Essay: Pupils’ Experiences across Transition

Although youngsters experience bespoke upbringings, common apprehensions have emerged in several research studies about pupils’ experiences across key developmental stages, such as school transfer (Chedzoy and Burden, 2005: West, Sweeting and Young, 2010). This section will examine the experiences which have been described in studies during transfer with regards to the school environment, the classroom, and the individual student. This review will draw upon studies about two-tier and three-tier schools that have transitioned on different pathways whilst accounting for pupils and teacher perspectives.
Chedzoy and Burden (2005) investigated student attitudes to school transfer in two-tier schools, concluding that the change in environment was most feared by pupils. Summerfield (1986) highlighted that the transfer process, essentially reversed the students position within the school community where the pupils transferred from being the “oldest, most responsible, best known and most demonstrably able” (p.23) to the least in the new school. In turn, this offered the opportunity but equally, the threat, of developing a new identity, which may have affected overall engagement in school (Summerfield, 1986: Brown and Armstrongs,1986).
Social adjustment during the transfer process by pupils, appeared to enable a successful transfer (Lucey and Reay, 2000). Lucey and Reay (2000) found school-transfer to be an anxious time for pre-transfer pupils’ two-tier schools. An earlier study by Delamont (1991) found that peers of pupils in-transfer communicated “horror stories and myths” (Lucey and Reay, 2000, p.192), which had greatly influenced children’s understanding of secondary schools. Giddens (1991) had stated that pupils displayed “anxious readiness” (p.44) through a show of excitement and fear which is supported by Lucey and Reay (2000) who identified that minority groups with less friends in-transfer were more forward-looking to a “new-start” (p.200). Equally, it seemed that children were more confident and settled in more quickly if their friends were transferring to the same school (Lucey and Reay, 2000).
Evangelou et al. (2008) had identified criteria explaining positive and successful transfer experiences at secondary school which consisted of expanded friendship groups, increased self-esteem and confidence, being no cause for concern for parents, being more interested in academic work and adapting to routines easily. Conversely, Evangelou et al. (2008) found that experiences of bullying, worrying about academic challenge, new teachers and inability to make friends were associated with poor transfer experiences. Thirty percent of transfer pupils from primary to secondary school experienced bullying, and sixty-three percent of those were unable to expand friendship groups, validating the criteria proposed by Evangelou et al. (2008). Social opportunities are provided to students, by primary and secondary schools to facilitate their adjustment during school transfer (Pratt and George, 2005). These included transfer days, pupils naming two peers they wanted in their new tutor group (Bailey, 2005), and meetings between the teaching staff (Pratt and George, 2005).
Brown and Armstrong (1986) identified concerns expressed by pending transfer pupils within secondary schools, which included “getting lost, homework, bullies, being the smallest in the school, strict teaching and detentions” (p.23) which are similar to those identified by Zeedyk et al. (2003), Brown and Armstrong (1982) and Akos and Galassi (2004). West, Sweeting and Young (2008) had found that environmental changes, such as bigger buildings, and being unfamiliar with changing classrooms for particular subjects, also caused pupils to become apprehensive about “getting lost” or “being late” for lessons. The academic demands were also noted to be a concern for pupils in-transfer since the content became more challenging, coupled with more rigorous assessment and examination procedures (West, Sweeting and Young, 2008). Evangelou et al. (2008) found that during transfer, some secondary school pupils and parents were provided with information booklets and open days. Some secondary schools had planned for year-seven pupils to experience the environment, space and facilities independently of other year groups on the first day of school (Evangelou et al., 2008).
On a smaller scale, individual experiences vary greatly, where it seemed that lower academic ability and low self-esteem resulted in poorer school transfers (West, Sweeting and Young, 2008). This also applied to pupils who were more anxious, less prepared and had previously experienced victimisation (West, Sweeting and Young, 2008). West, Sweeting and Young (2008), proposed that the higher levels of anxiety made pupils more apprehensive and therefore less likely to engage with their surroundings. Measor and Woods (1984) found pupils with a positive approach were more engaged, settled in more quickly and were also more likely to engage in PESS, supporting West, Sweeting and Youngs (2008) claim. Strategies to prepare students individually for the transfer from primary school included familiarising pupils with the school and their peers through several visits to the transfer school (Brown and Armstrong, 1986).
Experiences during transfer appear to vary depending on whether the pupil has experienced a transfer before as well as the opportunities that are provided throughout this process by the schools (Brown and Armstrong, 1986). Preparation prior to transfer for the pupil may also influence the transfer process and how pupils engage following their transfer (Brown and Armstrong, 1986).
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