Summer schools
Why should you hold a summer school for new Year 7 students?
- A summer school will help students gain familiarity with the school layout, teachers and fellow Year 7 students before term begins
- Students can develop friendships and confidence, and address any fears they might have
- Teachers get to know incoming students and identify individuals who may benefit from additional support
- A summer school can offer an introduction to the vision and values of each individual school including an introduction to secondary ways of working
- Summer school can be particularly helpful for vulnerable students, who (even in usual circumstances), might not have been so confident about moving from primary to secondary school
What works well?
- Summer schools typically last one to two weeks and are free of charge
- They can offer a combination of academic learning and pastoral, arts or sports activities
- To keep numbers low, you could invite a small group of Year 7 students who might need the most support
- Some activities (e.g. tours of the school or introducing members of staff) can be done virtually
Case study: Harris Academy South Norwood
Harris Academy South Norwood has been part of the Stepping Stones programme for the past two years.
They ran a successful summer school in 2019.
The average attendance during the week was 25 students, majority of which had been targeted for various reasons by their primary schools. The week was a mix between sports, team challenges and icebreakers, workshops and lessons run by the school staff.
Workshops and lessons included numeracy and literacy which was delivered in a fun, real-life engaging way which caught the enthusiasm of the students.
Example activities:
Students were given a taste of what a regular school day looks like and got into the habit of lining up outside in their tutor groups and were taken into a classroom replicating the conditions and expectations expected at Harris Academy South Norwood. Whilst in the classroom the students were told about different policies and expectations in Year 7, students had the opportunity to discuss topics and answer any questions about the school.
Students were spilt up into teams of three and were given a sheet with a number of different rooms, objects and things to find around the school site. In their teams they had to navigate themselves around the school and write down which floor they found their specific room or object. This was a really fun way for students to familiarise themselves with the school site, while the extra added competitive element made it engaging.
A quiz was put on for the students which related into policies and rules learnt the day before. In the same team’s students battled it out for team points which were added to the week’s overall competition. The quiz gave the students a chance to refresh on some key policies, rules and expectations.
We delivered a cooking workshop from our Cook Like a Pro project which is supported through Jamie Oliver’s Ministry of Food. The workshop gave the students the opportunity to gain an understanding of food technology. Additionally, the session was centred on positive health allowing them to gain an understanding on what foods should go into our bodies.
In this workshop students had a bit of reflective time to think about all their emotions and how they felt about moving to secondary school. They were tasked with decorating a mask representing all those mixed feeling. Using paints, glitter and other decorative materials they produced a mask which encompassed all those feelings and emotions. Students were given the opportunity to talk about their art work and what is represented.
More support through Stepping Stones
Read about our Stepping Stones programme for more advice on supporting students as they move from primary to secondary school.
You can download loads of free resources to help you run a summer school (e.g. example timetables) or other interventions.
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