Year 9 is a big deal. Whilst Leweston Senior School starts at Year 7, for those pupils joining from traditional Preparatory Schools its the first year of senior school. This means a new environment, new friends and new teachers to get used to. It might be their first experience of boarding.
Most children cope well with change but some may be feeling nervous about forming new friendships, getting to know an unfamiliar school setting and the structures and routines that go with this change. At Leweston the majority of Year 9 entrants have been in contact with us for years before they join which provides the opportunity to get to know us and settle those nerves.
In June we host an Activity Day for pupils currently in Year 5 and invite all those looking to join us, whether they will start in Year 7 or Year 9. These enables your child to get to know their peers well in advance of joining. Many form friendships which continue outside of school until reunited in Year 9.
Assessment and offers for Year 9 take place when pupils are in Year 6 or 7 to assist parents with their decision making process and provide early certainty of a place. This process includes a teambuilding morning which, once again, introduces prospective pupils to each other and allows friendships to form. We then stay in regular contact with families with news from the school as well as invitations to concerts, plays, holiday clubs and other events.
We also work closely with headteachers at our regular feeders to determine how best to support each individual when they join us.
Some pupils joining Year 9 may be transitioning from other senior schools. This may be because of a relocation or change in family circumstances, there may be certain GCSEs a pupil wants to study that are not available in their current school or parents may be feeling a little dissatisfied that their existing provision is not as rigorous and supportive as they would like it to be.
For families considering a move Year 9 is a good time to do it. The Year 9 curriculum still offers a wide range of subjects and differentiation, before pupils have to make choices about options. However, some subjects start introducing GCSE work in Year 9 to prepare pupils for the coming curriculum. It’s a good idea to move schools at this point rather than wait until Year 10 so that your child has the benefit of beginning their examination courses at the same time as their peers. They also have a whole academic year to settle in before GCSEs start in earnest.
They will also be joining alongside others so there will be a healthy group of new starters sharing the same experience. Tutor groups in Year 9 are reshuffled to ensure each has a mix of new and experienced pupils, day and boarding so, to an extent, everyone is re-establishing themselves. Every new pupil will be assigned a guardian, and our Peer Mentor scheme means that they will have a trained Sixth Former to guide them through the first couple of terms. This is, of course, in addition to the Pastoral Team (Deputy Head Pastoral, Heads of Year, Well-Being Hub and Director of Boarding) who meet regularly to discuss each pupil and their integration.
For more advice about supporting children with school moves read our 'Parents Guide to Moving Schools' at the button below:
Wherever they come from, Year 9 pupils are increasingly seen as young adults capable of making decisions in their behaviour and learning. They are supported by an experienced tutor team, the Deputy Head Academic and the Careers Supervisor to start exploring the rest of their educational career. The tutor and PHSRE programme will help them to develop effective study skills, an understanding of the wider world and how to build good relationships with others.
If you would like to find out more about joining Leweston at Year 9 please contact our Registrar, June Smith, on 01963 211015 or admissions@leweston.dorset.sch.uk