Secondary Transition

Key Dates for 2023-24

Children born between 1 September 2012 and 31 August 2013 will transfer from primary school to secondary school in September 2024. The closing date for applications is 31 October 2023. Please read the ‘Secondary School Transfer September 2024’ brochure below carefully before completing your application. A copy can also be downloaded from the Hounslow Admissions website.

Secondary Transfer Leaflet - September 2024

Preparing Children for Secondary School

Transitioning from primary to secondary school is a landmark step in a child’s journey towards maturity and independence. In addition, moving from a primary school, where almost everyone knows each other, to a far larger environment in which children are taught by several different teachers and in several different rooms can also bring its challenges.

At Bedfont, we believe that it is important to prepare children carefully for these changes, in order that they have the best chance of making a smooth and confident transition, by focusing both on the skills sets required and the opportunities that such a change presents. We start preparing the children at the start of Year 6 – the children are encouraged to become much more self-reliant in their learning, to think about how to organise their learning and manage their time, how to evaluate their work and to identify the next steps in their learning journey.

In addition, children in year 6 take on a variety of school roles, helping with a range of tasks and taking on a growing number of responsibilities around the school, including becoming prefects. As well as making a valuable contribution to school life, these roles help the children to develop commitment, organisational skills and a sense of personal responsibility that will stand them in good stead for secondary school.

Spending time at secondary school ahead of transition

Experience of the secondary school environment is also very helpful. At various points throughout Year 6, children gain experience of local secondary schools as we participate in transition activities held at different Secondary Schools – enabling pupils to become more familiar with the physical surroundings, as well as meeting pupils and children from other schools.

PHSE work in school to support children through the transition process

Any period of transition can be emotionally unsettling and confusing, and transition from primary school to secondary is no different. On the one hand, children may feel that they are looking forward to new opportunities, or on the other may feel insecure at leaving a familiar environment; they may be looking forward to meeting new friends, or worried that they may lose touch with current ones. We explicitly recognise this and through our carefully planned PHSE sessions allow children to voice and constructively address their mixed feelings. Specialist transition sessions are available for identified children with some of our local secondary schools and through the work of Sport Impact.