Supporting the Move from Primary to Secondary

The transition from primary school to secondary school can be overwhelming, and we want to ensure that all children feel happy and confident when it comes to taking the next step in their educational journey. Working closely with our partner primary schools, we run a comprehensive programme of transition events from Y4-6 designed to support children through this life-changing experience. Our transition days help build the confidence and self-belief pupils need to progress smoothly from a primary school environment to a new educational experience as part of the Our Lady’s community.

Transition Events

For us, transition is a three-year journey, beginning in Year 4 and continuing through Years 5 and 6. We work closely with our partner primary schools throughout this period to build familiarity, confidence and positive relationships, helping children to feel prepared and excited about moving to secondary school.

Children from our partner primary schools regularly visit Our Lady’s for events such as community picnics, school theatre productions and training sessions with our GIFT Chaplaincy team.

Children are also invited to dedicated transition days, carefully designed to help them prepare for life at secondary school. These days provide opportunities to experience a variety of high school taster lessons and interactive workshops, including activities delivered in partnership with KONFLUX Theatre in Education and Tucum Manchester Capoeira.

We work closely with our partner primary schools to coordinate a programme of engaging and inspiring activities that complement the children’s learning. In Science, we liaise with primary school staff to identify relevant topics and arrange specialist sessions delivered by the University of Manchester Physics Outreach Team (UMPO) and the Volunteering Outreach in Science & Engineering Society (VOISE). These sessions provide opportunities for children to explore scientific concepts through practical, interactive experiences.

Alongside these activities, pupils can experience taster lessons in a range of secondary school subjects, including Art, Music, Drama, Technology and PE. These experiences help children discover new interests, develop their skills and build confidence as they prepare for the transition to secondary school.