Transitions

Transitions are the moves children and young people make from home to nursery, from nursery to primary, from primary to secondary, from secondary to further education and beyond.

Starting Early Learning and Childcare

Once your child has been allocated a place in the early learning and childcare class you will be invited along to meet the staff and children, to find out more about the curriculum and to share information about your child.  Your child will be invited to join the early learning and childcare class with your support as necessary until they have fully settled.

Deferring Entry to Primary One

Argyll and Bute Council is currently part of a National pilot project which automatically grants an additional year of ELC funding, should it be decided that it is in your child’s best interests to defer entry to P1.  This pilot comes ahead of a national entitlement for all parents to this additionally funded ELC place, planned for August 2023.  As such, if you feel that your child would benefit from a further year within an ELC environment, before beginning their P1 journey, this additional year can now be fully funded.

The decision whether to send your child to school or defer is individual to each child, and in keeping with GIRFEC policy principles staff within your child’s ELC and prospective school will support you in making this decision.

If you are considering a possible deferred entry into P1 for your child, please speak to your child’s Key Worker within their ELC to advise them of this, and contact earlyyears@argyll-bute.gov.uk for advice and details of how to apply.  Please note, you should still register your child for school during the registration window in January and, if you decide to defer entry, the Early Years team will work in collaboration with your child’s ELC and yourself to support you in making your decision.

Starting Primary One

Children in Scotland who reach the age of five years between 1st March 2022 and 28th February 2023 should start school in August 2022.  This generally means that children start school when they are aged between four-and-a-half and five-and-a-half.  For academic session 2022/2023 online registration will begin mid-January 2022; further information will be available on the council website and in the local press.

To help your child prepare for a good start you can:

  • Listen and talk to your child about this change in their lives
  • Involve your child in getting ready for school by helping choose the things they will need, e.g. their uniform, lunchbox, school bag
  • Keep in touch with the school about anything which may affect your child’s learning
  • Attend induction events or introductory sessions

Transfer to Secondary School

Primary school pupils normally transfer to their catchment area secondary school in August following completion of their P7 year.  Secondary staff visit P7 pupils to discuss aspects of their transfer with them and in June the pupils will spend an agreed length of time at their prospective secondary school.

The catchment area secondary school for Strath of Appin is:

Oban High School

Soroba Road

Oban

01631 564231

website

You will be contacted by letter and offered a place for your child at Oban high School, which you may either accept or decline.  Secondary schools have their own arrangements for meetings with prospective parents/carers, and you will be given details of these meetings.

Should you prefer your child to attend a school other than the designated catchment area school then a Placing Request must be made.  Forms are available from the Head Teacher, or by contacting School Support by email to argyllhousereception@argyll-bute.gov.uk or by ‘phoning 01369 704000.

Moving from Stage to Stage

Your child will be involved in an induction programme every year in school. Prior to the summer holiday your child will meet their teacher/s for the following session and visit their new classroom/s.  Teachers work closely and share information about your child’s learning and achievements.  Staff will also share other information which will help the teacher support your child’s learning, e.g. friendship groups, preferred ways of working, etc.

Moving Between Schools

When a child moves to a new school their class teacher will normally telephone the new school to share information on academic achievement and personal likes/dislikes with their new teacher.  Parents/carers are encouraged to organise a visit to the new school (if possible) in advance to support the child feel secure in the move.

It should be noted that opportunities for enhanced transitions are available for children as required.

Liaison with Local Schools

Our school maintains close links with Oban high School and other primary schools within the local area. Our teachers, and in some cases our pupils, visit other schools and establishments and other teachers and pupils visit us.  This process is important for the professional development of staff, reciprocal understanding and the establishment of curricular consistency.

Leaving School

The first eligible school leaving date for most young people is 31 May at the end of S4.  This applies to young people whose fifth birthday fell between 1 March and 30 September in the year they entered P1.  Younger pupils in a year group are required to stay on until December in S5.  Older pupils are eligible to leave as early as December in S4.

Opportunities for All is the Scottish Government’s commitment to offer all 16-19 year olds a place in education, training, employment or other planned learning from when they leave school up to their 20th birthday.  All young people should receive the right amount rather than the same amount of information, advice and support in order to help them enter and sustain a positive destination.  For young people who do not immediately enter a positive destination on leaving school, support will continue until they find a suitable opportunity.

Transitions are particularly critical for young people with additional support needs and require additional preparation and planning.  Whenever a young person with additional support needs is approaching a transition, other agencies are involved in transition planning, the young person’s views are sought and parents/carers will be part of the planning process.  In all cases, early consultation will take place with the post-school learning provider to ensure that any support necessary is in place.