THE TRANSFER PROCESS TO POST-PRIMARY

SCHOOL2016

Department of Education Guidance

Parents should also note the Department’s policy on the role of primary schools. TheDepartment’s guidance, which all schools are legally obliged to have regard to, states:Primary schools play a distinct and crucial role in the educational development of all children.This role is to ensure that the primary stage of every child’s educational development(fundamental to all subsequent stages of educational development) is completed.5The vital educational role of primary schools should not be reduced or distorted into arole where primary schools see themselves as serving the academic admissions processesof post-primary schools. All primary schools have statutory obligations to deliver theprimary curriculum to all children. The school should not facilitate unregulated entrancetest arrangements in any way by supplying support materials, carrying out any preparationfor unregulated tests during core teaching hours, offering afternoon coaching in examtechnique, or by providing familiarisation with a test environment. The Education and TrainingInspectorate will continue to monitor the quality of teaching and learning in primary schools inthe context of the revised curriculum.Primary schools will be aware that any failure to deliver the revised curriculum can be formallyreported as a complaint to a Curriculum Complaints Tribunal.

Current provision in Oakgrove IPS

As your child enters Key Stage Two (Primary 5-7) in Oakgrove IPS they are set for both Literacy and Numeracy lessons each day. Your child was set at the beginning of Primary 5 based on their end of Key Stage One assessment results and their teachers’ observations.

This has allowed your child to continue to achieve their full individual potential and maintain their self-esteem by providing them with work which is challenging but also set for their ability level.

As part of our aim of promoting high achievement and learning for life for all children we feel this is the best way for catering for all of your children’s needs. The set which your child has been placed in has been monitored by teachers on an ongoing basis through class observations, the use of levels and end of year assessments.

RED SET

(Mr. McKernan’s English)

NEW (2012/13) LEVEL 3 AND 4

WORK

GREEN SET

(Mr Mc Gurk’s English)

NEW(2012/13) LEVEL 2 AND 3

WORKFor example:

Writing a story with adjectives, similes, metaphors, dialogue and an anti-climax ending.

For example:

Writing a story with beginning, middle and an end with capital letters and full stops.

RED SET

(Mr McGurk’s

Maths)

NEW(2012/13) LEVEL 3 AND 4

WORK

GREEN SET

(Mr. McKernan’s. Maths)

NEW (2012/13) LEVEL 2 AND 3

WORK

For example:

I can use tenths and hundredths as decimals and work out percentages.

For example:

I know my times tables up to 10 x 10.

How do we ensure children are challenged?

Each year the children do a variety of assessments. They are then analysed by the class teacher and School Management Team to track their progress e.g.

Name CAT Progress in English

Progress in Maths

Spelling quotient

Joe Bloggs P5

102 100 105 85

Joe Bloggs P6

102 110 103 95

Assessment Levels

• Level Descriptors

Levels of Progression

The Oakgrove Way

So each year with teachers knowing what level children are, they can ensure:

•Work set is at an appropriate level for your child

•Work set is challenging your child

•Your child is progressing

•The school is performing in line with Northern Ireland expectation

•The children are also levelled each year. Teachers set targets for each child in their class. This is used to target individual children, groups and classes for extra challenge and support.

Maths levels 2012 2008 2009 2009 2010 2011 2012

Names CAT   T(A) T A T A T A T A

Jane Bloggs 113 1+ 2(2+) 3 3 3+ 3+ 4- 4 4+  

Curriculum ProvisionIn order to provide the best for all children in P6/P7 we :• Set all children into appropriate level teaching groups for

Maths and English.• Give appropriately challenging homework for each child

according to their ability and needs• Encourage use of the P6 and P7 areas of the school

website, which now provides excellent resources, to stretch and challenge children in Maths and English as well as other areas across the curriculum in a fun and interactive manner e.g. Mathletics

• In the Curriculum Area• Share with parents new assessment levels and discuss

ways parents can continue to support their children.

Post Primary School Transfer Arrangements

• Most of our children transfer to Oakgrove Integrated College which is inclusive and all ability. Currently their criteria guarantees a place for our children if they name the College as their first preference.

• Admissions criteria for all post primary schools are available from WELB and directly from each school.

• Many Grammar schools operate tests unregulated and unapproved by the Dept Of Education to select children. Primary schools are forbidden to teach to these tests.

Time frame for Transfer• Open nights for Post Primary schools .P6 / P7 children can

attend January / February 2015 / 2016.• Parents then need to consider which Post Primary school they

wish for their child. Further information can be obtained from each school.

• P6 Oakgrove Children attend familiarisation days at Oakgrove College.

• Parents may attend transfer meeting with Principal in February 2016. Transfer forms completed and forwarded to WELB by Primary School.

• P7 participate in Post Primary transition activities in school from April 2016 (eg.. Discussing timetables, school maps, organisation of personal belongings, uniforms etc..)

• WELB informs parents which school their child will transfer to at the end of May 2016.

• Post Primary schools arrange induction days in June 2016.• P7 children graduate from Oakgrove Primary with a ‘Record of

Achievement’ assembly in June 2016.