Entries Tagged 'Daventry' ↓

In our last sessions at Danetre and William Parker with our year 6 groups this term we looked at celebrations. Using a well known advert for the world cup, we talked about how football players celebrate their goals as well as their fans. We looked at the world cup champions Spain celebrating their win for the first time ever. The exciting moment in 2005 in Trafalgar Square when it was announced that London would hold the 2012 Olympic games was also a good place to look for celebrations. This was linked to celebrating finishing primary school and how the students felt about that. We looked at what year 6 pupils would be doing as their end of year/school assemblies, parties, discos and trips. Also how they could set a good example for younger pupils and always act as positive ambassadors for their primary school.

Taking the Spanish football team captain, goalkeeper Casillas as a great example of a leader and captain, the groups rated skills that captains/leaders would need in order of importance. We then discussed skills like teamwork, being a good listener, setting a good example and being someone to rely on and explained why we chose to rate them. This is related to the same skills our year 6s will need to help them in secondary school. It was interesting to see that the same top and bottom-rated skills appeared for both football captains and secondary school students.

At Danetre, the children had a go at some brain-break puzzles, the birthday line-up and YES/NO games. At William Parker, the children learnt about the behaviour and expectations they are expected to follow once at secondary school. The group visited the isolation room to see how consequences are carried out for breaking these rules. The group played click-clacks to finish.

Well done to all the children involved in the last 5 weeks, they have worked hard, made new friends, met the staff and got to know much more about their secondary school. They are looking forward to starting in September and we will be seeing most of them at an Olympics themed summer challenge at the Cobblers and Steelbacks study centres in Northampton in a few weeks time.

The group looked at some video clips from England’s recent defeat in the world cup against Germany. They saw Lampard’s disallowed goal and the goals scored by the German players past our defence. They also looked at Robert Green’s mistake in the USA game. They were asked to put themselves in the position of the players involved and imagine how they felt, as well as thinking about football and the five senses. They used their ICT skills to write some creative and adjective-filled sentences in the first or third person and added photos from the Internet.

Vicki Campkin from Silverstone Study Centre (in Helena’s holiday absence) led a team game using poles and tennis balls which required teams to work together to balance the balls between the poles and carry them to the end of the course.

The transition part of the session was around ‘My perfect day at secondary school’ where we talked about what things tend to happen that can make a school day ‘bad’. These included morning routines, packing bags ready for school, being late, rushing around and sleeping in. The children talked in pairs and fedback to the rest of the group details about these things and offered each other suggestions as to how to overcome the problems. Then everyone was asked what would make a perfect day at school. Reasons included having their favourite subjects, playing with their friends, answering all the teacher’s questions correctly and not getting into any trouble.

School staff at Danetre took the group on a tour around the school to familiarise with the layout, departments and where to go for help. As many of the students have older siblings at Danetre or attend for clubs, they acted as our knowledgeable tour guides too. The design and technology block was of most interest with woodwork, textiles, construction, mechanics rooms.

Mrs Brindley led a session around what equipment is needed at secondary school. This included specialist equipment such as for maths, PE or science.

This week sees all year 6s in Daventry primary schools visiting their secondary school for two transfer days. Working in this project means the children have a friendly face to talk to in the school inclusion staff.

On Tuesday 29th June, the William Parker group used the computers to research world cup countries and players. They were asked to refine their ‘google research skills’ and compile a Powerpoint presentation on 5 facts about the country they chose and a player profile of key facts. The children used their ICT skills to make their presentations eye-catching, inserting pictures from the Internet and experimenting with fonts, colours and layout. The children’s work is below.

The team game was ‘hoops’, a game of co-ordination and agility. Then Helena led an activity on protective behaviours. Each pair was given a different situation card (based on problems they are likely to encounter at secondary school, as well as in primary) and were asked to write down possible actions they would take and the imagined consequences. After discussing their choices with an adult, they then chose the most positive suggestion for action and wrote down what the likely outcome would be. This is a good way to cover sometimes sensitive issues and compare opinions on how to make the right choice in a situation.

Mrs Perkins and Mrs Brindley took the group on a mini tour of the school and pointed out which buildings were which and how to read a timetable of room allocations. They met other pastoral and inclusion staff in central block before returning to look at subject name abreviations on a timetable and talking about weeks A and B. These are all things that will be new to year 6s and their  sneak peak will definitely help them on transfer day.

