Transfer from primary school to secondary school
addition the SSLD and the SEN cohorts were significantly more likely to report
problems with writing (X2=6.5, df =2, p=.04) and reading (X2=12.25, df=2, p=.002) than
the TD cohort but not Maths (X2=3.5, ns).
Parents of all the children in TD cohort reported that their children had found the
transfer to secondary straightforward whereas parents of the SSLD and SEN cohorts
reported that their children had found the move difficult (SSLD 55%; SEN 31%).
Similarly all the parents of the TD cohort reported that their children were coping with
the academic work whereas parents of the SSLD and SEN cohorts reported that their
children were experiencing difficulties with the curriculum (SSLD 56%; SEN 58%).
In addition higher rates of bullying were reported, but only for the SSLD cohort (SSLD
40%; TD 23%; SEN 4%). Parents rated children’s self esteem on a five point scale from
very low (0) to very high (4). Both the SSLD and SEN cohort were reported to have
significantly lower self esteem than the typical cohort (SSLD= 1.9, SEN=2 TD = 3; F=
(2, 104) = 9.586, p<.0005).
Differences in predicted need and provision between primary and secondary school
for the children with SSLD
In Year 6 levels of support were significantly related to all language measures
and non-verbal ability while in Year 7 provision of support was only related to
measures of non-verbal ability. Curriculum differentiation in Year 6 was related to the
children’s expressive language levels whereas in Year 7 non-verbal ability and
receptive language yielded significant relationships.
Form teachers reported that the children were experiencing significant
difficulties with the transfer (53%). In addition specific problems were noted with social
life (36%), self esteem (35%) and coping with different teachers (25%). For the majority
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