The Transition Workshop!!!

 The objectives of the session:

• To improve collaboration and raise awareness of transition across segments.

• To develop teachers’ knowledge and understanding of each other’s curriculum by sharing programmes of study and relevant resources.

• Review assessment procedures.

The professionals were actively and purposefully involved during the entire session. Open and reflective discussion in an atmosphere of trust was key features in helping participants develop their knowledge and understanding of the expectations of routines, curriculum, and assessment procedures of staff and pupils in the other Key Stages. This experience acknowledged that active collaboration between teachers in different key stages has the greatest impact on deepening the understanding of a child’s ‘learning journey’. Throughout the session they exchanged professional dialogues and made joint judgments’ on how to create a professional attitude of collective responsibility and accountability for a child’s progress through school.

They also completed an evaluation form which gave me detailed information on what according to them are the next steps and action points to overcome the challenges of transition. 

The main professional development outcomes were to develop a common language in policy documents, commonality in approaches to learning and teaching, a spiral curriculum and assessment procedures. We now aim to produce a planned programme of PD activities that will allow teachers to broaden their experience and repertoire initially through lesson study. This will lead to a rotation of teaching across year groups and where possible key stages.

The key staff also valued opportunities to meet throughout an academic year and actively engage and collaborate in informal and formal discussions as an essential element of their ‘professional learning journey’. They considered visits were an important ingredient of transition, but it was necessary for staff and pupils to be actively involved and to work collaboratively on an on-going basis.

Overall it was a fruitful session but to make it more effective for the next time, there must be a calendared programme for transition in place with clear milestones.