School transition days - cancelled

[NoIDontWatchLoveIsland]

Have primary (reception or p1) transition sessions been cancelled where you live?

Our school says this has had to happen on guidance from the council. I just wondered if this is happening nationally or only in our area?

It's such a shame for the children, their needs are being placed at the lowest possible priority and it's just so unfair. Hospital admission rates are barely rising even with the recent rises in cases. It feels like every excuse is going to be made forever to prevent a return to normal for children.

I agree it’s the cumulative effect - just cancel it over and over for children

Also we are at a different stage of the pandemic, whereby everyone did do huge things to help such as stay home for two terms or lose income etc now the elderly are vaccinated and any benefit should go to children as a priority.

@User5827372728

Missing a transition day is not as bad as not being able to see your mum, even though her health is failing fast or watching your dad die on facetime because you're not allowed in the hospital.

Of course it’s not, but it’s quite a dramatic comparison really.

That's the reality for some of us though user. It might not be your reality - but it is for some of us on here.

To all those saying us it really essential to have transition days blah blah blah. Actually for some children who are struggling with the idea of going to a new school, yes it is.
However let's look at what is really going on here. We have numerous examples of there being one rule for some and another for others. This being the fact that thousands of people are being allowed to pack in to stadiums to watch football, cricket, horse racing all in the name of them being a 'pilot'. Yes I know that they are tested before but let's be honest the lft tests are not even accurate. Not to mention the ridiculousness of the G7 and now the health Secretary has been caught breaking his own rules. So yes I am really pissed off that my child can't attend a transition day, we can't attend her pre school graduation yet other people are allowed to go and enjoy Mass events that also really aren't essential!

The issue is to the children already at the school. It’s a risk to allow visitors in and could potentially close school bubbles. Year 10 are currently doing actual GCSE assessments and also mocks which may count towards exam grades if everything goes wrong again. Year 6 have all their leavers activities and all of the kids have had significant amounts of time out of school this year. It’s just not fair on them to jeopardise all of that for transition days which can be done in holidays or at the beginning of next term. None of those children are vaccinated or doing lateral flow tests, there will be a reasonable chance that someone will turn in a positive test within 48 hours...

DS went to a transition day to a different school on Tuesday. He’s going in to Y5 but it’s an independent school

Cancelled here too, and sports day etc.
There has also been a couple of positive covid, so whole year groups have been sent into isolation, so it does make sense.

I agree, transition days in June or July for reception don't really make sense, it's too far ahead.

My DD’s transition days to year 7 have been cancelled. We have had low hospital admissions and deaths from COVID throughout, really low community rates now. Luckily school is offering a free activities week in August so she will be fine.

I started secondary in the 80s as an army brat not knowing anyone and it sucked to be honest. I would hope that we should make things better for our children. And I agree about the cumulative effect of so many cancellations. 18 months is a long time in a child’s life.

At my kids school they just met their new teachers outside for activities.

My child is currently at a transition day today!

The secondary school have gone above and beyond to make sure it could happen. They were determined not to let the kids down after everything they have been through.

@MrsFin

Transition days are a relatively new thing. I'm sure all children will adjust well. Sometimes it takes a while to settle in, with or without a transition day.

I had a transition day back in 1986, and it wasn’t a new thing then.

DS’s transition day is still purportedly happening on July 6 - just for kids from his school going to the secondary school - although two years at his school are currently self isolating so who knows. We are supposed to be getting a parental tour that day too.

I hope it does go ahead, as this school is not the one DS wanted to go to, it is huge, he only remembers it from looking around it about 5 years ago with his older brother when it must have seemed even bigger, and he is pretty anxious about it. A transition day would be really helpful.

Ours is currently going ahead... however there are at least one bubble in 6 of the local schools isolating so not sure its a great idea. It has been cut down to one day with half schools

I agree I worry about the cumulative effect too.

It's not just transition days. Its everything relating to children being deprioritised. You can get on a plane with a load of people for a 3 hour flight to the Balearics but you can't go into your reception classroom & meet your teacher for 15 minutes.

You can't go on school trips. You can't have parents outdoors watching school sports day, but you can have a busy pub garden full of people.

