Transition To Secondary School Research Articles

A four‐stage longitudinal study exploring pupils’ experiences, preparation and support systems during primary–secondary school transitions

A longitudinal study was conducted over four stages of three school years across the primary–secondary transition. The purpose was to understand the dynamic transition experience of pupils, investigate the effectiveness of preparation by schools to support transitions and understand pupils’ most important support networks. Using online questionnaires, data were collected from pupils at four time points, twice from secondary school professionals and their parents, and once from primary school professionals. Results highlight the ongoing and dynamic nature of transitions. What pupils were excited about were still seen to be good once they were in secondary school, and aspects that worried them declined over time. Some pupils experienced problems and adapted at different times, whereas for some, problems emerged later. It seems that those who anticipated problems when in primary school were more likely to experience problems; this has implications for the discourse around transitions and its impact on pupils’ anticipation of transition experience. Although transition planning and preparation by schools were important and varied, they were not always effective, not provided in a timely manner and did not tap into their naturally occurring support networks in the home and community. This study makes unique contributions in terms of highlighting the dynamic transitions process and change in pupils’ experience over time; various aspects of transitions that children are excited and concerned about and how these changed over time; professionals’ conceptualisations of transitions; pupils’ and parents’ views of the effectiveness of transition practices at various stages; and pupils’ real support networks.

Psychological Adjustment During Multiple Transitions Between Childhood and Adolescence

Based on the temporal framework of transition experiences, this study tested time-graded patterns of family resource effects on children’s and early adolescents’ psychological adjustment during a time of multiple transitions. Using data of a longitudinal study including 2,020 German children covering the age span between 8 and 12 ( nboys = 1,035, ngirls = 985), internalizing and externalizing problems were predicted by parent-child relationship and family’s educational background in a multi-group structural equation model, applying time-lagged autoregressive models. The results showed positive resource effects especially through parent-child relationship. The gender-specific effect patterns over time supported the assumption of stronger resource effects when early puberty onset and secondary school transition co-occurred. Thus, it is important to provide support for this vulnerable group during times of multiple transitions.

Secondary school transition for students with special educational needs in Ireland

ABSTRACTThe transition from primary to secondary school represents one of the key junctions in the educational career of young people. Research has shown that much of the challenge in this transition stems from changing social structures and encountering different learning environments. However, the transition experiences of students with special educational needs (SEN) have received relatively little attention. Drawing on large-scale longitudinal data from over 7000 young people, we examine the extent to which students with different SEN experience additional transition barriers to their peers. The findings show that young people with SEN are more likely to experience a negative transition to secondary school. Furthermore, the type of need matters and students with general learning disabilities and intellectual disabilities are three times more likely to experience poor transition compared to young people without SEN. Transition experiences also vary by gender and socio-economic status, with girls and lower socio-economic groups more at risk. This paper highlights the importance of supporting students through to their second year in secondary education, promoting positive teacher–student interactions and providing additional supports for those with lower achievement in primary school. For students with disabilities, the research highlights a need for more effective transition supports, particularly during the pre-transition period.

Fundamental movement skills and their relationship with measures of health-related physical fitness of primary school children prior to secondary school transition: a Welsh perspective

ABSTRACTThe aims of this study were to investigate levels of fundamental movement skills (FMS) proficiency and their relationship with measures of health-related physical fitness of primary school children prior to their transition to high school in Wales. The results demonstrated that overall levels of FMS proficiency with these children were low with significant differences existing between the genders. In addition, the measures of health-related physical fitness significantly correlated with FMS proficiency in both genders. In summary, these findings suggest that primary school children lack the foundational elements to support their transition to high school physical education.

Facing Uncertainty yet Feeling Confident: Teenage Migrant Girls’ Agencies in Upper Secondary School Transitions

ABSTRACTThis article concentrates on the transition from comprehensive school to the upper secondary level from the viewpoint of migrant background girls. Emphasis is on understanding the bounded agency and the ways in which gender and family background are expressed in the modalities of the agency. Previous studies show that ethnic minorities have more difficulties in school, and they continue to higher education less frequently than the majority of students. We are interested in the aspirations of migrant background girls (n = 34) concerning their post-comprehensive transition. Our focus is on the experienced agency during the last year of comprehensive school. Our research questions are: What kinds of modalities do migrant background girls use when considering their educational choices? How do these modalities reflect their bounded agency? The study shows that although the experienced agency is universal among the age group, there are specific ethnic and gender connotations.

'Best friends forever'? Friendship stability across school transition and associations with mental health and educational attainment.

