Secondary Transfer

Open Events for Student Entry – September

The school has one Open Evening in the Autumn Term each academic year when students and their parents/carers are invited to tour the facilities and hear the Headteacher speak about the school.

Visits to the School for Year 6 (Year 7 entry in September 2026)

School in action tours are available for any Year 6 and their parent/carers who would like to visit the school.  They provide an opportunity to meet the Headteacher, see the school buildings and facilities, see students and staff at work, ask questions and experience St Mary’s on a normal school day.  The dates and booking information can be found on the Home page.

Visits to the School for Year 5 (Year 7 entry in September 2027)

School in action tours for all Year 5 and their parent/carers will be available in the Spring and Summer term 2026 as an early opportunity to visit a mainstream secondary school ahead of their transfer in the Autumn of 2027.  Dates and booking information can be found on the Home page nearer the time.

The Transfer programme for new Year 7 students awarded a place at St Mary’s in September 2026

The transfer programme for students joining St Mary’s runs for over a year and aims to provide opportunities for new students to become familiar with the building, staff and other students as well as the standards and expectations of the school. Our Transfer Programme for students joining Year 7 in September is outlined below:

Welcome Evening: Spring Term

Upon confirmation of your place at St Mary’s, we host a Welcome Evening for Year 6 and their parent/carers in March.  Further details are provided nearer the time.

We also release a Parent/Carer Booklet sharing all the key information you need to know about the school, as well as frequently asked questions.   In addition, there will be a letter to all families allocated a place at St Mary’s from the Headteacher, giving details of the transfer programme which runs from the March allocation day through to the first and second days of the new academic year.

Primary School Visits: April – June

Every student transferring to St Mary’s in September will be visited in their own primary school by a member of St Mary’s Transfer Team. This is a demonstration of our commitment to knowing every child well by the time they join our school. This is an opportunity for students to share their aspirations and other information about themselves as well as for St Mary’s staff to meet with Year 6 teachers.

New Year 7 Targeted Parent / Carer Meetings : May – July

These meetings will take place for any parent/carer whose child has special needs or if there is any additional support that is needed to support transfer.

New Year 7 Parent / Carer Information Evening: Summer Term

All parents/carers of the new Year 7 cohort are invited to an information evening at the end of the summer term, the evening before Primary Transition day when all our new students are invited into school.  There will be a short speech from the Headteacher, school systems and processes information, the opportunity to meet the school staff, and order school uniform through our office school supplier Smiths Schoolwear.

The new Year 7 students will spend the transfer day at St Mary’s to start to familiarise themselves with the buildings, the routines for using the dining room and facilities and get used to moving about the school.  They will also spend time with their tutor team and other staff.  Students will taken some very basic tests and experience some taster lessons so that they feel more confident about what to expect when they start with us.

Uniform

Uniform can be purchased from our supplier, Smiths Schoolwear.