Primary to secondary school transition: a practical guide for schools

Moving from primary to secondary school is a major change for pupils, families and staff. A successful transition helps pupils understand new routines, build confidence, feel part of their new school community and receive the right support from the start. The strongest approaches combine early planning, clear communication, familiarisation activities and individual support where it is needed.

For many pupils in England, the move from Year 6 to Year 7 also marks the transition from KS2 to KS3. They may be moving from one familiar classroom and a small number of teachers to a much larger site, new subjects, different teachers, changing classrooms and greater independence.

Schools therefore need to think beyond a single transition day. Effective primary to secondary school transition is a planned process involving pupils, parents and carers, primary and secondary school staff, SENCOs, pastoral teams and school business managers.

The aim is simple: pupils should arrive knowing what to expect, who can help them and where they belong.

Why is a smooth transition to secondary school important?

Starting secondary school can be exciting, but it can also create uncertainty. Pupils may worry about making friends, finding classrooms, managing homework, remembering equipment, travelling to school or adapting to new expectations.

A well-planned transition helps remove some of that uncertainty before September. It also gives secondary schools an opportunity to understand their incoming cohort rather than waiting until difficulties become apparent.

Transition should therefore cover both practical preparation and pupil wellbeing. Schools should consider academic needs, friendships, confidence, SEND, safeguarding information, medical needs, attendance, behaviour, communication requirements and any support that has already proved effective.

Creating a sense of belonging is particularly important. Pupils who know key adults, recognise important spaces and understand everyday routines have fewer unknowns to deal with when they arrive.

How should primary and secondary schools work together?

Collaboration between primary and secondary school staff should begin well before pupils leave Year 6.

Feeder primary schools can provide useful insight into pupils' strengths, learning needs, friendships, successful classroom strategies and areas where additional support may be required. Secondary staff can explain what information they need and give primary colleagues a clear timetable for transition activity.

Useful approaches include:

• joint transition meetings
• named transition leads in both schools
• meetings between Year 6 teachers and Year 7 pastoral teams
• discussions between SENCOs
• sharing appropriate pupil information securely
• visits from secondary school staff to feeder primaries
• opportunities for primary staff to visit the receiving school
• agreed processes for identifying pupils who may need enhanced transition support.

For pupils with SEND, transition planning is especially important. Department for Education guidance explains schools' responsibilities for supporting pupils with SEND, while the SEND Code of Practice states that SEN support should include planning and preparation for transitions between phases of education. Schools should also agree with pupils and parents what information will be shared with the receiving setting.

How can schools engage parents and carers?

Parents and carers are important partners throughout the transition process. They often know which changes their child is worried about and can provide information that may not be obvious from academic records alone.

Schools can organise open evenings, information sessions, workshops and opportunities to meet key members of staff. Information should cover practical questions such as the school day, uniform, travel, lunch arrangements, homework, behaviour expectations, extracurricular activities and who parents should contact if they need help.

Effective communication with parents should also be two-way. Rather than only sending information out, give families clear opportunities to ask questions and share concerns.

The Education Endowment Foundation advises that communication with families is more effective when it is personalised, positive and designed to create genuine partnership. It also highlights the value of listening to families and considering barriers such as inaccessible language or professional jargon.

Using parent voice after transition events can help schools identify questions that have not been answered and improve the process for future cohorts.

What transition activities help pupils feel prepared?

Transition programmes work best when pupils have several opportunities to become familiar with secondary school rather than experiencing everything for the first time in September.

Schools could consider:

• transition days
• smaller group visits
• school tours
• taster lessons
• meeting form tutors
• lunchtime visits
• question-and-answer sessions with Year 7 pupils
• maps of the school
• photographs or videos of important areas
• examples of a typical timetable
• opportunities to practise moving between classrooms.

These activities make the unfamiliar more predictable.

Current Department for Education best-practice examples also highlight approaches including information evenings, transition days, additional school visits, online transition information and early collaboration with primary schools, particularly when supporting pupils with SEND.

Schools do not have to provide every possible activity. What matters is identifying what will help their particular cohort and providing additional support for pupils who need it.

How can schools provide individual transition support?

Not every pupil will need the same level of support.

Some children will feel ready for secondary school after a standard transition programme. Others may need additional visits, visual information, a named member of staff or a personalised transition plan.

Pupils who may benefit from additional support can include those with SEND, anxiety around change, medical needs, previous attendance difficulties, safeguarding considerations or other vulnerabilities.

Speak to pupils themselves as well as the adults supporting them. Student voice can identify surprisingly practical concerns, from getting lost between lessons to understanding where to go at lunchtime.

