Read full article here.

There is no doubt that many students find school transitions difficult. There are a range of reasons for that.

When National Standards were a part of the NZ Education environment you would see a significant drop of in Maths and Reading achievement during Year 7 & 8.

High school rarely rectify previous problems for students. Instead of trying to define a child’s ability in Year 9 - they need to see the child’s remarkable potential and give them a brand new a positive start.

And a child being able to “enjoy” school (which is not the same as having “fun”) is crucial to both attendence and achievement.

A few points from the article:

“pupils’ enjoyment of school drops sharply during their first year of secondary education”

“It revealed a worrying trend: Year 7 pupils consistently reported lower levels of enjoyment, trust, agency, and even safety, between autumn and spring terms. This decline paints a concerning picture of the transition experience for many young people.”

“As this study shows, a drop in engagement during this period can be hugely detrimental to a pupil’s wellbeing and attainment.

“It is therefore vital that schools are able to access specialist support services that can break down any barriers preventing pupils from feeling happy and secure at school.”

Keep in mind PISA studies show NZ schools to have the most bullying in the OECD.

Alwyn Poole
alwyn.poole@gmail.com
www.linkedin.com/in/alwyn-poole-16b02151/