Transition - New Year 7 students

Students joining the school in Year 7 can expect to receive all the support they need to adjust to their new surroundings and to set them up for getting the best out of their education. The information included in the Starter Pack, which is sent out in March after secondary school places have been allocated by the Local Authority, provides lots of useful information about Allerton Grange School.

Making the move from primary school into secondary school can be a daunting time for students and their families. However, we have a thorough and extended transition programme in place to ensure that students feel welcomed and confident on their first day.

Usually, our Transition team visit primary schools once places have been allocated to meet with teachers and students. We also have an extended programme of three taster days in the summer term; we have found students starting in September are more confident and have had further opportunities to forge friendships as a result.

For 2020, our Transition team are working hard to keep in touch with Year 6 students and primary schools to help make the transition to high school as easy as possible, despite the unusual circumstances.

Allerton Grange Transition booklets have been sent out in the post to new Year 7 students. You can download a copy here.

On Tuesday 8 September, our new Year 7 students will have the chance to settle in without any other year groups in school. Although they have been unable to attend their three transition days during Year 6, they will, at least, have the school building to themselves for their first full day at secondary school! We will help to ease them into life at Allerton Grange in our usual welcoming and supportive way. Full details of arrangements for the first day will be in our end-of-term letter.

Before students start at the school, our transition process involves bringing together information from the admissions form required to be filled out for each student, as well as thorough consultation with primary school teachers. Placing students in form groups and allocating which language they will be studying is carefully thought through. We do our best to liaise with primary schools to place students in forms with a familiar face, however it is not always possible for students to be matched exactly with their friends. 

Students are placed into sets in maths, science and PE shortly after starting in September. This is determined through baseline assessments as well as attainment information from primary school. In languages, setting takes place in January of Year 7. In all other subjects, students remain in mixed-ability groups throughout Key Stage 3. They can move up and down sets based on assessment results, however every effort is made to provide intervention support before moving students down. At Allerton Grange, we pride ourselves on teaching and learning, including providing the right support to challenge and stretch our students, helping them to achieve their full potential.

Students interested in music can choose from a diverse range of instruments to learn through our tuition programme. 

Year 7 assemblies take place on Monday mornings 8.50am – 9.10am in place of normal registration with form tutors. Every half term Rewards Assemblies take place to recognise achievements from individuals and groups.

We follow the school’s Policy for Positive Discipline which allocates achievement and behaviour points to students. Points can lead to prizes or special trips whereas behaviour points issued for breaking school rules can lead to detentions or more serious sanctions.

For further information, please contact Mrs Leanne Hosty – Progress and Welfare Leader for Key Stage 3 and Transition Manager

For more detailed information about admissions, uniform, how the school day is structured, catering and what equipment they will need, please see other pages on the website: