Transition
The move from Primary to Secondary Education
This is a massive change for most boys and girls in Year 5/6. All pupils are faced with a number of barriers to a successful transition. Traditionally the move from Primary School to Secondary School has a negative effect on the attainment of Year 7’s. The nurturing environment of a Primary School and the hard work of the Primary staff enable them to achieve excellent results in their Year 6 SATs. Thus, it is not surprising that the daunting move to KS3 can set them back, a lapse that can take students the first few terms in Year 7 to recover from.
At Sirius Academy we are proactive and seek to identify potential strategies to counter these barriers and suggest practices that could have a positive impact on pupil progress and attainment. The Academy has a thorough and extensive transition programme that allows all Year 5/6s pupils to make the transition to Secondary Education as seamless as possible. In the months and years leading up to enrolment in September a number of initiatives and events have been established to enable these students to increase their familiarity with the Academy’s building, staff and ethos.
Attendance and participation at the Academy’s various subject-themed events, sports talent camps, individual Primary School visits, Maths and English SATS workshops, Early Starters programme, SEND support sessions, Transition Week, and Summer School, will only increase the chance for a successful transition.
Watch – That was me… the journey
Watch – A day at Sirius Academy West
Watch – Meet our staff
Watch – Meet our students
Watch – Meet our subjects
Watch – Drone tour
We’re here to help – How to contact the academy
The move to Sirius Academy should be viewed with great excitement and optimism. We are looking forward to seeing every pupil flourish and fulfil their vast potential.
If you have any concerns or queries regarding the allocation or transition process, please do not hesitate to get in contact with the academy on:
(01482) 352939 or e-mail us at: [email protected].
FAQs
Please find below a list of frequently asked questions:
-
How can my child prepare for Sirius Academy West?
All students have been issued a Welcome Pack and a Transition Passport. These are full of activities that will enable students to increase their familiarity with the academy prior to Year 7. All students are encouraged to make use of the resources and materials that are available on our website. These include Virtual Tours, interviews with key staff and Q&As with current students.
-
Where do I purchase a uniform for my child?
The company the academy use to purchase school uniform is Steady School and Sportswear. Website: Steady School Wear – School Uniform, Hull & Yorkshire – click SCHOOLS and then STEADY SCHOOLWEAR CENTRAL.
-
How will I know what Tutor my child is in?
All students will receive a letter in July that will inform them of their Tutor allocation. This is a key aspect of a student’s transition to the academy. The pastoral support provided by the Year Teams can be crucial in an individual’s development and will provide consistency throughout.
-
How do I pay for my child’s school dinners?
School dinners are payable through ParentPay. Parents will receive a ParentPay activation letter from the academy and will be asked to use the unique username and password to set up their child’s account. Parents will be asked to complete the activation that will be detailed on the screen. If parents already use ParentPay for other children, parents can login to the account and click ‘Add a Child’ and register with the username and password given in the allocated boxes.
If parents have a ParentPay account from their Primary School, this does not transfer with students, and parents will need to use their secondary school activation code.
-
Is my child eligible for a Free School Meal?
If a student is eligible for free school meals at their Primary School this should automatically transfer with them into secondary school. If you have received a letter from Hull City Council to say your free school meals are expiring you must reapply for free school meals via the Hull City Council website.
If a student is joining the academy from an East Riding or another primary school outside of the Hull City Council area, this may not transfer automatically, and parents will need to apply for free school meals via the Hull City Council website.
A credit of £2.10 will be added automatically to the students account, this is only available at lunchtime and does not transfer over to another day.
-
Are breakfast and break-time snacks available?
The Academy has two breakfast options: The Magic Breakfast is available free of charge to all students. The Academy also offer a breakfast that can be purchased and is available to all students.
Snacks are available at break-time and at the end of the day.
If a student is eligible for free school meals a credit of £2.10 will be available at lunchtime only. Money for purchasing other items can be added to the student’s unique ParentPay account.
-
Can I obtain a Bus Pass from Sirius Academy West?
Parents can apply for a bus pass via the Hull City Council website. If a child is eligible for a bus pass and they use the Academy 296/297 bus; a bus pass will be provided by the Academy.
Stagecoach or East Yorkshire replacement bus passes must be applied for on the Hull City Council website and cost £10.00 to replace.
-
What subjects will my child study in Year 7?
One of the major differences from Primary School to Secondary School education is the change from one classroom and one teacher to a timetable that requires a student to move around the building. This exciting change allows a student to utilise our amazing facilities; including, Science Laboratories, Drama and Dance Studios, Technology Workshops, Sports Hall and Fitness Gym. All students will have the opportunity to study English, Maths, Science, Geography, History, Spanish or French, Religious Studies, ICT and Business, Art, Drama, Music, Technology and Physical Education and PSHE.
-
What extra-curricular clubs are available to my child?
We are keen to provide all of our students with the offer of a good range of co-curricular opportunities. These opportunities help our students to explore and express their character and build skills they need for resilience, empathy and employability. All students are provided with a timetable of activities that are available at breaks, lunches and after school. In addition to this the academy also promotes the Personal Development Pathway. Students are encouraged to complete a series o challenges each year to satisfy specific Pledges.
-
What is the My Ed application?
MyEd is a free parent app that gives us lots of ways to communicate and allows you to access information about the academy including a weekly parental bulletin, contacts, Twitter and student information all in one place, making it easy to keep up to date with the latest news.
The app gives you direct access to student’s attendance, timetable, absence records, achievements, behaviour and much more. Information is updated regularly, secure and protected. The academy will need the same mobile number you are using with the App on our internal system record as a priority contact.
Messages are sent directly to the MyEd app relating to important information about your child’s education and to remind parents of events that are taking place within the Academy so you will never miss out.
-
I have concerns regarding my child’s transition
Any additional questions please direct to [email protected] or contact us on (01482) 352939.