Here at Stainburn we recognise the importance of a smooth transition from primary to secondary school. Summer School is just one of the strategies adopted to ensure that Year 6 pupils feel safe and comfortable and look forward to starting secondary school. Stainburn summer school has been running for 12 years and is still fully subscribed every year.
Pupils from all our primary partners are invited to attend summer school during the first two weeks of the summer holidays and participate in a variety of different activities. The aim is to include as many teachers and as many subjects as possible to provide an all round experience. There are a number of practical activities to encourage pupils from different primary schools to make new friends. Pupils are certainly not expected to sit behind a desk for two weeks of their holidays!
A typical week on the theme of ‘mystery’ might include;
- Art & Design: Designing a new mystery based board game
- Design & Technology: Making the board game & characters
- Drama: A murder mystery day. Pupils become detectives in solving a mystery performed by GCSE and sixth form drama students
- Music & media: Devising sound effects for action movies to create suspense.
- Science: ‘There’s been a murder! Pupils complete a forensic study.’
- Sport: Nothing mysterious about this, but good team building fun!
- Food studies: Pupils get their first go at cooking and always have plenty to take home!
Groups are very carefully managed and supported by the Learning Mentor team, higher level teaching assistants and volunteers from the peer mentoring programme. Parents are welcomed into school at any time to discuss their son or daughter and to share in their successes. Pupils are able to earn e-merits before they have even started Year 7. Pupils can be awarded points for good work, teamwork, supporting others and generally giving 100% to what they are doing. As well as this, all pupils with 100% attendance are awarded an attendance certificate and gift voucher to celebrate their commitment to the summer school. Certificates and prizes are also awarded for all progress and achievement in the different subject areas over the two week period. It’s a great start and a good time is had by all!
