Moving on up – secondary school is not so scary
As playground rumours spiral with scary stories, a University of Exeter survey shows pupils who are about to make the transition from primary to secondary school have less to fear than they think. More than 200 pupils took part in a questionnaire study that largely proves that making the move is less traumatic than most pupils fear. Rites-of-passage myths abound yet can be dispelled if emotional needs are supported as much as academic requirements.
Academics from the University of Exeter’s School of Education surveyed 207 students by questionnaire during their final primary term in year 6 and then followed up towards the end of the first term in year 7 in secondary school.
Rites-of-passage myths were a concern to the pupils. Half thought they would be picked on by older pupils and 20% indicated that this had actually occurred.
The vast majority thought teachers would be stricter than in their primary schools, yet only half found this to be the case. They also found the academic work to be not as hard as first feared.
The survey revealed some gender differences. Making new friends was most important to girls while boys revealed a greater interest in their new subjects.
The children make more friends than they anticipate - 55% thought they would make lots of new friends then 69% felt this definitely had occurred. Two-thirds of year 7 students thought their new school was a friendly place but 15% strongly disagreed. Some areas for concern were flagged up - 21% of boys’ and 19% girls’ responses were worried about bullying.
90% of year 6 pupils were looking forward to moving to secondary school with only 3% feeling more negative. The doubters grew in number after their first term – 10% of those surveyed had not enjoyed the move. However, most did not pine for primary school (35% of boys and 26% of girls even said there was nothing at all about their previous school that they missed).
Professor Bob Burden specialises in educational psychology at the University of Exeter and says: “I am confident that for most young people the transfer from primary to secondary school need not be by any means traumatic or stressful. Secondary schools can do a great deal to ensure that their incoming students maintain their initial positive outlook by focusing as much on their emotional climate as on academic requirements”.
His co-researcher Sue Chedzoy adds: “Parents can smooth the friction of discontinuity. Children need help to get their new uniform together and shown how to organise lots of new subject areas in their bags. A trial run of the new journey reassures them, and it is a great idea to meet up with other children going to the same school. Overall though, parents should remember that a lot of children are looking forward to the opportunity of a fresh start and feeling more grown up”.
The survey took place in 5 primary schools and five secondary schools in the South West of England. 103 girls and 104 boys participated.
Contacts: Bob Burden on 01392 264795
Abigail Dixon, Press Officer telephone 01392 262307
A paper on the survey is published in Research in Education, issue 74:
