Briefing: Research report - School transition
Nancy Rowntree
Tuesday, March 27, 2007
A study by Edge Hill University in Lancashire has recommended that formal systems be put in place to support children moving up to secondary school.
Schools should put in place a formal system to help children startingtheir first year of secondary school adjust to the transition, researchhas shown.
Edge Hill University in Lancashire looked at the transition made bypupils from primary to secondary school. Researchers found that pupilswith average or high levels of emotional intelligence, also referred toas emotional literacy, cope much better with transition.
The study also looked at how secondary schools could help pupils developthis emotional intelligence to prepare and support them as they leaveprimary school. There was evidence that intervention programmes for Year7 pupils, which included individual mentoring by sixth formers andspending time in tutor groups, helped to increase self-esteem andself-confidence.
The study contrasted the experiences of two cohorts of Year 7 pupilsmaking the transition to Bishop Rawstorne School in Lancashire. Dr HelenWhiteley, head of social and psychological sciences at Edge HillUniversity, and Dr Pamela Qualter, from the University of CentralLancashire, led the research.
Whiteley said the findings had important consequences for schools."There are all sorts of challenges and worries when pupils transfer fromprimary to secondary school - huge buildings to get used to, newteachers to get to know, and leaving friends behind.
And we know there is often a dip in performance and confidence.
"Putting in place activities that develop emotional intelligence isundoubtedly going to help pupils at this time. The research alsosuggests that we should be developing these skills at primaryschool."
The report, Suppor-ting the Development of Emotional IntelligenceCompetencies to Ease the Transition from Primary to High School, appearsin the March 2007 edition of Educational Psychology in Practicejournal.
FACT BOX
- Pupils with high or average emotional intelligence cope better withtransition to secondary school in terms of grade point average,attendance and behaviour
- Intervention to help pupils develop emotional intelligence can includetutorials and sixth-form mentoring
- Pupils with low emotional intelligence scores had the most positiveresponse to intervention
- www.aep.org.uk.