Life @ EA

We sat down with Chris Turley, the Head of Transition Years, to discuss EA’s approach to introducing Primary children into the Senior School.
 

What is your vision of the EA Transition process and what makes it different from other schools?

We want new pupils to feel valued, supported and excited as they join the Edinburgh Academy Senior School. Pupils arrive to a safe and thriving environment where they can be themselves.

The vision is to make sure the transition process is as seamless as possible. We do this by getting to know and engaging with our new pupils and their families early. By having a smooth transition we find pupils quickly assimilate to new routines, teachers, subjects, and friends and know how to get help if there is an issue.

Transition Years is all about building strong foundations – forming relationships, feeling part of the community, developing digital and organisational skills, engaging with new subjects, working on study habits, and getting involved in a myriad of activities and clubs – that pupils can build upon as they move up through the school.

The main thing that makes the EA Transition process unique, to most other schools in Scotland, is that the Geits, or Primary 7, cohort are based at the Senior School. Pupils spend over half their time in the Geits base, where they have their own playground, guidance team and classrooms. However, they also get to be part of the whole school, visiting the Design Technology, Computer Science, Drama and Art departments, and from participating in assemblies, musical events, division competitions, plays or sporting fixtures. This allows Geits to have the best of both worlds, nurture and vibrancy.
 

What is special about the Geit’s Base?

The Geits base is the perfect space to help foster kindness, confidence, resilience and good humour. The buzz of the pupils, their excitement, energy, verve and sheer enthusiasm for life make it an inspiring place to be. 

Class teachers, interns, mentors and numerous visiting subject specialists help inspire and engage with the Geits. Pupils have an excellent activities program that allows them to meet new teachers, work in different groups and find ultimately, what their passions are. From Model United Nations to Drama or from Netball to Dance, there are numerous educative activities on offer. There is also a variety of outside playing spaces from a climbing wall to vegetable beds.
 

How does it ease the transition process for the children? Are there specific goals? i.e., building confidence, easing anxiety, bonding with the secondary school community, etc. or is it a more organic process?

All pupils who arrive in Geits will have already received wide-ranging information about the Senior School. They will have also had a variety of chances to engage with the school in the previous academic year and over the summer break.

With our EA Primary Six in particular we have an extensive set of transition events (from a joint P6/Geits Ceilidh and trip to the theatre to the Primary Six WW2 evacuation up to the Senior School). Induction days in the summer term and engagement from subject specialists in Art and Design Technology also help to give pupils confidence. Even with lockdown restrictions last summer we were able to provide a large number of digital resources which helped paint a vivid picture of our community.

In those first few weeks and months of term we organise a variety of outdoor trips for our Geits and 2nds. For example, we take the Geits to Yellowcraig Beach and the Pentlands just outside Edinburgh with the specific aim of mixing up the groups and helping new pupils integrate within the year group.

We communicate to parents and form strong partnerships with them. Welcoming evenings and a Support my Child in Transition Years set of workshops run by staff for parents are popular. Our PSHE program engages with friendship issues – e.g., toxic and tonic friendships – which helps support pupils who are still trying to connect with others.
 

What specialist teachers are there in Geits and early years?

Pupils get to have Mandarin, German and Spanish taster courses, and throughout the academic year, they get French, Maths, English, History, Geography, Digital Skills, Science, DT, Music, Art, PE, RME and Computing – all with subject specialists. 

We also have interns who help support pupils in classes, and a member of the Learning Support Department who works in the Geits base.