Key Stage 2 to Key Stage 3 Transition Project Key Stage 2 to Key Stage 3 Transition Project August 2005 Prepared by Keith Fuller (Senior Consultant) Frank Thomas (Associate Consultant) Colin Horswell Mouchel Parkman Strelley Hall Nottingham NG8 6PE T +44 (0)115 9061 313 F +44 (0)115 9061 302 Prepared for KS2-3 Transition Design Collaborative Steering Group Acknowledgements The authors would like to thank the staff and pupils of the following for their co-operation and support in the compilation of this report. Seven Kings High School (Redbridge); Valentines High School (Redbridge); Archbishop Tenison’s C of E High School (Croydon); Norbury Manor High School for Girls (Croydon); Jo Richardson Community School (Barking and Dagenham); Haydon School (Hillingdon); Rutlish School (Merton); Preston Manor High School (Brent); Battersea Technology College (Wandsworth); Lady Margaret School (Hammersmith and Fulham); Stockwell Park School (Lambeth); Highbury Fields School (Islington); Stanley Park High School (Sutton); Park View Academy (Haringey); Tolworth Girls’ School (Kingston-upon-Thames); The Ravensbourne School (Bromley); Little Ilford School (Newham). Key Stage 2 to Key Stage 3 Transition Project Contents 1 Introduction.................................................................................................1 2 Methodology ...............................................................................................3 2.1 The questionnaire and interviews in schools.................................................3 2.2 Good practice in transition.............................................................................4 3 Outcomes of research ...............................................................................9 3.1 Analysis of questionnaire responses on transition ........................................9 3.2 Good practice in transition.............................................................................9 3.3 Overcoming barriers to effective practice.................................................... 14 3.4 Common messages from the interviews in schools .................................... 15 3.5 The transition bridges and good practice – interviews with schools ............ 19 4 Self-Evaluation Tool.................................................................................30 5 Conclusions..............................................................................................32 5.1 How do schools with best value added approach transition?...................... 32 5.2 What are common characteristics of identified good practice? ................... 33 5.3 What are the barriers to effective KS2-3 transition?.................................... 34 5.4 Which practices have the greatest impact on pupil progress and performance and are likely to be transferable to schools with lower value added?.......... 35 6 Appendix ...................................................................................................38 6.1 National Debates on Key Stage 2 to Key Stage 3 Transition ...................... 38 6.2 Blank Questionnaire.................................................................................... 45 6.3 Questions for School Interviews.................................................................. 51 Mouchel Parkman 2005 Key Stage 2 to Key Stage 3 Transition Project 1 Introduction Four London boroughs, Merton, Barking & Dagenham, Hillingdon and Wandsworth have been working with the DfES to develop innovative solutions to ensure effective pupil transfer from primary to secondary school on behalf of all London boroughs. The collaborative decided to use the consultancy support of Mouchel Parkman to undertake some aspects of the planned work. The following aims and objectives were established for the consultancy: To evaluate approaches used in primary and secondary schools across London to ensure effective primary to secondary transfer To draw conclusions about the approaches that are most effective To support London schools to share effective practice In evaluating the approaches in schools in London to ensure effective KS2- KS3 transition, it was agreed that Mouchel Parkman would develop an evaluation tool to assess good practice at LEA and school level. In addition, the tool will enable the benchmarking of transition practices and strategies across London. In the future it could also be used by schools and LEAs in their own self-evaluation exercises. Key Stage 3 coordinators in all London boroughs were asked to identify, and provide details of, good practice in transition in primary schools, secondary schools and the education department in their borough. Consultants undertook detailed interviews with a sample of secondary schools to find out more about initiatives and strategies on transition. Each consultation exercise was designed to seek views on the following questions: How do those schools which are achieving the best value added results approach transition? Which of these activities can be identified as good practice? What are the common characteristics of identified good practice? What are the barriers to effective KS2-3 transition? Mouchel Parkman 2005 1 Key Stage 2 to Key Stage 3 Transition Project Which practices have the greatest impact on pupil progress and performance? What aspects of successful schools’ practice are likely to be transferable to schools with lower value added? The unique nature of KS 2-3 transition in London including, for example, the number of LEAs and the high number of primary schools feeding into individual secondary schools, had to inform this work. Mouchel Parkman 2005 2 Key Stage 2 to Key Stage 3 Transition Project 2 Methodology 2.1 The questionnaire and interviews in schools A good practice questionnaire was distributed to National Primary Strategy Coordinators and Key Stage 3 Coordinators in all 33 London boroughs. It asked them to highlight good or interesting transition practice within their primary and secondary schools and to highlight how they thought barriers to transition could be best overcome at a school, LEA and city-wide level. Seventeen secondary schools were visited by consultants who conducted interviews with headteachers, heads of Y7, other staff involved in supporting the transition process and groups of Y7 students. The schools visited were identified by one of the following criteria: schools with a consistently high value added profile between Key Stage 2 and Key Stage 3 schools that have appeared in Key Stage 3 National Strategy case studies schools helping to develop a shortened Key Stage 3 schools identified by Key stage 3 coordinators as having good or interesting transition practice The interview templates (Appendix 5.7) were designed to explore the good practice in individual schools and how it impacts on pupil achievement and also to identify how much of this practice might be transferable to other schools. Respondents and interviewees were guided by the Good Practice in Transition tables developed as part of this project which detail some of the characteristics of transition good practice. These tables highlight the following five “transition bridges”: Administrative, i.e. effective and robust administrative arrangements to support transition, e.g. pupil records transfer including performance data management, administrative meetings between key school staff, common procedures. Social and personal, i.e. improving primary pupils’ and their parents’ familiarity with the school, layout and atmosphere. This bridge also ensures that effective pastoral support is in place. Mouchel Parkman 2005 3 Key Stage 2 to Key Stage 3 Transition Project Curriculum, i.e. improving the continuity in the curriculum between Y6 and Y7 to ensure that secondary school teachers build on the curriculum covered to date and seek to teach to pupils’ strengths. Pedagogy, i.e. improving the continuity in teaching and classroom practice between Y6 and Y7. It seeks to counter stereotypes held by teachers in each phase and to encourage cross-phase professional support and dialogue. Autonomy and managing learning, i.e. ensuring that pupils are seen as active participants in the transition process and in their own learning. At the end of each of these consultation exercises the data and examples of good practice were analysed with the aim of answering the five key questions raised in the introduction to this report. 2.2 Good practice in transition The table below details good practice for five key transition ‘bridges’ in a school: administrative, social and personal, curriculum, pedagogy, and autonomy and managing learning. It is informed by academic and action-research findings on what works in improving transition of pupils between primary and secondary schools. Transition Bridge Good Practice Administrative ‘Administrative bridges’ are focused on ensuring effective and robust administrative arrangements to support transition, e.g. pupil records transfer, administrative meetings between key school staff, common procedures. They include: 1. Transition policy is in place and has been agreed in partnership with primary schools. It covers the process for collecting and transferring information and sets an expectation for active work with partner school(s). It outlines the role of staff, parents and pupils in the transition process. The policy is regularly reviewed and amended accordingly. All staff, parents and pupils are aware of the policy. 2. Transition processes are broadened to include pupils in year groups other than Y7.