Effective transition to secondary school for shy, less confident children: A case study using ‘Pyramid’ group work

Abstract

Research suggests that transition to secondary school is problematic for about a quarter of children. Children who may be shy, less confident or withdrawn are particularly vulnerable to experiencing problems. ‘Pyramid Clubs’ are a targeted, small group intervention which may be implemented for shy, underconfident children before, during and after secondary transition, though the published evidence on its effectiveness is sparse and its theoretical basis is not clearly articulated. This study reports on a mixed-methods case study evaluation of a Transition Pyramid Club intervention with nine students, gathering data from class teachers, club members, club leaders and parents. Qualitative findings show improvements in children’s social-emotional well-being and social and interpersonal functioning as measured by pre-/post-intervention teacher report questionnaires. As well as facilitative factors outside the club itself, thematic analysis of focus group, interview and observation data highlight the importance of the club’s facility in addressing students’ and parents’ pre-transition concerns and providing positive outcomes and experiences. The analysis also highlighted a number of routine proceedings, thought to be instrumental in bringing about positive outcomes, which were used to identify the core elements of a Transition Pyramid Club. On the basis of these findings, the authors propose a theoretical model of ‘support for student resilience’ which appears to be significant to the effectiveness of Pyramid Club in supporting children in transition from primary to secondary school.