On Tuesday 22nd June, the year 6 groups at Danetre and William Parker worked on fantasy football teams using players competing in the World Cup. They were only allowed to spend £55 million including a manager and had to write persuasive sentences describing their choices. The pairs showed good team working skills as well as wise budgeting.

Gutter ball was the ‘brain-break’ then on to transition work where children were asked to write down 3 things they’d like to leave behind at primary school and 3 things they’d like to take with them. This is a good way to discuss fresh starts, changing attitudes and any skills that are valued.

The school staff talked about uniform and brought in older students to teach the year 6s how to tie a tie (with some good tips) and what is correct and incorrect uniform. The younger pupils were able to identify what is appropriate uniform and were made aware of the consequences of not following school rules on this.

After last year’s successful transition project involving year 6 pupils, this is running again, funded by Daventry District Council. Pupils from The Abbey School, Falconers Hill Junior School, Southbrook Primary and Ashby Fields Primary are attending weekly sessions at Danetre and William Parker Secondary schools.

Anna Letts and Helena Weedon from Northants Study Centres are leading the sports (PfS on the Road) themed numeracy, literacy and ICT activities as well as the transition content. Pastoral/inclusion staff from the two secondaries are leading the school information part of the sessions. Mandy Gough and Steve Collins from Danetre and Sally Perkins and Carol Brindley from William Parker. These staff will be the ones the pupils will be working with when they start in year 7. The aim is to get to know other children and secondary staff, improve confidence and self esteem as well as social skills. This can be done through teaching motivating and engaging team games and literacy and numeracy activities.

Week one began on Tuesday 15th June. After some ice breaker team games where the groups got to know each other, they decided on the group rules and boundaries. They then had a go at player card maths, using Cobblers squad numbers to carry out mental maths calculations. Helena taught them how to make a ‘network hand’ where the children wrote down who they could talk to if they had a problem or worry at secondary school.  The school information session covered common worries or questions the students may have when starting secondary school. During this time they made origami T Shirts and decorated them with world cup countries’ strips.

This week saw the last sessions of transition/PfS at Danetre and William Parker Schools. Both groups of year 7s have come a long way since before the summer and put their knowledge and experiences to good use by creating transition advice leaflets for year 6s.

This was alongside solution-focused circle time, Saints rugby kit note-taking, punctuation kung-fu and cup speed stacking, phew!

We wish all the students the best for the rest of their secondary school time.

http://ontheroad.northantsstudycentres.org/daventry-transition/william-parker-school/

http://ontheroad.northantsstudycentres.org/daventry-transition/danetre-school/

As part of the transition project at Danetre and William Parker, year 8 students were invited along to answer questions about their transition experiences. After talking about questioning and interviewing techniques, the year 7s planned their questions to ask, such as:

“What worries did you have and how did you overcome them?”

“Did you get lost and what did you do?”

“Do you prefer this school to your primary and why?”

“How did you make friends?”

“Did you have any family or friends already at this school and how did they help you settle in?”

The year 8s at both schools were excellent in providing clear answers and were very honest about their experiences. They had some good advice on how to handle a wide variety of problems and situations such as forgetting homework, after school clubs,  preparing equipment and kit the night before, which teachers to ask for what, where to go if you lose something, what to do if you are bullied, how to get extra help and how to find your way around the school.

To hear what other activities the students were involved in this week, visit their pages:

http://ontheroad.northantsstudycentres.org/daventry-transition/william-parker-school/

http://ontheroad.northantsstudycentres.org/daventry-transition/danetre-school/

The PfS style transition project has restarted at William Parker and Danetre schools with the same groups of children who attended before the summer in year 6. These students are now in year 7 and have had a few weeks to settle into  their new secondary school. This project involves 2 hour sessions consisting of PfS literacy and numeracy activities, brain breaks, transition work and school information.

To see how the groups are getting on and see the children in action, visit the transition page:

http://ontheroad.northantsstudycentres.org/daventry-transition/

http://ontheroad.northantsstudycentres.org/daventry-transition/william-parker-school/

http://ontheroad.northantsstudycentres.org/daventry-transition/danetre-school/

Year 6 children from Daventry’s primary schools (Falconers Hill, The Grange, The Abbey and Southbrook) are involved in a transition-PfS project based at William Parker and Danetre Schools.  They have been taking part in some literacy, numeracy and ICT activities using sport as the context. They are also looking at themes around transition and sharing their thoughts about starting secondary school in September. The two groups are taking the opporunity to meet school pastoral staff to ask them any questions.  

For the full project details and all the action, visit the transition pages:

http://ontheroad.northantsstudycentres.org/daventry-transition/