This term, in the face of school closures and the coronavirus pandemic, Newman Catholic School has adapted its activities for year six pupils to transfer smoothly to secondary school.

School closure has not stopped the Carlisle secondary school from delivering an exciting remote transition programme to ensure an effective transfer.

Typically, the pupils and parents are offered a comprehensive package, which includes workshops, face-to-face meetings with pupils and parents, an information evening and an action-packed induction day.

This year a remote interactive schedule via the school’s website is helping pupils to get to know key staff at Newman, to develop a sense of belonging to their new secondary school and to ease worries and anxieties; it is also helping parents, carers and families to be involved with the school.

Assistant headteacher Shaun Forrester is the school’s lead on transition.

He said: “We want to make sure that Year 6s and their parents, carers and families, are assured that we will do everything we can to make transition to Newman as smooth as possible during this unique and uncertain time.

“A group of Newman staff have put together welcome videos to explain their roles within the school and what they can do to support the pupils when they join us in year seven. The staff have also asked year six pupils to give us some information and feedback – such as telling us about their favourite subjects in school, saying what makes them happy, telling us about their hobbies and interests and asking the pupils to describe themselves to us.

“We have also contacted the pupils’ primary schools to find out a bit more about the year six’s and this information from their primary school teachers is incredibly helpful.

“All of this is building a comprehensive picture of the primary school pupils, so that we can have everything in place to welcome them in September, as if we had been able to meet face-to-face this term and deliver our usual range of activities.”

“We encourage all of our new Year sevens to look at the transition page on our school website, where information is updated daily https://www.newman.cumbria.sch.uk/about-our-school/transition

“Future activities could be an assembly, images of our brand-new school which will be opening in September, as well as further messages from our staff and current pupils. In the meantime, if parents or pupils have any questions we ask them to email the school office@newman.cumbria.sch.uk and we will respond.”