Transfer from primary school to secondary school
Background
Most children transfer between schools at least once during their school career.
These transition points are challenging, bringing new educational demands, different
social systems and new environments. The changes in these contextual factors affect
virtually all children in some way (Anderson, Jacobs, Schram & Splittberger, 2000). A
major transition in the English education system is the move from primary to secondary
school; a move which entails a range of significant organisational, educational and social
changes. The impact of these changes may be particularly marked for children with
language and communication difficulties (SSLD)i.
Children with SSLD experience problems with the acquisition and processing of
oral language skills. The commonly used criterion to identify children with SSLD is that
their language problems cannot be explained in terms of other cognitive, neurological or
perceptual deficits. Problems are characterised by a protracted rate of language
development as well as particular difficulties with subcomponents of the language
system (Bishop, 1997; Leonard, 1998). For these children negotiating new surroundings,
interacting with new teachers and peers may place additional demands on reduced levels
of communicative competence. Secondary schools are likely to be challenged by the
extent of their needs, which extend to literacy (Catts, Fey, Tomblin, & Zhang, 2002;
Clarke-Klein & Hodson, 1995; Dockrell, Lindsay, Connelly & Mackie, 2007; Stothard,
Snowling, Bishop, Chipchase, & Kaplan, 1998), numeracy (Cowan, Donlan, Newton, &
Lloyd, 2005) and social emotional and behavioural difficulties (Beitchman, Wilson,
Brownlie, Inglis, & Lancee, 1996; Fujiki, Brinton & Clarke, 2002; Lindsay, Dockrell,
& Strand, in press). In this paper we consider the nature of these children’s needs on
transfer to secondary schools and the ways in which they impact on the secondary
schools, their parents and the young people themselves. We draw on evidence from both