Friendships have been linked to mental health and school attainment in children. The effects of friendlessness and friendship quality have been well researched, but less is known about the role of friendship stability (i.e., maintaining the same friend over time), an aspect of friendship which is often interrupted by the transition between phases of schooling. Many children report concerns about the secondary school transition which introduces a number of new social and academic challenges for children. To explore rates of friendship stability and whether maintaining a stable best friend across the primary to secondary school transition provided benefits to children's adjustment during this period. Data were from 593 children (M age=11years 2months). This study used longitudinal data from children transitioning into 10 UK secondary schools and explored the association between self-reported friendship stability and three outcomes: academic attainment, emotional problems and conduct problems. Analyses controlled for friendship quality and pre-transition psychological adjustment or attainment as appropriate. Rates of friendship stability were relatively low during this period. Children who kept the same best friend had higher academic attainment and lower levels of conduct problems. Exploratory analyses indicated that secondary school policies that group children based on friendships may support friendship stability. Helping maintain children's best friendships during the transition to secondary school may contribute to higher academic performance and better mental health.

Inclusive school practices supporting the primary to secondary transition for autistic children: pupil, teacher, and parental perspectives

PurposeThe primary to secondary school transition can have a significant and long-lasting impact on young people. Autistic children are particularly vulnerable to negative transition experiences; however, there is a lack of research examining effective practices and provision for these pupils. This case study involves a mainstream secondary school in the South of England, which has a dedicated Learning Support base. The purpose of this paper is to collect qualitative data on experiences of the primary to secondary school transition from multiple stakeholders.Design/methodology/approachA photovoice activity followed by a semi-structured interview was conducted with five autistic pupils aged 12–16 years; semi-structured interviews were also carried out with six parents and four teachers.FindingsFive key themes emerged from the data in relation to effective practices: inclusion, child-centred approach, familiarisation, visual supports and communication and consistency.Research limitations/implicationsAs a small-scale case study, there are limitations regarding generalisation. However, this research illuminates transition practices that are experienced as effective by autistic children, their families and teachers.Practical implicationsPractical implications related to each of these themes are highlighted. These implications are important in the context of the mandatory responsibilities of schools in England to include the voices of children and young people with special educational needs in decisions about their education.Originality/valueThe findings challenge a rights-based approach to inclusion and illustrate the importance of a needs-based approach which appropriately recognises and understands what autism means for children, their families and the teachers who support them.

A range of transition activities

It is really worth the effort to get your primary to secondary school transition support processes right. Jason Wing takes us through the raft of activities that help to ensure year 7 pupils hit the ground running when they join his schools

High versus Low Intensity Summer Treatment for ADHD Delivered at Secondary School Transitions

Spikes in symptom severity are noted for adolescents with attention deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) at the transitions to middle and high school that are attributed to developmental maladjustment. This study evaluated the effectiveness of high-intensity (HI; 412 hr, $4,373 per participant) versus low-intensity (LI; 24 hr, $97 per participant) skills-based summer intervention delivered to adolescents with ADHD by local school district staff. Participants were 325 ethnically diverse rising sixth and ninth graders with ADHD randomized to HI versus LI (n = 218) or recruited into an untreated comparison group (n = 107). Group × Time 1-year outcome trajectories were compared using linear mixed models. Both interventions possessed high fidelity and were viewed by families as enjoyable and beneficial. Youth attendance was higher for HI (~80%) versus LI (~45%). Parent training attendance was uniform across groups (~50%). Parent and student attendance did not impact trajectories. Primary benefits of HI over LI were to note taking (d = .50), parent contingency management (d = .43), and parent-rated ADHD symptoms (d = .40–.46; ninth grade only). Secondary analyses suggested that HI may produce additional benefits compared to no treatment for home organization skills (HI vs. untreated d = .54), parent–teen conflict (HI vs. untreated d = .39), and grade point average (HI vs. untreated d = .47, ninth grade only). Summer HI treatment was superior to LI in engagement and uptake of certain skills. However, the extent to which these medium benefits on a limited number of outcomes justify high costs compared to LI remains an open question. Delivering treatment during the summer instead of school year may limit generalizability.

A Problem-Oriented Group Approach to Reduce Children's Fears and Concerns About the Secondary School Transition

To facilitate students’ transition into secondary school, a short, problem-oriented group program was designed that included interpretation retraining, problem solving, and social-skills training. Pre- and post-test data from two groups conducted over the course of 5 weeks were combined for a total of 35 6th-grade students waiting to undergo school transition. There was also a no-intervention control group (n= 19). Results indicate that completion of the program by the intervention group led to a significant decrease on negative interpretations, with greater reductions in feelings of loneliness and increases in children's positive attitudes toward school compared to the control group. In addition, 3 months before moving to secondary school, children in the intervention group reported significantly fewer concerns about school transition compared with the controls. We conclude that the inclusion of problem-based strategies may be beneficial when designing transition groups, which may also lead to a significant reduction in worries and concerns about the transition to secondary school.

Pupils’ reflections on the primary to secondary school transition with reference to modern language learning: a motivational self-system perspective

ABSTRACTPoints of transition in life are accepted as times which impact greatly on aspects of the individual’s psyche, including motivation to learn. In spite of this, pupils’ views are rarely heard in discussions of transition from primary to secondary school in general and in relation to modern languages in particular. This exploratory study investigated the motivation of young learners of foreign languages in one region of the UK at time of transitioning from primary school to secondary school. Ten to 12 year olds shared their views of the experience of transition and provided motivational insights which test the applicability of Dörnyei’s L2 ‘motivational self system’ [2005. The Psychology of the Language Learner: Individual Differences in Second Language Acquisition. Mahwah, NJ: Lawrence Erlbaum] for learners in this age group. Eighteen students were interviewed in their final year of primary school and again one year later in their first year of secondary school. Pupils identified foreign language learning as a generally a positive experience but one which could include, in the primary school, a higher level of challenge, more ‘real’ work and evidence to facilitate a feeling of making progress. This provided the background for consideration of whether these experiences contributed to focal pupils’ vision of self. The pupils’ messages resonate beyond the confines of foreign languages to other subjects and other transition experienced by young people around this age.

Sound walk guide: A transition tool for autism spectrum disorder

Objective: The objective of this study was to design and create a ”Sound walk Guide” for children with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) transitioning between primary and secondary education. Methods: A literature review was conducted on transition tools used for children with ASD. This informed the development of a sound walk guide based on a sound walk audio tool. Results and Discussion: The literature review highlighted the sensory difficulties faced by children with autism during transition. It described some of the transition tools used in ASD from online training programs to virtual reality tools. However, there was little literature on specific tools for primary to secondary school transition. This informed the development of a user-friendly sound walk guide which was developed along with children and professionals in education and health.

School connectedness and the primary to secondary school transition for young people with autism spectrum conditions.

Young people with autism spectrum conditions (ASC) face many educational challenges, particularly in terms of academic achievement, social inclusion, and mental health. School connectedness is linked to many positive outcomes and may be of particular salience at the primary-secondary school transition, when young people with ASC are expected to cope in new and unfamiliar settings. This study explores for the first time school connectedness across the primary to secondary school transition for young people with ASC. Twenty-eight students with ASC (23 male, five female) and a comparison group of 21 students with no additional needs (16 male, five female) participated. A longitudinal design was used to measure school connectedness across transition at four time-points from the end of primary school, into the first and second years of secondary school. Students completed the Psychological Sense of School Membership (Goodenow, 1993, Psychology in the Schools, 30, 79) questionnaire at each time-point, with responses analysed statistically. Students with ASC reported positive levels of school connectedness across transition, although their scores remained lower than those of their typically developing peers. The gap between the two groups narrowed significantly during the first year of secondary school, with students in the ASC group reporting improving levels of school connectedness, although there were non-significant signs of a decline for both groups in the second year. Transition can be a positive experience for students with ASC. However, their consistently lower levels of school connectedness compared to those of their peers highlight the need for ongoing monitoring and support during secondary education.

O impacto da transição escolar para o 2.° ciclo sobre o autoconceito e a autoestima

Secondary school transition takes place earlier in Portugal than in most Western countries. This study aims to analyze the impact of this transition on the self‐concept and self‐esteem of Portuguese students, and to identify potential differential gender impacts. The sample included 377 students (Mage=9.46; SD=0.93; 52.8% boys). Self‐report questionnaires were administered in 4th grade (middle and end) and 5th grade (beginning and end). Multilevel linear modeling with a repeated measures design was used to evaluate the evolution of self‐perceptions during secondary school transitions. Results show significant decreases in all dimensions of self‐concept and in self‐esteem during this transition. Gender differences emerged with boys showing greater decreases in emotional self‐concept and girls in academic self‐concept. Students retained at the end of 5th grade had greater declines in all self‐perceptions. The results highlight the importance of intervention to prevent the negative impact of secondary school transition on self‐perceptions.

The Impact of Secondary School Transition on Self-Concept and Self-Esteem

Secondary school transition takes place earlier in Portugal than in most Western countries. This study aims to analyze the impact of this transition on the self-concept and self-esteem of Portuguese students, and to identify potential differential gender impacts. The sample included 377 students (Mage=9.46; SD=.93; 52.8% boys). Self-report questionnaires were administered in 4th grade (middle and end) and 5th grade (beginning and end). Multilevel linear modeling with a repeated measures design was used to evaluate the evolution of self-perceptions during secondary school transitions. Results show significant decreases in all dimensions of self-concept and in self-esteem during this transition. Gender differences emerged with boys showing greater decreases in emotional self-concept and girls in academic self-concept. Students retained at the end of 5th grade had greater declines in all self-perceptions. The results highlight the importance of intervention to prevent the negative impact of secondary school transition on self-perceptions.

