here. This contains a large amount of information which all parents and students will find useful. There are a number of school policies which are included within this pack; a more detailed list of school policies is available on the policies page of our website.
Whilst you're getting ready to join us here at Lytchett Minster, there are a few forms you need to complete to ensure we have all the information we need about you and your family. There are also a few optional forms you may want to consider.
A. Required
Initially, there are a few forms that you'll need to look at. Once your child has been offered a place, you will be sent a link, via email, to our admissions form.
Don't forget to ensure you have all the correct uniform! Students are expected to present themselves correctly and tidily at all times - both in school and on the way to and from school. Find out what's required, not forgetting PE lessons and workshop/laboratory health and safety, and order your uniform online.
School Uniform Policy and Ordering
B. Optional
Does your son/daughter want to learn a musical instrument? We offer peripatetic music lessons in a range of instruments. You can find out more and register for these now.
The PTA operates a parental donation scheme. If you would like to contribute to school funds in this way, please complete this form. We are most grateful for any support you can give.
Starting secondary school can cause anxiety in even the most confident and outgoing of children. We've collated some suggestions for parents supporting their children through the transition process below...
Travelling to school by themselves
- Have several trial runs of the journey, building up their level of independence gradually.
- Ask them to text you as they arrive at school safely, if possible.
- Consider downloading an app which allows you to track where they are (such as Find My Friends) – also useful for picking them up after school trips.
- Arrange for them to travel with a friend and allow plenty of time.
- Keep emergency phone numbers in their bag, in case they lose their phone and need to contact you.
Leaving homework to the last minute
- Get your child to mark their planner with the deadlines for each subject’s homework in different coloured pens.
- Teach them how to create a to-do list with the pieces of homework needed soonest at the top – whiteboards are great for this.
- When signing their homework planner, talk through what needs doing and how they will organise their time.
- Help them to distinguish between tasks that are best staggered over time (revision, research, etc.) and self-contained tasks that can be done and then ticked off.
- Get into a routine for getting homework done and make sure they have a suitable space to work in. A quiet shared area can help you to ensure they are not getting distracted!
Getting organised
- Ensure they pack their bag the night before: don’t be tempted to do it for them!
- Encourage them to check off what they need against their timetable.
- Teach them how to put a reminder in their phone for anything extra to remember.
- Buy a key ring with stretchy chain to attach to their bag, to avoid lost locker/door keys.
- Make sure there is secure place for bus pass/ID card and emergency coins in their bag.
Building confidence and making friends
- Remind your child that everyone is in the same boat when they start. Talk to them about ways to initiate conversation if they find this difficult.
- Remember friendships take time to develop: don’t panic if they haven’t made a friend immediately.
- Encourage them to join clubs and become involved in school life. This can be a good way to make friends with students in other forms and year groups. We have a Freshers’ Fair in the first few weeks of term to advertise all the clubs and extra-curricular activities on offer.
Taking longer than expected on homework
- If this is a ‘one-off’, do not panic. Your child may have found something particularly interesting or challenging and wants to do a thorough job.
- If it happens regularly, talk about the reason with your child. They may be misunderstanding the level of detail required, finding something hard or simply doing too much.
- If it continues, encourage your child to talk to their subject teacher. If your child is not confident enough to do this themselves, a quick call or email to school may be useful.
Taking time to settle
- Try not to panic if they have not made a new circle of friends immediately: this is very common. Reassure your child that it often takes time for new friendships to form.
- Talk to your House team if you are worried about how long it’s taking them to settle into school. They may be able to buddy them up with a 6th form mentor or talk through any barriers with them.
Questions
If you need any further information, help or just want to ask us something, please feel free to get in touch.
Please select the Transition Passport which corresponds with your child's House. The tasks in the passport should be completed and brought into school on the first day of term.
AGGLESTONE-YR6-Transition-Passport-2024.docx
GAULT-YR6-Transition-Passport-2024.docx
KIMMERIDGE-YR6-Transition-Passport-2024.docx
PORTLAND-YR6-Transition-Passport-2024.docx