Transition from Key Stage 1 to Key Stage 2

Guidance for Schools

It important to have a smooth transition from Key Stage 1 to Key Stage 2 in order to:

  • Ensure children are happy and confident about their move
  • Promote emotional security
  • Avoid discrepancies and disagreements between judgements by having

accuracy of assessment throughout the school

  • Set meaningful and accurate targets from current levels of attainment
  • Avoid re-teaching of all skills when not needed by having knowledge of prior learning
  • Have continuity of learning (extension of understanding)
  • Prevent the Y3 'dip'.
  • Allow for a better working relationship between Y2/Y3 teachers
  • Develop a better understanding of the tests/tasks and teacher assessment at the end of KS1 (Y3 teacher)

The information shared between the Year 2 and 3 teachers can aid the transition by

promoting shared agreement of judgements; knowledge of the children's prior

learning and background about the children.

What information should be shared?

  • Work and evidence which has been levelled and moderated includingAssessing Pupils' Progress (APP) evidence/use of Assessment and Progression guidance.

Evidence may be in the form of:

Photographs

Children's written work

Teacher's observations/records

Recordings of the children

  • Children's attitude to work
  • How children interact with their peers both in and out of the classroom
  • Specific info about children (e.g. who can/can't sit together, confidence

issues, SEN, medical, etc)

  • Family info relevant to school (e.g. break ups, bereavement etc)
  • General 'info' on class:

Friendships

Parents

Groups for literacy/maths/reading

  • Reading records which can be continued in Key Stage 2
  • Tracking of each child's progress (e.g. KS1 Tracker, EYFSP data, phonic

phase data etc)

  • Reports from the previous year
  • Raiseonline and LSIP information

How should data be used?

• To carry out analysis in order to set accurate targets:

Where is each child now?

Where should they be at the end of the term?

Where should they be at the end of the year?

• To inform class groupings for differentiation

• To inform curriculum planning which promotes progression

• To gain an overall view of the class identifying groups:

Who is in line/above/below age related expectations?

Who requires an intervention?

Who is on the SEN register?

Who is AG&T?

Are there any EAL children?

Are there any focus groups?

• For pupil progress meetings (class and whole school)

What is the importance of cross phase moderation?

• Promotes continuity for pupils

• Key to maintaining standards and consistency which is crucial to ensure

accurate, robust data

• Encourages collaborative planning and teamwork

• Promotes discussion – removes any nasty surprises

• In order to de-mist the assessment process in Y2 for the Y3 teachers and

involve them in the assessment process

• To get rid of the myths (e.g. a 3 is the same in Y2 and Y3)

• To help Y3 teachers move away from optional SATS results and do teacher

assessment including the effective use of APP

• To encourage valuing of results

What additional factors impact upon transition?

• Physical

Different building/classroom

Size of school

Days/sessions where the children move to the other school/building/classroom

are important so the children know what to expect. Where two separate schools

are working together there needs to be a good working relationship. A shared

understanding is required, of the importance of a smooth transition, in order for

the children to settle well and continue to progress in their learning.

• Environment

toilets

playground

cloakroom

dining room

hall

Familiarity with the environment can remove/reduce worry and concerns that the

children may have. Do they know where everything is? Do they know the new

rules and routines? Have they got someone they can ask if they are not sure?

• Logistics

Liaison with new teacher

Experience of teachers

Time to moderate

Do staff meet regularly for transition meetings? Is there support for teachers new to

Y2/Y3? Is time set aside by each school/key stage for cross phase moderation?

What strategies can be employed in order to promote a smooth transition?

• Informal chat – Y2 to Y3 teachers

• Everyone in school using APP so a common approach to teacher assessment

is employed throughout

• Moderating together cross phase

• Across school work marked by another teacher

• Staff have transition meetings

• TA's move with the children for a familiar face

• Moving –up day/sessions (e.g. Y6 on Residential – Y2 children become Y3 for

playtimes, etc)

• Buddy system- each new Y3 child has an older child they can go to at breaks

and lunch

• 'Meet the teacher' – informal evening early in the year for children and parents

• CD Rom idea – make CD of information for children and parents to watch

together

• Information booklet for parents (detailing h/wk, uniform, etc)

• Information booklet for Y2 children written by Y3 children

• Regular newsletters to inform of changes

• Start KS2 book when ready (summer term) and take up to Y3