Transition

SWHS has very strong links with all the local primary schools. Over the last few years we have prided ourselves on our ability to ease the transfer between the two phases of schooling, recognising that children can be very apprehensive about such a move. 
Teaching and support staff from both our school and the primary schools work very closely together on schemes of work, supporting cross phase projects and delivering lessons to help ensure the smooth transition from primary to secondary.
The PE and Sports Specialist works in several of our more local primary schools delivering PE across the key stages, she also hosts and runs extra-curricular clubs and intra-school tournaments which brings pupils from the different primary schools together throughout the year, as well as allowing the primary students the opportunity to use the extensive facilities we have in school.
We host a Team Building Day in June at South Wirral High School which allows Year 6 pupils from the different schools to meet and work together on fun team building activities. It helps pupils establish new friendships in preparation for starting at secondary school in September and also allows the Year 6 pupils to meet the students from South Wirral High School and find their way around the new building.

We also host a Welcome Day and Welcome Night in July, for all the Year 6 pupils from all the different primary schools. During this day pupils are put into their House groups and work with their Head of House and learn all the basics about life at South Wirral. They again have the opportunity to meet and work with both our staff and students. It also allows the parents the opportunity to find out as much information as possible about life in secondary school and they establish a link with their child’s’ Head of House before they even start in September.

Throughout the year our staff regularly visit our local primary schools to watch performances, work with staff,  support ICT provision and pastoral care in primary schools,  which highlights the extensive partnership we have.

Every child who comes to South Wirral from primary school receives a personal visit from one of our pastoral team in June. They spend time talking to every child and relaying any anxieties or fears they may have about leaving the secure familiar grounds of primary school and ‘Moving on up’ into secondary school.