SJBC Induction Policy.docx

Introduction

In SJBC we aim to make the transition from primary school to post primary school as fluid and straightforward as possible.

The purpose of this policy is to outline the induction procedures followed in SJBC. This policy will be in two parts:

1. Induction at the beginning of Year 8
2. Induction when entering the school during the school year.

Year 8 Induction

In SJBC we believe that it is essential to provide a warm welcome to all of our new Year 8 children.  We work very hard to ensure that each child that becomes part of our school community knows that he or she has made the correct post primary choice, and that our school is perfect place to be educated.  In SJBC we are very proud of the close links that have been developed with our feeder primary schools. In order to ensure that transition is smooth we organised several events throughout the academic year that build links between our family of schools.

• Primary 7 Taster Days

Each year the Primary 7 pupils are invited to join us in SJBC for Taster Days.  These involve proving the pupils with an opportunity to experience life within our school.  They will meet with subject teachers, and present pupils, and experience many practical subjects that they may not do in primary school.  Our policy involves contacting the Principals of our feeder primary schools to arrange a suitable date for the Taster Day.

On the day itself, the students are divided into groups and taken to four different activities – PE, TD, Science, Home Economics.  We appreciate that this provides only a small taster of school life in SJBC.

• Primary School Visits

In January, Mrs Murray and the PSLO Mrs Leathem visit each of our feeder primary schools to give a presentation that provides an overview of the curriculum and extra- curricular activities that are available in SJBC.

• Open Day

Also in January, our annual Open Day is held.  P6 & 7 pupils and parents are invited to come into our school on a Saturday morning to experience a wider range of subjects.  This also provides an excellent opportunity for parents and P7 children to speak with the staff and current pupils, to gain further insight into life in SJBC. 

• Primary School visits in May/June

When we have final confirmation of pupils who have chosen to come to SJBC Mrs Murray and the PSLO (Mrs Leathem) visit each of the feeder primary schools to speak with the P7 teachers to gain an insight into each of our incoming Year 8s. 

• Year 8 Entrance Test and Get To Know Each Other Day

In June the incoming pupils will complete the GL Assessment to give an indicator for placement in Year 8.  They will also have the opportunity to meet as a whole year group to take part in “Getting to know you” activities on the school premises. The students will be given an Induction Folder which will provide information on the school, including information about the school day, uniform, break and lunchtime etc.  

• Induction -September

Our September induction programme is in two parts.  The entire year group are taken to the Bushcraft Centre at Oxford Island in Lurgan, and then as a class group they go to St Mary’s Youth Club to do further teambuilding activities with.

The purpose for all of these activities is to assist the pupils in settling into our college community.  Many of our pupils know each other already from the locality, but some are coming in small numbers from outside of town.  Through team building exercises the students have a better opportunity to get to know each other as a year group and a form group.   

Coming to SJBC mid term

This part of the pupil Induction Policy relates to pupils entering the school at other than normal times. In our school the normal entry point would be at the beginning of KS3/4. In reality we have a very high proportion of pupils who enter the school at other times.

This high mobility rate presents the following challenges for the pupil, their parents and the school.

• Changing schools can impede pupil’s academic and social progress. They may have difficulty adapting to different styles of teaching and learning and it can take their new teachers a while to establish their strengths and areas for development. Making new friends and settling into a new school can be a daunting prospect for children.
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• Parents may worry about disrupting their child’s education and be unsure the best way to help them.

• The school will find target setting for each cohort difficult when the children are constantly changing. Practical arrangements for the induction of new pupils take considerable teacher time and the arrival of new children disturbs established friendship groups and can lead to an unsettled period for groups of children.

We hope that the measures outlined in this policy will help minimise the difficulties associated with mobility and ensure that pupils arriving at SJBC maintain their progress and settle happily into school life.

The Induction Process

There will be an established set of procedures for induction and support from a Teaching Assistant (either class based or reallocated). The main elements of this process will be to:

• Collect as much information as possible prior to admission.
• Invite the prospective pupil and parent into the school for a tour and an interview with the Principal and ST Pastoral
• Only admit pupils at the beginning of a school week.

Prior to Admission

Parents will be encouraged to visit the school with their child prior to admission for guided tour of the school and introductions to staff. The parent will be given information on the school uniform and school funds.

The office staff will contact the child’s previous school to gather information informally. Requests for pupil records will be made promptly on the morning of admission.

First Day

Support on the first morning will include the following:

• Identifying a “buddy” for the child.
• Supply the pupil with a New Student Package.
• Talk through the class timetable & routines and support the child with morning routines.

First Week Meeting

At the end of the child’s first week their parents will be contacted by the Form Teacher class teacher at 3.15pm on the Friday afternoon. This provides an opportunity to discuss how the child is settling and how they are progressing with their work.  It will also give us the opportunity to resolve any issues that the child, or parents, may be having.  We want all children to feel content and happy within our school family, this partnership building with our parents is key to ensuring success with induction.