A two-week ‘transition camp’ has been running to help primary children make the jump to secondary education when they join the new Year 7 at Whitechapel’s Swanlea School for the new term.
It was arranged by Let Me Play education charity which put together activities to eases the transition.
Starting a new secondary school can be overwhelming for children and their parents.
So Swanlea encourages the new Year 7s to join the summer camp to meet one another, easing the worry of making new friends when school starts.
“It gives new pupils a chance to experience secondary school and get to know each other before they start officially,” Headteacher Brenda Landers explains.
“The integration and balance of academic work with sports and fun games on the programme is something I feel is necessary to lead a successful secondary school experience. The Summer ‘transition camp’ provides this balance.”
Activities included basketball, cooking, theatre, poetry slam and debates which help them express themselves and build self-esteem and confidence. There are role plays and team challenges, involving them in teamwork.
The youngsters are also encouraged to familiarise themselves with the school campus in Brady Street.
The climax of the summer camp was a trip to Paradise Park wild life centre in Broxbourne.
Swanlea also runs the Lexia reading programme during the summer camp to improve proficiency at all levels, where staff volunteer to come in and help them practise. The Let Me Play charity also runs Swanlea’s Year 7 after school enrichment programme.
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