The primary and secondary phases

The transition from primary to secondary school...

Many children manage the transfer from primary to secondary school very well indeed but it is nevertheless a challenging time for them.  This is the stage which we call transition - between year 6 and 7. 

National research shows that the progress of young people dips when pupils transfer from one school to another and demonstrates what a crucial change this is; sometimes, pupils are doing less well at the end of their first year at secondary school than when they leave primary school.

Primary school teachers know their pupils and families really well.  They know their needs and abilities.  When children start at secondary school, teachers have to learn about children all over again just at a crucial time. 
They have to find out what they know and they do that by testing children again sometimes. Parents also have to learn about their child’s new school – new routines, new names and new uniforms.

The way to ease this transition is to allow children to stay within one school - an all-through school and this is what Buxton provides.