The Impact of School Transitions and Transfers on Pupil Progress and Attainment

Recommendations

Info

In relation to transfer <strong>and</strong> transition <strong>Transitions</strong> <strong>and</strong> <strong>Transfers</strong>: A Review • In relation to both the start <strong>of</strong> a new phase <strong>of</strong> schooling <strong>and</strong> the start <strong>of</strong> a new year, schools need to develop structures which allow pupils to ask about things they don’t underst<strong>and</strong>, particularly their concerns about classroom learning <strong>and</strong> the expectations <strong>of</strong> their new teachers. • <strong>School</strong>s need to consider the possibility <strong>of</strong> providing flexible teaching which takes account <strong>of</strong> differences in pupils' preferred learning styles (paying particular attention to gender differences); in this way fewer pupils may become disengaged. • As yet, there has been no firm evaluation <strong>of</strong> the impact on pupils’ motivation <strong>and</strong> performance <strong>of</strong> the more innovative practices whether at transfer or transition points; teachers are likely to need support in developing skills in evaluation. As more schools seek ways <strong>of</strong> raising st<strong>and</strong>ards by reducing the negative impact <strong>of</strong> transfers <strong>and</strong> transitions on pupil progress, it will be important to provide a record <strong>of</strong> ‘successful practices’ which schools can use <strong>and</strong> build upon. This record would not only describe a practice which the school would recommend but also the degree to which it has been effective in a particular context (i.e. its fitness for purpose). 8
1. INTRODUCTION <strong>Transitions</strong> <strong>and</strong> <strong>Transfers</strong>: A Review This study was conducted on the common underst<strong>and</strong>ing within the team <strong>and</strong> between the team <strong>and</strong> the sponsors that we need young people who can sustain, through primary <strong>and</strong> secondary schooling: · an enthusiasm for learning · confidence in themselves as learners · a sense <strong>of</strong> achievement <strong>and</strong> purpose. It follows that it is important to look at <strong>and</strong> underst<strong>and</strong> more about the impact on performance <strong>and</strong> on attitudes to learning <strong>of</strong> the routine breaks in learning that occur as pupils move from one year to another <strong>and</strong> from one school to another. We use the word ‘transfer’ to refer to moves from one school to another <strong>and</strong> the word ‘transition’ to refer to the move from one year to another within a school. Much more attention has been given to cross-institutional transfer than to within-school transition experiences. However, teachers, policy makers <strong>and</strong> researchers are increasingly aware <strong>of</strong> the importance <strong>of</strong> giving greater priority to transitions if pupils are to sustain their commitment to learning at difficult moments in their school careers. <strong>The</strong> conduct <strong>of</strong> the study <strong>The</strong> team’s brief was to carry out a ‘literature <strong>and</strong> effective practice review’ to clarify whether current arrangements used by schools to ‘manage’ transfer <strong>and</strong> transition had a negative impact on pupils’ academic progress, <strong>and</strong> if so, whether some schools <strong>and</strong> LEAs had developed effective strategies for dealing with the problems. In carrying through this brief the team looked at the research literature on transfer <strong>and</strong> transition, as well as studies presently under way. It also invited accounts <strong>of</strong> practice from teachers <strong>and</strong> from local authorities. In terms <strong>of</strong> the research literature <strong>and</strong> current research, it paid attention to the following: * accounts <strong>of</strong> research into pupils’ progress <strong>and</strong> commitment to learning at points <strong>of</strong> institutional transfer (studies focused mainly on the transfer from primary to secondary school); * accounts <strong>of</strong> research into pupils’ progress <strong>and</strong> commitment to learning at points <strong>of</strong> within-school transition, particularly the moves from year 2 to year 3 <strong>and</strong> from year 7 to year 8. In summary, the evidence <strong>of</strong> this review suggests schools need more support in: · giving attention to transitions as well as to transfers; · evaluating the impact <strong>of</strong> their present transition/transfer strategies; · giving attention to pupils’ accounts <strong>of</strong> why they disengage or underperform at these critical moments; • recognising when <strong>and</strong> how different groups <strong>of</strong> pupils become ‘at risk’; <strong>and</strong> 9
Page 1 and 2: Research Report No 131 Tran
Page 3 and 4: LIST OF FIGURES AND TABLES Figure 1
Page 5 and 6: EXECUTIVE SUMMARY Transitio
Page 7: Transitions <stron
Page 11 and 12: Transitions <stron
Page 17 and 18: 35 30 25 20 Y4 to Y5 Y6 to Y7 <stro
Page 37 and 38: Hargreaves, A. (1996) Revisiting vo
Page 41: University of Camb

The Impact of School Transitions and Transfers on Pupil Progress and Attainment

You also want an ePaper? Increase the reach of your titles

Delete template?

Save as template?