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Each year, hundreds of children leave their current school to move to a new, usually bigger, school. The transition from one school to another is an important milestone for children of all ages. Although change is a normal part of life and can provide opportunities for children and young people to develop their resilience, research shows that transition is stressful.

Whether a child or a young person is starting primary school, secondary school, further education, changing schools or leaving schools for university or work, this transition period needs to be carefully managed.

During the transition period, it is vital that children and young people can talk about their concerns and are supported to cope with any readjustments or struggles they may encounter, such as:

  1. Struggles to make friends.
  2. They do not feel that they belong.
  3. Has ongoing difficulties coping with daily routines.
  4. Challenging or disruptive behaviour.
  5. Increased number of unauthorised school absences.
  6. Lower than expected progress or disinterest in school.

There is a lot for students to process to be able to leave one school well and start the next with optimism and positivity. It is of great importance to accompany children of all ages throughout this process of transition and to support their families.

In the provided material, one can find reflective activities that give students the opportunity to celebrate the good things, the people, and the values of the school that they are leaving. They also acknowledge any regrets that they may have, especially around the things that they may feel they missed out on because of Covid-19, remote learning, working in bubbles and the anticipated educational visits being cancelled. They can also reflect on the excitement and anxiety of starting at a new and bigger school.

The following are the six reflective activities by the Diocese of Guilford, UK that can be done in any order.

Maps – An opportunity to reflect on how their school values have helped them to live together well in their current school and how they might help them as they start at their new school.

Map reflective activityDownload
Map: Reflective activity instructions for studentsDownload

Regrets – An opportunity to reflect on things that the pupils regret about their time in primary school.

Regret-activity-scripts-for-use-with-year-2-and-year-6Download
Regret-reflective-activity-for-a-group-of-pupilsDownload
Regret reflective activity for students to do individuallyDownload
Individual regret activity scripts for use with year 2 and year 6Download

Wow – An opportunity to celebrate the things that the pupils have particularly enjoyed during their time at primary school.

wow-reflective-activityDownload
wow-reflective-activity-instructions-for-pupils-a4Download

Thank you – An opportunity to think about a person or the people that have helped them during their time at primary school and to say thank you to God for them.

thank-you-reflective-activity-instructions-for-pupils-a4-year-2Download
thank-you-reflective-activity-instructions-for-pupils-a4-year-6Download
thank-you-reflective-activity-year-2-versionDownload
thank-you-reflective-activity-year-6-versionDownload

Please – An opportunity to reflect on what is worrying the pupils and to place these worries into God’s hands.

please-reflective-activityDownload
please-reflective-activity-instructions-for-pupils-a4Download

Bus / Train Tickets – An opportunity to look forward to the adventure of starting at their new school.

Train tickets reflective activity instructions for studentsDownload
Train Ticket Reflective ActivityDownload
Train Ticket for Leavers Activity TemplateDownload
luggage-labels-templateDownload

These reflective activities are designed to help Year 6 children process their transition from Primary to Secondary school. The activities require limited resources – the kind of things that children will have on their desks.

Year 6_transition_instructionsDownload
Year 6_transition_presentationDownload

These are the readings and other prayers that can be used during a Holy Mass celebrating the transition that year 6 students are going to do. Thanks to the Pastoral section of the Secretariat for Catholic Education for this resource.

Transition Mass for Yr 6 studentsDownload
reflection by Dr Andrew Baldacchino

Tips To Help Your Child Transition to a New School.

Helping Children Transition into a New School Environment

Helping Your Child Adjust to a New School

Transition Strategies for Kids

Transitions

It-Tranżizzjoni: Fażi Ġdida fl-Edukazzjoni

Fil-bidu ta’ kull sena skolastika mijiet ta’ tfal iħallu l-iskola fejn kienu jattendu s-sena ta’ qabel u jibdew jattendu skola ġdida u ikbar. It-tranżizzjoni minn skola għal oħra hija stadju important għal tfal u studenti ta’ kull età. Għalkemm il-bidla hija xi ħaġa kontinwa u komuni fil-ħajja tal-bniedem u tista’ tagħti opportunitajiet lit-tfal u żgħażagħ biex jiżvilluppaw il-flessibilità tagħha, riċerka turi illi t-tranżizzjoni hija mument ta’ stress fil-ħajja tal-istudent u dawk ta’ madwaru.

