Form Groups in Secondary School

[FagAshMIL]

Does anyone know how, generally, form groups are compiled for the new starters (Y7) when moving up from primary? By form groups I mean where they go for registration and not which group/stream they might be put in for a particular subject which will be allocated according to academic ability.

Do secondary schools get a pupil record sent to them from primary that they read and possibly gleam information as to who might/might not mix well together? I'm sure that Heads can't possibly speak to Heads from all local primaries for information on each pupil? Do they only get a 'heads up' (if you'll pardon the pun) about certain pupils if there are very particular issues such as SN or previous (bad) behaviour of a consistent nature.

Do these form groups stay the same throughout (like they did when I was at school) or are they fluid now?

I suppose all schools are different but I'm thinking along the lines of very big state comps rather than small state/private schools.

Any Heads/Deputies or admin staff who can shed some light?

At ours the y7 transition leader visits at least all the main feeder schools. (40 schools fed in this year for 250 spaces, but many of those schools only provided 1 or 2 children).
The y6 teachers are asked to provide a lot of information (I remember DD's teacher complaining last year as the forms came in just before SATs).
They try to place everyone in a tutor group with at least one friend.
They try to spread out children from the same primary.
They try to balance boys and girls.
They try to spread out ability.
They put a lot of effort in!

Hi, does anyone know how forms are made in coop academy north manchester? Thanks

Before DD started secondary, the HoY talked to staff at each feeder, and also met the kids. They were given the opportunity to let him know if there was anyone they wanted to be in the opposite year half to. (However DD ended up in the same class as hers - but possibly the primary staff saw that it was a temporary fallout and said not to worry - and they did indeed end up friends again.) In a larger school, opposite year half rather than just different forms means they won't end up in the same lessons for setted subjects.

I worked under one head who was adamant that kids must stay with their best friends. It was a nightmare when the girls started making new friends and the old best friend was distraught (boys usually just merge friend groups). It's actually easier if they're with people they know but not necessarily their closest friends. They can still keep up the old friendships outside lessons (and will often walk to school together) but without the hurt if they sit next to someone else in lessons.

Putting those who are the only one from their primary together in the same form is a good move.

Any school will try and spread behaviour problems, and will give careful thought to special needs. (The latter may or may not be spread out. I had a tutor group once that was targetted for support - there were several with special needs (but no particular behaviour problems), and they had an LSA with them the whole time. The group was still a good mix of ability overall.)

It's fairly impossible to get it all right. I'm sure DD's school thought they'd balanced the year halves by ability, but they'd actually put practically all the very strongest mathematicians from the largest feeder in the same half.

I think it must be done differently in different places. My child was put in a form with no-one from her class.