School Transition

Sending a greetings card is a great way to encourage someone. Could you send cards to pupils starting at your local schools? Nice Things By Helena has several to choose from on her website. Or perhaps you might like to send the school staff a card? Check out cards for pupils and staff on the Methodist Flourish Schools website. They also have a card pack to help you let a young person know that you are praying for them as they start at their new school.

'It’s Your Move!' has been given to over one million Y6 children across the UK each year since 2001, as part of a programme helping them make the transition from primary to secondary school. This revised edition features all-new real-life story profiles and articles, as well as more interactive elements. Scripture Union also provides 'It's Your Move' Assembly resources.

In this time of lockdown, Scripture Union has produced two videos about how to use It's Your Move which can be found on their website at the link above.

Starting school is a big milestone in a small child's life, and It's Your Next Step provides children and their parents/carers with an opportunity to work through any issues or anxieties.

Prayer Spaces in Schools has a pack you can download to help you plan a leavers' church/cathedral service. Click on the link or logo to visit their website. You can also read their inspiring report on a transition event at Guildford Cathedral involving over 2000 children. There are some great ideas for activities to help children with the transition to secondary school.

Moving on Up, by Molly Potter, has lots of photocopiable ideas for schools running Y6 transition events. It may also provide inspiration to churches helping to run such events. The book seems to be unavailable to buy new online but you might be able to find it at your local library or secondhand either online or in a shop.

Prayer Spaces in Schools has an activity called Opportunity Keys which can be good at the beginning of a new school year.  Opportunities and challenges can stir up feelings of excitement and anticipation, but they can also stir up feelings of anxiety and fear. This prayer activity encourages pupils to think about new opportunities they have in their lives and how they can make the most of them. Click on the title or image to visit their website.

CaSS has a School Transition Box with loads of ideas and items for schools to borrow. Email us if you are interested in borrowing it free of charge.

The Small Fish Podcast is a digital resource for staff, parents and carers. Get prepared with some content for discussion as those Year 6s prepare to enter the big pond in September! Transitioning from one year group to the next can be a daunting prospect for pupils. It can mean new teachers, new classrooms and even new friendships. Moving from one school to another is an especially big transition. The Salvation Army has a podcast series based upon the questions children ask. Each 5-minute episode is packed with practical tips, pupil voices and Biblical wisdom. This reassuring podcast will help tweenagers through the transition. Click on the image or title to find out more.

Spinnaker Trust has a resource called Moving on: The Change Challenge. It's an RE workshop to help children think through and process the issues which arise from changing school. Click on the logo to find out more.

Prayer Spaces in Schools has a prayer activity called Transforming Butterflies with gets pupils thinking about change. Change can be scary and change can be stressful. But change can also be a gift. Change can bring new relationships and new opportunities. This activity encourages pupils to think about change in a positive way. It uses the imagery of a butterfly, which experiences tremendous change as it transitions from a caterpillar. Click on the image or title to visit the website.

Download a printable A5 transition activity booklet, alongside teachers' notes, which have been developed in Sheffield by Kinder Kalsi, Fiona Walton & Phil Goodacre for use with Y6 children.

Prayer Spaces in Schools has a great prayer activity idea. Transitioning from one year group to the next can be a daunting prospect for pupils. Moving from one school to another is an especially big transition, and lots of pupils feel anxious and worried about it. Others feel excited and hopeful. This activity encourages pupils to both look back at the previous year, and then forward to the next. Click on the title or image to visit their website.

At CaSS we have several 'values bags' available to borrow, each filled with wooden blocks (repurposed Jenga sets!) that have different values printed on them (Friendship / Respect / Trust / Courage / Creativity / Understanding etc). They are really tactile and there are loads of activities you could do with them while exploring young people's priorities and sense of self. Email us if you'd like to borrow them.