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Orchard Park High School

Transition 2024

We are delighted that your child has been offered a place in Year 7 and we are really looking forward to the start of their journey in September 2024. They will be part of an ambitious, enriching, happy and high achieving environment and we are very excited about what they will achieve with us. We work really hard to ensure your child has the smoothest transition from primary to secondary school because we want them to feel part of our school community and excited for their new start long before they first put on their uniforms in September. Please do take the time to read the information below which outlines everything we have on offer to support your child.

Please take a look through the links below for more information regarding the transition process.

The Transition Team

Should you have any questions or need to speak to the transition team please contact us using the email addresses below:

Ms Ongley- Year 6-7 Transition Lead vongley@orchardparkhigh.net

Mrs Brown- SENDCO send@orchardparkhigh.net

Mrs Ruby- Head of Year 7 cruby@orchardparkhigh.net

Mrs Mathys- Medical kmathys@orchardparkhigh.net

 

You can find all communications sent to our new year 7 families here

You can find our parent and student guide to school policies here.

Our home school agreement can be found here.

You can find our term dates for 24/25 here

You can find information about uniform requirements here. Please note that our September 2024 year 7 cohort will wear jumpers with a green stripe.


 

Transition Timeline

 

Support

Who?

When?

Location

Welcome letter 

This will be sent out to all families in early March. This details all upcoming events and key dates for the diary. If you do not receive this please contact vongley@orchardparkhigh.net as we may have an incorrect email address on file.

All who have been offered a place at Orchard Park

Early March

Sent via email

All about me: Google Form.

 

So that we can get to know each individual student  better, please complete our ‘All about me’ Google form that we will share with our year 7 transition team.

All new students 

To be completed by May 20th

Students complete this Google Form with their families.

Primary School Data Collection.

 A Google Form will be emailed to primary schools in order to collect data on pupils transferring to Orchard Park High. Our SENDCo will make contact with primary school SENDCo by the end of April with a view to collate information on SEND students.

Yr 6 Staff / SENDCo

Released in March to be returned by 15th May

Primary School

Primary School Data Collection dialogue.

One-to-one meetings/calls with Primary Teachers to get further information on each student transferring to Orchard Park.

Primary Teachers and Transition Coordinator

From May-July

Online/Phone/In person

Primary School Visit.

An opportunity for students to meet a member of staff from the transition team who will inform students about life at Orchard Park and outline the transition process. This is also an opportunity for students to ask any questions they may have about life at secondary school.

All schools for students  transferring to Orchard Park High 

From May to July

Primary School

Performing and Creative Arts Workshops (optional but encouraged)

A chance to come to Orchard Park High, meet some of the teaching team and some of your new peers. Students will take part in either drama, music or art workshops.

Open to all students joining Orchard Park

Wednesday 22nd May

4-5pm 

Sign up here

 

Wednesday 26th June

4-5pm

Sign up here

Orchard Park High

EHCP/SEND induction day

Encouraged for all students with an EHCP (including ELP) and those invited by the SENDCO. 

Friday 21st June

Orchard Park High 

ELP  induction day.

Encouraged for  all students joining our Enhanced Learning Provision

Friday 28th June

Orchard Park High

New Intake Parents’ information evening.

This evening is led by the student’s new Head of Year and the transition team. This session gives parents key information for year 7 and the upcoming transition day.

NB: We will be selling second hand uniforms at this event.

All parents of those transitioning to Orchard Park

(students are welcome to attend this event too but it is not compulsory)

Thursday 4th July 5-6pm

 

Orchard Park High

Transition Day.

A shortened day (9.00am-2.30pm) at Orchard Park High that focuses on familiarising pupils with the school and its routines. Students attend in their current school’s uniform and will take part in a variety of different lessons to give them a feel for day to day life at Orchard Park.

Students will be given a self quizzing booklet to complete over the summer. This is linked to our school rules and routines to support student understanding.

All students joining OPHS

Friday 5th July

Orchard Park High

New Intake Parents’ Meetings.

Individual meetings for students  and parents with a member of staff. Appointments will be sent to parents by email.

Students with SEND needs will meet with a member of the SEND team.

All parents of those transitioning to Orchard Park

Tuesday 9th July

 

Orchard Park High

Summer School (optional but encouraged).

Our summer school promises to be two days of fun and friendship and an opportunity for Orchard Park to feel like home before September.

All students joining OPHS

Wednesday 21st and Thursday 22nd August

Held at Orchard Park High

Complete this Google Form to sign up.

