Hello and welcome to the Year 6 to Year 7 page of St Crispin's website. The Director of Achievement and Wellbeing for Year 7 is Mr Inns. 

In this area we hope to provide you with information that will help with your transition from Primary School to St Crispin's. 

THE TRANSITION YEAR

Open Evening

For prospective Year 7 students we hold an Open Evening.  This provides parents and pupils with an opportunity to tour the school, see what happens in each department and meet staff  For the September 2013 intake the Open Evening will take place on Monday 24th September 2012.

Open Mornings:

26th September, 1st, 3rd,9th &12th October 2012. Please call Mrs Icke on 0118 9781144 if you would like to arrange a morning visit.

Roadshows

The Head teacher, the Head Boy/Girl and Mr Inns visit our four feeder schools to provide parents with information about St Crispin's School.  This is also an opportunity for parents to ask us questions.  The roadshows take place in June (when the students are in Year 5) for Nine Mile Ride, Keep Hatch and All Saints. 

Assemblies

In September, before the October deadline for applications to Wokingham LEA, Mr Inns will visit feeder schools to hold assemblies for Year 6.  Pupils will gain an overview of what will happen during the year and there will be an opportunity for pupils to ask questions about life at secondary school.

Coffee Mornings

At the moment, this is only avaliable to parents of students at All Saints but we look forward to expanding this in the near future. This is an opportunity to meet with the Mr Inns at your primary school and  to have an informal discussion about your child and address any concerns you may have.

Applications

Your application for a place is made through Wokingham LEA and we have no impact upon deciding who receives a place at St Crispin's.  Further information on the application process can be obtained from your primary school.  The forms usually have to be returned to the LEA by the end of October but please ensure you ask your primary school for the deadline.  You will normally be notified of your place by March. 

Visits to Primary Schools

From May to June, the Head of Year 7 will  visit the majority of Year 6 students and their teachers.  This will provide and opportunity for the Mr Inns and Year 6 pupils to get to know each other.  Some Primary Schools are extremely busy at this time with many secondary schools visiting.  Should it not be possible for the visit to go ahead, please rest assured that he will have spoken to your Year 6 teacher over the phone. 

Vulnerable Pupils Afternoons

Once the transition forms have been return by the Primary schools, Mrs Sampson (Director of Learning Support) and Mr Inns will create seven form groups for our 189 students.  We will take into account requests made from Year 6 teachers that students be kept together or apart.  Each form group will normally contain 27 pupils.  We take into account every single students individual need to ensure that they are in the best form for them and receiving the appropriate support.  We will endeavor to inform students of their form group at the Year 6 induction day.

Induction Days

In June, we invite our new students to St Crispin's to experience two days in secondary education.  Details of this will have been provided by your Primary School.  On the Tuesday of your induction, a Parent's Evening will take place in the school hall at 19:00 for us to provide you with further information such as the purchase of school uniform and form groups for Year 7.  This will also give you the opportunity to meet with Mr Inns and the Headteacher and there will be an opportunity to ask questions.

Surgery

Following the Year 6 induction days, Mr Inns will hold a surgery for parents and prospective students to come and see him. 

Intervention

Once your child starts at St Crispin's the transition does not end there. We understand that the move from primary to secondary school can be a very difficult period.  We therefore have different types of intervention that we can put in place to support you child should they be facing difficulties.  These range from social skills and vulnerable pupils groups to learning mentors who meet with students on a 1 to 1 basis weekly.

Year 7 Transition Review Day

GENERAL INFORMATION

Uniform

For further details of the school uniform and to make an order please go to www.trutexdirect.com.  You will be required to enter the school code which is LEA00462SB. 

The PTA also sell good quality second hand school uniform.  They will have a stall at the Year 6 Parent's Evening.  Should you need further information on the school uniform policy or the PTA please do not hesitate to Mr Inns.

Peer Mentoring

At St Crispin's we understand that it can be very daunting when students enter the school in Year 7.  We therefore run a peer mentoring scheme.  Each Year 7 student will be paired with a Year 8 pupil.  Throughout the Autumn Term they will meet with each other weekly to discuss how the transition is going.  This provides the student with a familiar face and someone they can talk to about how they are feeling.  We feel the scheme runs extremely well with Year 8 students as they were in the same situation a year previously and understand how our new pupils are feeling.

Streaming

At St Crispin's the majority of subjects are taught in form groups which are of mixed ability, until the end of Key Stage 3 (Year 9).  In the first few weeks, students will be set in Maths and English based upon their Key Stage 2 SATS and CATS results (which are sat within the first two weeks).  In January, after a full term, the students will be set in French.  Science do not set till Year 8. 

Review

Towards the end of each term, we have a transition review.  Should we feel that there is a student that is struggling to settle at St Crispin's, you will be invited to come in and meet with Mr Inns and Mrs Sampson to discuss how we can best support your child and ensure that they are settled at their new school.

Teachers at your primary school will notify Mr Inns of students that may struggle with the transition to St Crispin's.  On three afternoons in May, these students will come into the school and meet with Mr Inns and Mrs Sampson (Director of Learning Support).  They will complete a range of activities, such as finding their way round the school with a map and learning how to tie a tie!!  We have received many positive comments about these sessions and feel they are excellent in putting children's minds at rest about attending in September.

Form Groups

Throughout September we hold open mornings & appointments can be made through the school office.  You will be shown around the school by students and have the opportunity to visit classes, speak with students and see for yourself the learning that takes place at our school.