AdmissionsWelcome to Year 7 / Transition Info
Transition Information for Students Joining September 2025
We are very much looking forward to welcoming our new year 7 students in September.
Please find transition information below and key start dates.
Transition Information Evening for Parents - took place on Thursday 12th June, 6.30pm. Please find key information below regarding the transition to secondary school.
TRANSITION EVENING PRESENTATION
Transfer Day for Year 6 Students - Wednesday 2nd July
More information will be shared on Thursday 12th June regarding the Transfer Day.
First Days at Holy Family
Thursday 4th September
- Arrival at 8.40am
- Finish at 3pm
From Friday 5th September
- Monday-Thursday: 8.30am-3.10pm
- Friday: 8.30am-2.20pm
Transition from Primary to Secondary school is characterised by a mixture of excitement and anxiety. Most children will find ways to adapt very quickly, but a minority will find change much harder to cope with.
Here at The Holy Family Catholic School and Sixth Form, we have a dedicated transition team comprising of senior leaders, special needs’ staff and the year 7 pastoral care team to support every child at every step of the way and to ensure that they settle in to Secondary school life as smoothly and easily as possible.
We employ a range of practices to help support children’s transition including: Open Evenings, the sharing of information between schools, visits to primary schools, parents and carers’ induction evenings, distribution of information booklets, and the shoe box project, just to name a few.
Our induction process starts a year in advance with an Open Evening. Towards the end of September we invite all interested pupils and parents to attend our annual Open Evening. Following presentations from the Headteacher Mrs Laws, key members of staff and head boy and head girl, families have the opportunity to tour the school and visit each department. Alternative times can be arranged for people who are unable to attend the Open Evening. To arrange a visit please call the school on 0208 520 0482. For more information please see or Open Evening page.
Once places have been confirmed, our transition team will visit pupils in each of the primary schools, including non-catchment primary schools. The aim of the visits is to set aside any worries Year 6 pupils may have by talking about what to expect, when they join our school in September. The year 6 pupils have the opportunity to ask questions and find out about their exciting new school.
Mrs M. Murray (Transition Coordinator)
m.murray@holyfamily.waltham.sch.uk
As part of our transition process at Holy Family, students transferring to us are required to complete a summer project, which will be the basis of the work on their first day with us in September.
The project is based around the ideas of the American artist, Joseph Cornell.
Students are asked to produce a ‘shoebox’ piece of art in the style of Cornell (further information on Cornell can be found at: http://www.enchantedlearning.com/artists/cornell/activity.shtml. The theme is ‘Looking Back and Looking Forwards’, in other words asking the students to think about themselves at the end of KS2 (successes, memories etc.) and what they feel about secondary school and their future. Students produce a ‘visual’ presentation of their thoughts and feelings in their shoebox.
The students will bring their shoeboxes with them in September and will talk about them in their tutor groups as part of their Induction Programme.
Maths Transition Work
Numerise have made their Secondary Ready Online Course in maths freely available until September 1. It is designed to help prepare year 6 students starting in September as year 7 - click the image below to visit this great resource!
