Ensuring that our Year 6 leavers progress to the Senior School which is right for them, in which they will continue to flourish, is absolutely key to us at The Manor Prep.
Every step a child makes through our school is preparing them for what lies ahead in their educational journey and beyond, and from Year 4 we begin our dialogue with parents, supporting them as we explore options together for their child.
This support starts with our Transition to Senior School evening which takes place in the Autumn Term of Year 4. At this point we invite parents to book a 1:1 meeting with either our Head, Rachel Hamlyn, or our Deputy Head Academic, Victoria Evans, and opportunities to meet key staff members continue throughout Year 4 and 5 and into Year 6.
We encourage families to attend a variety of Senior School open days so that they can get a feel for what is on offer and for which environment will best suit their child. There are many factors to consider when choosing a Senior School, all of which will help to narrow down the wide choice available. Once appropriate schools have been identified, gut-feel plays a vital role, in our view.
Cognitive Ability Testing in Years 3, 4 and 5 helps to inform our planning and also how we advise individual families; every child is different and their academic profile needs to be looked at alongside their other interests and, of course, their personalities!
For the children, Year 5 represents a fantastic opportunity to step up academically, with key skills being focused on in English and Maths and weekly Reasoning lessons being added to the timetable.
In Year 6, from the start of Autumn Term, the children hone their exam skills and techniques, so that they can approach assessment days with confidence, not only in their knowledge but in themselves.
The Spring Term of Year 6 brings with it the excitement of offers made and accepted, as well as a sense of relief and anticipation. Our pupils can look forward to all of the wonderful events which their final months at The Manor will bring; the Summer Fete (which they take the lead in organising), their five day residential trip and their end of year play and premiere evening, to name but a few.
As the children look ahead to life at Senior School, the support we offer continues to help guide families through this significant change; our Year 6 to Year 7, which takes place during the Summer Term of Year 6, evening is full of advice for children and parents alike.