Attendance and behaviour support meetings.

These meetings are held with our attendance and conduct teams for students and their families based on information received from primary schools. These meetings are designed to support students and families to get into good routines and habits for secondary school.

Identified new year 7 learners.

After Summer School and in early September

Held at Orchard Park High

Dedicated Induction day.

Students in year 7 start school a day early in September and will spend the day with their new tutor and tutor group, getting to know each other and learning our routines for success at Orchard Park high.

All new year 7 learners 

Tuesday 3rd September

Orchard Park High

Group work session.

Small group sessions during the school day for any students who have struggled with the transition period. These are based on individual needs and could include; support for organisation, homework or resilience. These sessions are always with a member of the school’s transition team.

Identified year 7 learners.

Throughout September

Orchard Park High

Year 7 meet the tutor evening

We will be inviting parents into the school. There will be a welcome presentation, followed by a meeting with your child’s tutor.

There will also be an opportunity to speak to our SENDCO at this event.

Parents of all new year 7 learners.

Thursday 10th October 5-6pm

 

Orchard Park High

 

A typical day at Orchard Park High (a guide for our new students)

 

This is an example of a year 7 timetable, it shows you what your week might look like in September. We have a 2 week timetable which means that you will have a different timetable to follow every other week.

 

Every morning we start the day with Roll Call, this is when your homework and equipment is checked before we enter the building. We then start our morning routine with tutor reading, your form tutor will read one of the brilliant books from our tutor reading cannon and you will track along as your tutor models high quality reading aloud. 

 

We have two lessons before break and these are usually double periods. After this, we have break time where you can head to the playground or to the canteen to purchase a healthy snack. At the end of break, your teachers come to collect you from the playground and walk you to your next lesson (that way you don’t have to worry about getting lost). We have two more lessons after break and these are also usually a double period. We then have lunchtime where you can eat lunch, head to the playground, go to the library to read and get help with your homework or attend one of our many character clubs.

 

At the end of lunch, your teacher will collect you again and take you to your final lesson of the day. This begins with a 20 minute Vocabulary session where we are taught new words and how to pronounce them correctly as well as apply them in the correct context. At the end of the day most students will stay to attend a Character Club until 4pm.


 

Week A

Mon

Tues

Wed

Thurs

Fri

8.25-8.35am 

Roll Call- Every morning on the playground. 

Homework and Equipment is checked at roll call

P0- 8.35-9.00

Assembly

Tutor Reading

Tutor Reading

Tutor Reading

Tutor Reading

P1: 9.00-9.50

English

Science

PE

Maths

Science

P2: 9.50-10.40

English

Science

PE

Maths

French

Break: 10.40-11.00

Break

P3: 11.00-11.50

Maths

Drama

Geography

Science

English

P4: 11.50-12.40

Maths

Dance

Geography

Science

English

Lunch: 12.45-1.25

Lunch

P5: 1.30-1.50

Vocabulary Training

P5: 1.50-2.50

History

History

Art

French

Choir

3.00-4.00

Character Clubs (We have over 50 to choose from)

Homework 

KO: English

30 minutes reading

Sparx Maths

KO: Science

30 minutes reading

Sparx Reader

KO: History

30 minutes reading

Sparx Maths

KO: Geography 

30 minutes reading

Sparx Reader

KO: PE

30 minutes reading

Sparx Maths

 

Week B

Mon

Tues

Wed

Thurs

Fri

8.25-8.35am 

Roll Call- Every morning on the playground. 

Homework and Equipment is checked at roll call

P0- 8.35-9.00

Assembly

Tutor Reading

Tutor Reading

Tutor Reading

Tutor Reading

P1: 9.00-9.50

RS

Maths

PE

French

Science

P2: 9.50-10.40

RS

Maths

PE

French

Science

Break: 10.40-11.00

Break

P3: 11.00-11.50

English

Music

History

English

Geography

P4: 11.50-12.40

English

Computer Science

History

English

PSHE

Lunch: 12.45-1.25

Lunch

P5: 1.30-1.50

Vocabulary Training

P5: 1.50-2.50

Science

Computer Science

Maths

Art

Choir

3.00-4.00

Character Clubs (We have over 50 to choose from)

Homework 

KO: French

30 minutes reading

Sparx Maths

KO: English

30 minutes reading

Sparx Reader

KO: Science

30 minutes reading

Sparx Maths

KO: Dance

30 minutes reading

Sparx Reader

KO: Music

30 minutes reading

Sparx Maths