In the United Kingdom, 90% of children change from primary to secondary school at age 11/12 years old. School transition marks an important change in childrena (TM)s academic, social and personal lives. However, for many children school transition is the beginning of a slippery slope towards educational disengagement. Transition can also prompt the development of social and emotional adjustment problems that can continue throughout secondary schooling. Therefore it is critical that teachers manage transitions effectively to protect childrena (TM)s interest in school and wellbeing. Understanding School Transition will help primary and secondary teachers to support their pupils throughout this important rite of passage.

Based on the findings of over forty years of educational research, including case studies of children and interviews with educators, this book summarises what commonly occurs regarding childrena (TM)s academic, social and personal adaptation when they move from primary to secondary education. It reviews current school initiatives and interventions and introduces methods for designing developmentally appropriate transitions. It outlines professional development pathways in transition management and the role of school transitions education for trainee teachers.

The structure of the book allows readers to focus on a chapter of their particular interest or can be read as a whole volume; moving from the individual child to the schoolsa (TM) support programme and the readera (TM)s potential role in this. The final chapter aims to be a concise text summarising school transition to be included as part of course material for trainee teachers.

Given the stability of the timing of school transition in the UK and the continuity of findings regarding school transition gathered across the UK, continental Europe and the US during the past half century, this book should be persistently timely and of interest to both UK practitioners and an international audience.

Transition from primary to secondary school can be the beginning of a slippery slope towards educational disengagement that can continue throughout schooling. It is critical, therefore, that teachers understand how to manage transitions effectively to protect children s wellbeing and interest in school.

Understanding School Transition offers training primary and secondary teachers an introduction to what happens to children s academic, social and personal adaptation when they move between schools. It explores current school initiatives in the UK and internationally and introduces methods and strategies for designing developmentally appropriate transitions.

Beginning by establishing the ethos that school transition should be a positive experience for every child, key issues explored include:

• Judging the level disengagement in school and recognising particularly vulnerable children.
• Understanding children s adaptability - being sensitive versus resilient, adaptable versus fixed, and the influence of personal and environmental characteristics.
• Managing unrealistic expectations and familiarising children with their new school.
• The impact of teachers behaviour, stereotyping and extreme strictness and work pressure on the experience of transition
• Strategies for effectively bridging the divide in teaching styles and curriculum content between primary and secondary schools.
• Involving children as collaborators in designing transitions initiatives
• The role of the dedicated transitions manager and subject specialist teachers.

Illustrated by case studies of experiences in real schools, Understanding School Transition will be essential reading for all training and practising teachers, as well as transition and subject specialists, who want to better understand and influence what happens to children at this crucial stage.