MORE than 170 children from more than 30 different primary schools have spent a week getting to know their new teachers and classmates as part of a fully funded summer school designed to make the move to secondary education less daunting.
Murray Park Community School, in Mickleover, welcomed its new Year 7 pupils into school during the summer holidays for a packed programme of activities, taster lessons and visits from local organisations.
All 170 places were fully funded, with children also receiving lunch and a snack each day, ensuring every pupil had the opportunity to take part regardless of their family circumstances.
The programme represents a significant investment by Murray Park in supporting children through what can be one of the biggest changes of their school lives.
Funding came from DANCOP – the Derby and Nottinghamshire Collaborative Outreach Programme – the Holiday Activities and Food (HAF) programme and the school’s own funds.
Throughout the week, pupils were able to experience taster lessons with their new teachers, familiarise themselves with the school and start building friendships with the children they will be spending the next five years with.
The week was also packed with activities and visits designed to build confidence, promote wellbeing and give pupils new experiences.
Derbyshire Fire and Rescue Service spent a day with the children, while Cycle Derby delivered cycling activities.
Compass, a mental health and wellbeing service for children and young people, ran sessions focusing on wellbeing, while pupils were also able to enjoy inflatables alongside their classroom-based activities.
Murray Park has been running its summer school for more than a decade after recognising the difference additional transition support can make to children moving from primary to secondary school.
Originally introduced for pupil premium students and children with additional needs, it was subsequently expanded so all incoming pupils could benefit.
Acting headteacher at Murray Park Community School, George Hagen, said: “Moving from Year 6 into Year 7 is a huge change. Children are leaving behind a school, teachers and friendship groups that many of them have known for years and suddenly entering a much bigger and very different environment.
“Our summer school gives them a whole week to make that transition gradually. They can find their way around, meet their teachers, experience lessons and, perhaps most importantly, get to know their classmates before the new academic year begins.
“We want children to arrive for their first proper day in September recognising faces and feeling that Murray Park is already their school rather than somewhere completely unfamiliar.
“We also know that the long summer holiday can be difficult for some families, so being able to fully fund places and provide lunch and a snack every day means there are no financial barriers to taking part.
“Supporting more than 170 children for an entire week represents a significant investment for the school, alongside the invaluable funding we receive from DANCOP and HAF, but we believe supporting children properly at this important point in their lives is absolutely worth that investment.”
The summer school builds on Murray Park’s wider commitment to supporting the transition between primary and secondary education.
As well as preparing pupils academically, the programme is designed to address some of the worries children can experience when starting secondary school – from getting lost and meeting new teachers to making friends and coping with the greater independence expected in Year 7.
Mr Hagen added: “The activities are deliberately varied. Taster lessons help pupils understand what learning will look like, while organisations such as Compass can give them practical tools to look after their wellbeing.
“Then there are activities which are simply about having fun together. Whether they’re cycling or tackling the inflatables, children are talking, laughing and making friends without necessarily realising that they’re also building the confidence that will help them when they start Year 7.
“By the end of the week, you can really see the difference. The building feels more familiar, the teachers are familiar faces and children have already started forming friendships. It takes away so many of those unknowns before September.”
