New Students get a Taste of High School

A RECORD number of year sixes from primary schools across Tiverton visited the High School to find out what life will be like at secondary school.

Sample day - on June 29 - gave next year’s year sevens a day to find out who will be in their tutor group, meet the tutor, and to have a look around Tiverton High School where they will start in September 2009.

A video produced by High School students was also played to show the emotions that the year sixes may be feeling, as they make the transition between primary, and secondary education.

In total, the school expects to take on 287 new students in the Autumn - just 13 short of the maximum capacity.Learning manager for the future year sevens, Gina Elsworthy said: “We are very full at the moment so we’re getting new science, cookery, and drama buildings which are being built over the summer.

“Today we’re offering future students a flavour of what classes are like at high school, we didn’t do proper lessons as such, they were to meet teachers, be in the classroom, and to gain confidence.” 

Also helping the year sixes find their way around were student welfare officer Josie Medina, transition co-ordinator Maggie Fasey, and deputy head Samantha Crooks. Along with them, 24 students - peer mentors - have been assigned to different tutors, with their peer mentor coordinator, Angela Britton.

Other than getting a feel for high school, the students also left a legacy for the future. Each tutor group filled a small time capsule with the ambitions, drawings, and details, of each of the 287 new students. The capsule will be kept tucked away in an office and then brought out again in 2014 when they have finished. The decorated capsules were then shown to the rest of the year sixes in the hall, before being whisked away, not to be seen again for half a decade.

Jenny Poggio who was helping her new tutor group decorate their time capsule said:  “I’ve only just met my new group, but they seem like a nice bunch, so I’m rather hopeful that they will be another good tutor group, because my last lot were lovely.

 “As for these time capsules - they’ll laugh their heads off in five years time - it’ll be a hoot.”

One of Jenny’s new tutees, Jack Isaac, 10, from Heathcoat Primary School said: “I’m looking forward to all the new activities at High School, like sports, and arts. I won’t miss primary school too much, and I’m glad I’m with the people in my class.”

Another new student to the High School next year is Kiesha Turner, 11, who is moving to Tiverton from Thrapston, Northamptonshire. She said: “I’m looking forward to playing rubgy here at the high school, and maybe play in the team. I like Tiverton, and I like Devon too.

“Today we made fireworks in a science lesson using a mix of powders, and putting them on a bunsen burner making lots of different colours and sparkles.”