Moving to Vale of York Academy!
Additional Open Day Visits
We're excited to be able to other further opportunities for Year 6 parents/carers to visit our academy.
- Tuesday 7th October 10:15 - 11:00
- Wednesday 8th October 10:15 - 11:00
- Tuesday 14th October 10:15 - 11:00
- Wednesday 13th October 11:30 - 12:15
Please use the following link to book your place; Booking Form
Hi,
My name is Mr Orr and I am the Director of Community here at Vale of York Academy. I am absolutely delighted that you will be joining us in September. I have the privilege of being your main point of contact when it comes to transition from primary to secondary school.
I have put together some information that may be helpful for you and your family as you continue your journey to become a Vale of York Academy pupil. Having been at the school for 20 years, there is not too much I don’t know about Vale of York Academy.
I will be coming to visit you at your primary school very soon but in the meantime, if there is ever anything you are unsure of or wish to know, I’m available via email using hello@voy.hlt.academy.
I look forward to meeting you.
Mr Orr
Director of Community – Transition Lead
Enhanced Transition
We work very closely with our colleagues at the primary schools and have regular conversations about pupils as individuals to ensure that transition can be as smooth as possible. We have Enhance Transition that we put in place for pupils who are identified as requiring extra layers of support to ensure they are happy and confident when making the move to secondary school. Our Enhanced Transition package can be very bespoke for individual children, however the standard offer includes –
- A Visit with family and friends after 4pm when the Academy is quiet
- A visit with family and friends during the Academy day
- An opportunity to come in and spend time in a classroom completing activities in small groups
- Attendance at our Pre-Transition Day a week prior to the main Transition Days
- Attendance at both Transition Days
- An invite to summer school
Enhanced Transition isn’t for everybody and we work with pupils, parents and the primary schools to identify who would benefit and to shape the package of support.
Parents/Carers – How You Can Help
It can be a worrying and stressful time for parents when their children make the transition to Secondary School, particularly if it is the first experience of this process. Any questions or concerns that you have, please do not hesitate to contact Mr Orr via email using r.orr@voy.hlt.academy and he will be more than happy to invite you in for a cup of tea and a chat.
There are some things that you can do with your child which will benefit both and help make transition less stressful.
- Regularly talk to your child about how they are feeling about the transition. If they have questions you can’t answer, use the email above to ask Mr Orr.
- Walk/travel the route to Vale of York Academy together on a fairly regular basis throughout the summer, gradually encouraging them to do this independently. This will help to make this journey the norm by the time September arrives.
- Create an organisation list to go up where your child is likely to pack their bag every day and practice together making sure that everything they need at school is packed. Equipment required will come out with our transition booklet in the summer.
- Spend time looking through the website with your child so they become familiar with names, faces and terminology we use at Vale of York Academy. This video is a great snapshot of what to expect in a day at Vale of York Academy.
- Try to complete and return the admission pack by the deadline to to give your child the best chance of being placed in a tutor group with one or more of their friend preferences. Your attendance at out transition events for parents will also give you a better understanding of the process, which in turn will help you support your child more effectively.
Additional Information
Differences between primary school and secondary school
- The school site is large and students will need to move around independently to each lesson
- There will be new rules to learn
- A full and new school uniform
- Students will have many different teachers rather than just one or two
- Students will move from room to room for different lessons
- Students will be expected to carry bags and equipment from lesson to lesson, and will have the chance to get a locker
- Students will be responsible for a planner to record homework
- Students may have different subjects than they had at primary school
- Students may need to travel further to get to school, perhaps by bus or bike
- Students will need to be more independent at breaks and lunchtime
- Students will become more self-organised and independent
Partner Primary Schools
We are proud of our local partner primaries and work closely with them to ensure that the transition process for Year 6 students is a positive and comforting one.
This transition process incorporates our staff holding fun and inspiring lessons within the partner primaries. We also have target events and activities within our school to ensure that the young students are given an insight to the school environment developing their confidence.
Burton Green Primary School - 01904 552380 - bgp.hlt.academy
Clifton Green Primary School - 01904 627270 - www.cliftongreenprimary.co.uk
Clifton with Rawcliffe Primary School - 01904 555230 - www.cwr.york.sch.uk
Lakeside Primary School - 01904 691473 - www.lakeside.ebor.academy
Skelton Primary School - 01904 555170 - ske.hlt.academy