Educational Inequality in Apartheid South Africa

In this article, I explore the utility of effectively maintained inequality theory in examining educational inequality in South Africa at the end of the apartheid era. As an obviously unequal country, South Africa provides an excellent opportunity to test the claim that even with large quantitative differences in achievement, qualitative differences will matter. Using data from the early 1990s, I find that there were extensive quantitative differences in secondary school transitions across respondents in different racial categories. The minority White population was consistently able to achieve both more and better education. At the same time, though, qualitative distinctions mattered. For the majority of the population, particularly Africans, the quality of education attained varied across parental background. These outcomes are important not only for examining the veracity of effectively maintained inequality, both in terms of racial and class differences but also because they illustrate how educational differences have served to perpetuate inequality over time in a society that no longer allows for the explicit denial of opportunity by race.

Why Do Secondary School Students Lose Their Interest in Science? Or Does it Never Emerge? A Possible and Overlooked Explanation

In this paper, we review research on how students’ interest in science changes through the primary to secondary school transition. In the literature, the findings generally show that primary students enjoy science but come to lose interest during secondary school. As this claim is based mainly on interview and questionnaire data, that is on secondary reports from students about their interest in science, these results are reexamined through our own extensive material from primary and secondary school on how interest is constituted through classroom discourse. Our results suggest the possibility that primary students do not lose their interest in science, but rather that an interest in science is never constituted. The overview indicates that studies relying on interviews and questionnaires make it difficult to ascertain what the actual object of interest is when students act in the science classroom. The possibility suggested should, if valid, have consequences for science education and be worthy of further examination.

ASD transition to mainstream secondary: a positive experience?

The transition to secondary school is considered difficult for children with autistic spectrum disorder (ASD), yet there has been little strength-based investigation of positive experiences of this population and the types of support they value most in managing anxiety about transition. The current article presents a qualitative exploration of the perspectives of six children with ASD who had recently transitioned successfully into mainstream secondary schools. Thematic analysis of semi-structured interview transcripts indicated that the children valued many changes associated with moving to secondary school (for example, greater routine, more varied lessons). In terms of intervention approaches, children favoured those that were positive in focus (for example, support from family, discussions about positive aspects of secondary school) and provided practical advice (for example, written information about secondary school, secondary school visits, opportunities to meet secondary school staff). Despite these commonalities, experiences varied and it was evident that children benefitted from individualised support tailored to their specific needs. Findings have implications concerning the support offered to children with ASD across secondary school transition and highlight the need to incorporate the child’s voice into intervention plans.

‘White British girls on free school meals’: power, resistance and resilience at secondary school transition

ABSTRACTThis article explores the perspectives of 10 White British girls eligible for Free School Meals as they transfer from English primary to secondary schools. Having identified the discourses relevant to the girls at transition – good girl, girl power, hyper-femininity, authenticity, ‘challenges at home’, ‘friends as family’ and standards – the article uses Foucault to theorise these examples, reflecting on the complexity of associated power, resistance and resilience. The article continues by drawing on the multiplicity of resistance to these discourses to identify the girls’ developing intrinsic strengths, and argues that these should be used both a starting point and a structure for supporting them through discourse negotiation at secondary transition and beyond.

Motivational trajectories for early language learning across the primary–secondary school transition

The transition from primary to secondary school is an area of concern across a range of curriculum subjects and this is no less so for foreign language learning. Indeed problems with transition have been identified in England as an important barrier to the introduction of language learning to the primary school curriculum, with implications for learners’ longer‐term motivation for the subject. This longitudinal study investigated, through a questionnaire, the development of 233 learners’ motivation for learning French in England, during the transition from primary to secondary schooling. It also explored whether levels and patterns of motivation differed according to the type of language teaching experienced, comparing a largely oracy‐focused approach with one with greater emphasis on literacy activities. Learners showed high and increasing levels of motivation across transition, placing particular value on learning French for travel. Being taught through an oracy or a literacy‐focused approach had less impact on learners’ motivation than broader classroom experiences, with the development of a sense of progress and feeling that instruction met their learning needs being especially important. A growing disjuncture emerged between valuing the learning of French for travel/communication and learners’ low levels of self‐efficacy for communication with native speakers, together with a desire for more communication‐based activities. By the end of the first year of secondary school less positive attitudes towards learning French and less optimism about the possibility of future progress were beginning to emerge. The paper concludes by outlining the implications of the study for classroom practice in language learning.