Swale YouthToggle Navigation

Marvelous Move - Year 6 Transition

16th May 2022

A5 Mm

We are back! 

Our transition lessons are back! These lessons are offered free to any Year 6 classes in Swale as part of our KCC commission. They are run in school, and in class to help pupils to discuss their thoughts and feelings about moving on to secondary school in a fun and engaging way. 

We know the Transition term is a busy term for schools so we open up bookings from as early as April.  Schools can opt for our 4-week workshop: Marvelous Move, or our one-off session. Alternately schools can book both but with the 4-week workshop being tailored to a small group. 

Each session takes 45 minutes with our team, each young person receives a magazine to work through.

Mavelous Move

For the last 15 years, I have spent every June and July with Year 6 pupils, talking about moving on to secondary school. In my current role with VIBE (Brogdale CIC/Swale Youth), I have continued to develop these projects and found that not much has changed when it comes to the hopes, worries, and confusions of secondary school. Every year I am asked about ‘swirlies’, getting lost, ‘homework, bullying, how to do up a tie (I still get confused!), and much more. Every year there are some raring to go, some a little worried, and a few who are really scared. The aim of our workshops is to help give tips, advice, and encouragement that empowers them with tools as they move forward. 

The last few years have been different of course, and for this current year group, there were so many days in lockdown and constantly changing circumstances. Yet the worries and the hopes still remain the same. So how can we help our Year 6’s?

Change

I love change, but I know many people find change unnerving and this feels like a big change. One thing we find hopeful is allowing the young people to explore those changes: what are they, how do I feel about them, how could I prepare for them? We can help them find solutions and confidence by preparing them for change (i.e how to do up a tie, get on the bus, split your week's money into daily amounts). 

Challenges

However, there are some changes we can not prepare for and this is where they can change into challenges. When we think about challenges, it can make us worried - challenges sit in their area of the unknown. Facing challenges is a way to build our life muscles but, it’s easier said than done. This is one of the reasons why we train Peer Mentors in secondary school, and why all of our youth leaders are able to listen to and mentor young people. It is good to chat to the pupils about the people in their life, and who they can have as part of their support team. I would recommend too that you check out kooth.com as a way your pupil can find support for their wellbeing. 

Choices 

When faced with changes and challenges, we are led to make a choice. Again, having a support team will help us think about the choices we can make. Sometimes we need outside strength to help us make a difficult choice. When we talk about this in school - they enjoy this section the most because they have to make a choice about which pot of food they are going to eat, without seeing what is in it first! There is pure joy on the face of the one who picks the sweet or chocolate and often confusion on the face of the one who picks a date! We empower young people to believe they can make good choices for themselves. 

As part of our course, we help young people to recognise who they are and who they want to become. We help build their strengths, grow their problem solving skills and know who their support team are! We empower them to have a marvelous move!

We have a limited number of our transition magazines leftover from this year - so email for your copy, first come first served

© Swale Youth    PrivacySite by Ether