Kemm jekk student se jibda l-iskola primarja, dik sekondarja, edukazzjoni għola, ibiddel l-iskola jew iħalli l-università biex jibda d-dinja tax-xogħol, dan iż-żmien ta’ tranżizzjoni jeħtieġ preparazzjoni sewwa.

Fiż-żmien tat-tranżizzjoni, huwa importanti li t-tfal, adoloxxenti u żgħażagħ jitkellmu ma’ xi ħadd li jafdaw dwar il-ħsibijiet u l-mistoqsijiet li jkollhom, u li jingħataw is-sapport meħtieġ biex jikkoperaw tajjeb mad-diffikultajiet li jiltaqgħu magħhom bħal:

  1. Isib diffikultajiet sakemm jagħmlu ħbieb ġodda.
  2. Idum ftit biex jingrana u ma jħossux f’postu.
  3. Idum biex jitgħallem isegwi rutina.
  4. Ikollu mġieba ta’ sfida jew tfixkil.
  5. Ifalli l-iskola b’mod regolari mingħajr ma jkunu avżati l-awtoritajiet.
  6. Progress aktar baxx milli mistenni, u ma tantx juri nteress fl-iskola.

Hemm ħafna x’wieħed jista’ jagħmel matul dan il-proċess minn meta wieħed iħalli skola sakemm jibda jattendi oħra u jkun ippreparat sew. Huwa importanti ħafna li:

nakkumpanjaw lill-istudenti matul il-proċess kollu, mill-bidu sal-aħħar, lilhom u anke lill-ġenituri biex huma wkoll jagħrfu jagħmlu l-parti tagħhom ma’ uliedhom.

Il-Qari u talb ieħor li jista’ jiġi wżat fil-Quddiesa li tiċċelebra t-tranżizzjoni li ser jagħmlu l-istudenti tas-sitt sena. Grazzi tar-riżorsi għas-Segretarjat tal-Edukazzjoni Kattolika.

Transition Mass for Yr 6 studentsDownload

F’dan il-materjal ipprovdut, wieħed jista’ jsib attivitajiet li jagħtu lill-istudenti opportunitajiet biex jiċċelebraw affarijiet tajbin u sbieħ, nies li ltaqgħu magħhom, u l-valuri tal-iskola li se jispiċċaw jattendu fiha. Jaħsbu wkoll f’mumenti diffiċli li għaddew minnhom f’din l-iskola, speċjalment f’dawn l-aħħar sentejn fi żmien il-pandemija, u l-esperjenzi tat-tagħlim online, il-bubbles, u attivitajiet u pjanijiet li kellhom jiġu kkanċellati. Jistgħu wkoll jirriflettu dwar l-eċitament kif ukoll il-biżgħat li qed iħossu li se jibdew jattendu skola ġdida u ikbar.

Dawn huma attivitajiet li wieħed jista’ jagħżel minnhom:

  1. Mapep – Opportunità biex wieħed jirrifletti kif il-valuri tal-iskola għenu lill-istudenti jgħixu tajjeb u jirrelataw flimkien u kif dan jista’ jgħinhom kif jibdew jattendu fl-iskola l-ġdida.
  2. Dispjaċiri – Opportunità biex wieħed jirrifletti dwar iċ-ċirkustanzi li marrux tajjeb fiż-żmien tal-istudent/studenta fl-iskola primarja.
  3. Wow – Opportunità biex wieħed jiċċelebra l-esperjenzi sbieħ li l-istudenti għaddew minnhom.
  4. Grazzi – Opportunità biex l-istudenti jaħsbu f’dawk in-nies li kienu t’għajnuna għalihom matul dan iż-żmien fl-iskola primarja u jirringrazzjaw ‘l Alla għalihom.
  5. Jekk Jogħġbok – Opportunità biex wieħed jirrifletti dwar dak li forsi kien qiegħed iħasseb u jdejjaq lill-istudenti u npoġġu dan li qed jinkwetana f’riġlejn Alla.
  6. Billjetti għall-Karozza tal-Linja – Opportunità biex l-istudenti jħarsu ‘l quddiem għall-avventura ġdida fl-iskola l-ġdida.

Tips To Help Your Child Transition to a New School.

Helping Children Transition into a New School Environment

Helping Your Child Adjust to a New School

Transition Strategies for Kids

Transitions

Reflection by Dr Andrew Baldacchino about the End of a Scholastic year for secondary students

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