EDUCATION
IN ASSOCIATION WITH
THE ST EDMUND ’ S ADVANTAGE :
NAVIGATING YEARS 7 & 8 BY EDWARD O ’ CONNOR , HEADTEACHER
Years 7 and 8 are a critical transition phase . Some schools do not pay enough attention to this vital period in a child ’ s education . That does not happen at St Edmund ’ s . Their approach recognises the importance of Key Stage 3 , both as a point of vulnerability and as a moment of opportunity . ‘ Vulnerability ’ because these years represent the start of secondary education in the National Curriculum and also the beginnings of adolescence . ‘ Opportunity ’ because if schools get their provision right in these year groups , they can not only establish strong academic habits for future years , but also , through nurturing pastoral care , rich co-curricular involvement and personal development programmes , build confidence and personal values that can last a lifetime .
At St Edmund ’ s , Years 7 and 8 form the upper section of the Junior School . Their approach is a holistic one . Pupils study a full secondary curriculum with most of their academic lessons provided by subject specialist secondary school teachers in the wonderful shared classrooms and exciting facilities of the whole school site . However , their pastoral care is conducted within the caring , supportive ethos of the Junior School , allowing them to develop their self-esteem and sense of identity in a calm , gentle environment . As leaders of the pupil community , Year 7 and 8 pupils also develop interpersonal and leadership skills as prefects and house captains . This means that the educational experience for our pupils is engaging , nurturing and fun as they begin to focus on entry to the Senior School in Year 9 .
The best way to get a real sense of life at St Edmund ’ s is to visit . The school invites families to their Discovery Morning , where they can explore the learning environment , meet the staff of dedicated teachers , and hear directly from students about their experiences in Years 7 and 8 .
stedmunds . org . uk
166 • www . insidekent . co . uk