I just don't understand the rationale. Hospitalizations are not rising fast. Death rates are not rising fast. How are we going to ever get normal life back?

Ours have, but the school is doing them online and then they will have a week of summer school at the end of the summer holidays to get used to the new school.

Secondary school transitions have all been cancelled. Our Reception will still be doing theirs, but in September when the classrooms will be empty, so there won’t be any mixing.

DS2 had no transition day last year. Generally year 7 seem to have settled well anyway. DSs secondary school had just y7 in on first day in September, which is common I believe. Hopefully the school will be in touch with lots of info before then.
I think it would cause more bubbles to pop if y6s from lots of schools mingled now.
I do think the government need to focus on children, but unfortunately they don't see the benefit to the economy, so it won't happen.

Its a mixed bag in our area.

Some schools have cancelled.
Some have reduced it to an afternoon/morning and split the whole thing so there are less children on site.

Missing a transition day is not as bad as not being able to see your mum, even though her health is failing fast or watching your dad die on facetime because you're not allowed in the hospital.

Of course its not and I dont believe anyone has said it is. We arenallowednto be disappointed the children are missing out on yet another thing without it meaning we think its the worst thing to have happened during the pandemic.

Spoke to soon when I posted earlier received a email the transition days are cancelled now it’s a meet your form teacher video they will send and they get to go in the first day with no other pupils
I’m hoping the summer school goes ahead as it’s after thr restrictions are supposed to be lifted; we will see
It’s crap but in the big scheme of things we have missed out more in the last 17 months

North Yorkshire here and I have one starting primary and one starting secondary both transition days have been cancelled
Shit show - primary is doing two weeks of half days no good for us that work
I do understand why they can't be done though just a shame for the kids

My little one started reception last year, she had never set foot in the school, never met the teachers, nor did she know a single child at the school.
We also had to drop off at the school gate, for them to then walk down to the reception classroom on their own from day one.

I was honestly expecting tears and it to be bloody awful..... it wasn't at all. She has grown so much in confidence, loves school and has made some amazing little friends.

Parents have loved this new way of dropping the children off in the morning so much, that the school have decided to keep it this way permanently.
Easier for the children, easier for the parents (no hanging around in the playground, less parking issues as parents coming and going rather than all arriving at the same time) and much, much eaiser for the teachers settling the children in the morning.

Honestly, it feels rough right now, but it will be fine :)

My DD Head of year is now self isolating. So are several other teachers. The other secondary school has been shut down completely because of the rise in cases. Everyone can whine about sporting events/ Grand Prix etc but they aren’t going to result in an entire year group being sent home. The schools are trying desperately to keep the kids in and whilst yes I get transition day has positives DD didn’t get one and has managed. Has it been easy? Nope. But all in all she’s been amazing. To suggest kids have been ‘thrown under a bus’ is a little dramatic for me. The current year 7s haven’t fallen into despair over the lack of transitions and trips. The social element of not being in school is what affects them. So I’m happy they are trying to keep the numbers interacting down so they make it to the end of the year!!

Had an email this morning saying it’s going ahead on the 5th and also 3 days near end of term

My y6 sons transition has been cancelled. Real shame, and it definitely will be missed for some kids more than others. My DS seems quite calm about secondary, although talking about it lots with his older brother which helps him. However he has friends who are very anxious about it, and Covid generally, that it feels necessary after a year in lockdown to think of alternatives, even if videos or rethinking their start in September and number of days they have before other years start. Or having an extra day in school at the end of the summer holidays. Mental health issues seems more common in kids now, that I think there’s a more pressing need to provide more government funding to support them. Transition days are just a very small part I think, albeit a part.

Dds transition day for college has been cancelled. I'm gutted for her. She doesn't know many people going to that one and was hoping to meet a few people before starting in September. She hasn't even been able to go and look around as all open days were cancelled too

Transition to 6th form still going ahead at DSs school. They’re really going above and beyond. It’s a full week event the teachers and SLT are making a huge effort and we’re extremely grateful. All other secondary schools locally have cancelled theirs which makes me think it’s down to how much the school can be arsed.