For some pupils, useful support might include visual timetables, photographs of key adults, maps, social stories, quiet spaces, sensory resources or opportunities to visit at less busy times.

The aim should be to provide the support each pupil needs to participate confidently, rather than assuming one transition approach will work for everyone.

How should schools communicate during the transition period?

Good communication can prevent small uncertainties becoming larger worries.

Create a clear communication plan that identifies what pupils, parents and staff need to know, when they need to know it and which channel will be used.

Schools might use:

• emails
• newsletters
• the school website
• school apps
• printed information packs
• parent meetings
• transition webpages
• social media for general reminders.

Avoid sending everything at once. Families are more likely to absorb information when it is timely, concise and relevant.

It can also help to nominate a clear contact for transition enquiries. Knowing who to approach can reassure families and reduce confusion between primary schools, secondary schools and different departments.

Good school communication is not simply about sending more messages. It is about making the right information easy to find and understand.

Can peer mentoring support new Year 7 pupils?

Peer mentoring can make secondary school feel more approachable.

Consider pairing incoming pupils with older students who can answer everyday questions, demonstrate routines and help younger pupils understand what life at secondary school is really like.

Peer mentors could support transition days, school tours, lunchtime activities or the first few weeks of the autumn term.

Schools should choose mentors carefully and provide clear guidance about their role. They are there to offer friendly practical support, not to replace teachers or pastoral staff.

This approach also gives older pupils an opportunity to develop responsibility and leadership skills while strengthening the wider school community.

What resources should schools review before September?

Transition planning also has an operational side.

School business managers and leadership teams should check that spaces, staffing and resources are ready for the incoming cohort. This is particularly important where pupil numbers, curriculum requirements or additional needs have changed.

Review areas such as classroom furniture, classroom storage, exercise books, school stationery, whiteboards, noticeboards, planners, folders and library resources.

Departments may also need to review science equipment, art and craft supplies and sports equipment before the new academic year begins.

Consider whether first aid supplies, sensory resources and other additional-support materials are easily accessible. Visual timetables and clearly labelled classroom storage can also help pupils who benefit from consistent routines.

A simple audit before the summer break can help schools identify gaps early and avoid unnecessary last-minute procurement in September.

How can schools prepare staff for transition?

Staff need a shared understanding of the incoming cohort.

Transition information should reach the people who genuinely need it, including form tutors, subject teachers, teaching assistants, SENCOs and pastoral staff, while respecting data protection and confidentiality requirements.

Professional development can also help staff understand how transition may affect pupils differently.

Briefings might cover:

• SEND and reasonable adjustments
• recognising signs of transition anxiety
• consistent routines
• supporting organisation and independence
• communication with parents and carers
• where staff should escalate concerns.

This does not always require a large training programme. A focused transition briefing and clear access to relevant pupil information may be more useful than overwhelming colleagues with unnecessary documentation.

What common transition mistakes should schools avoid?

One common mistake is treating transition as a single July event. Pupils may enjoy a transition day but still need support when the reality of secondary school begins several weeks later.

Schools should also avoid:

• giving families too much information at once
• assuming every pupil has the same concerns
• leaving information sharing until the end of the summer term
• focusing only on academic information
• overlooking quieter pupils who may not express worries openly
• failing to involve parents and carers
• stopping transition support after the first day of Year 7.

Reviewing the process during the autumn term can be particularly useful. Ask pupils, families and staff what worked and what could be improved. Combining student voice and parent voice can help shape a stronger transition programme for the following year.

How can GLS support schools with primary to secondary transition?

A successful transition depends primarily on people, relationships and good planning, but practical resources also play a part.

GLS works with schools every day and understands that the start of a new academic year involves much more than preparing classrooms. School teams are balancing pupil needs, staff workload, budgets, procurement and the everyday practicalities of welcoming a new cohort.

From everyday classroom resources and organisation essentials to specialist curriculum and SEND resources, GLS can help schools prepare the practical environment around their transition plans.

The priority should always be choosing resources that genuinely support the needs of pupils and staff rather than purchasing for the sake of it. Reviewing what is already available, identifying genuine gaps and ordering early can make September easier for everyone.

Schools. We get you.

Conclusion

Moving from primary to secondary school is an important milestone, but careful preparation can make the change much easier for pupils and families.

Strong collaboration, clear communication, meaningful transition activities, personalised support and well-prepared staff all contribute to a smoother start. By planning early, listening to pupils and parents and continuing support into Year 7, schools can help every pupil begin secondary education with greater confidence.