Transition
Making the move from primary school to secondary school
We aim to make the transfer to The Bolsover School an exciting and enjoyable time for both children and parents. We understand what a daunting experience this can be for both children and their parents - we believe a close working partnership with all of our feeder primary schools is very important in ensuring the transition is as seamless as possible.
We are very confident that The Bolsover School can provide ‘Nothing but the best’ education for your child and we are happy for you and your child to visit us and see the school in action at any time – please contact the school if you would like a personal tour of the school.
Our staff work closely with our feeder primary schools to ensure we are fully briefed on the needs and challenges facing individual children. This means we have detailed information about each and every child before they even set foot in The Bolsover School which will guarantee they get off to the best start possible in September!
We believe transition is an ongoing process that takes place over several months – it is not simply one visit to the secondary school during the summer term. There is a wide transition programme on offer for all Year 6 students prior to their arrival in September and details of this can be found in our transition timeline.
Please note: due to the COVID 19 school closures, there will be changes to Primary Transition 2020.
Need to speak to someone? We're here to help
Call the school office on 01246 822105 to speak to one of the following members of staff. Or email them direct using the links below:
Mr Lyne
Assistant Headteacher
ALyne@bolsover.derbyshire.sch.uk
Mrs Spence
Deputy Headteacher/SENCO
SSpence@bolsover.derbyshire.sch.uk
Information for Parents
IMPORTANT NOTICE: Due to the current uncertainty around schools re-opening, we are not able to run our full transition programme this year, but all the information you need is here on these pages.
Please rest assured that lots of planning is occurring in the background and we will continue to work closely with parents, pupils and primary schools to ensure your child gets the best possible start at The Bolsover School. Due to the uncertainty surrounding schools opening at the moment, we have planned for a more ‘virtual’ transition with activities that can be accessed from home or the child’s primary school. These include:
- Subject taster lessons from all secondary school subject areas.
- The ‘Be Awesome Go Big’ transition project.
- A virtual tour video.
- A staff introduction and information video.
- Transition advice from our current year 7 students.
- Summer transition preparation booklet.
Prepare for transition by reading the Registration Pack and returning the important forms.
Please note that our transition package this year will be guided by government advice in terms of schools opening with the health and safety of staff, students and parents the most important factor in our decision making. Please visit these pages regularly over the coming months to check for any updates and changes that might occur.
The Bolsover School Transition Timeline
Year 5
July
Year 5 taster day. The transition journey begins! We believe transition starts earlier than year 6 and our year 5 taster day gives your child an early experience of secondary education. We want them to come home excited about the transition journey ahead!
Year 6
September
Year 6 open evening - this will be an evening where we showcase why we think The Bolsover School can provide the best education for your child.
Secondary school admission applications open.
October
Secondary school admission applications deadline is usually at the end of this month.
March
Your child will be allocated a secondary school place – we hope you will be celebrating that it is The Bolsover School!
May
Primary schools will complete student information forms and send them to us. We ask for very detailed information about your child to ensure we can prepare fully for their transition to us.
May to June
Primary school visits from Bolsover school staff. Staff members will visit primary schools to meet the students. This gives them the opportunity to meet
June
Your child will find out what house they are in. They will receive a personal letter from their new Head of House!
June
Online admission forms to be completed by parents/carers – this is very important as it gives us the necessary information regarding your child such as emergency contact details or any medical conditions.
Year 6 parent’s information evening – an evening where you can visit the school, meet staff and find out more information about how we will ensure your child has an enjoyable transition experience!
July
Form tutors will make contact with parents/carers. This will be a personal phone call to introduce themselves as your child’s new form tutor.
July
Transition week. Year 6 students will attend for 1 week to experience secondary education at The Bolsover School.
Year 6 students have their last ever day at primary school and break up for summer!
6 week holidays
A summer transition booklet will be issued to all year 6 students. This contains a variety of fun, subject based challenges keeping them busy over the 6 weeks but also preparing them for secondary education.
Year 7
September
First day of secondary school!
Contact will be made home for every year 7 student in the first few weeks of term to let you know how they are settling in and answer any questions or concerns you might have
October
Year 7 welcome parents evening - an opportunity to meet the people who will be responsible for your child’s education over the next 5 years! This is where the transition journey ends as your child is now a happy and confident student of The Bolsover School!