Unique Year 6 transition experience at Jersey

The transition from Primary to “Big School” can be a daunting experience for some children. For the boys at De La Salle College Jersey, transition is very different. Complemented by the fact that on a single site the Pre-School sits alongside a Primary and Secondary College, the students also have the unique experience of spending part of their Year 6 learning time in the Secondary College.

Throughout the year the boys experience the “best of both worlds” as they spend half of their daily timetable in Primary and the other half in Secondary. Students move around the school, benefitting from the specialist facilities and teaching by specialist teachers. This enables Primary boys to meet and be inspired by the teachers who will eventually take them on to GCSE and A-Level studies.

Students continue to have the support and enjoyment of their Primary school setting and teacher, helping them to slowly build confidence for their new Secondary environment. This year students have relished the creative challenge of writing their own Ice Adventure Stories with their Primary teacher after reading Shackleton’s Journey.

As well as this, they have completed Design Technology challenges in the Secondary workshop. Their first project was a Block Bot project in which they designed and built their own wooden characters. The boys used pillar drills and sanding boards to complete their amazing designs. After this they focussed on an electronics project, making monsters with flashing red LED eyes.

Students have been thrilled to experience an array of teaching styles, subjects and environments throughout the year. After over eight years of changing to this system, the college and students continue to reap the benefits of the transition process.