Louth and Somercotes teachers to hold ‘summer schools’ to help Year 7 transition

The primary pupils are due to join the schools in Year 7 from September. Covid restrictions throughout the entire academic year have meant that the usual transitions days, where pupils get the chance to meet their new teachers and familiarise themselves with the school, have not been able to go ahead.

To make up for this, the academies are each running week-long summer schools, which will take place at Louth Academy from July 26-30 and at Somercotes Academy from August 9-13.

At Louth, 165 Year 6 pupils have already signed up for the summer school, and 60 pupils have signed up at Somercotes.

Activities at both schools will vary, but the underlying theme will be getting to know each other, exploring the school sites,and meeting their head of house.

Philip Dickinson, Louth Academy principal, explained: “In any other year the academy would have held a number of transition days to welcome our new pupils and familiarise them with what to expect here when they join us in September.

“This has not been able to happen and we are very conscious of the fact that Year 6 pupils will not have had the introduction to secondary life that other pupils receive.

“The summer schools are our way of rectifying that and giving the pupils the opportunity to come along and meet us and take part in some fun activities. We will be doing a range of lessons and activities designed to familiarise the 
pupils with the new school site, give them an insight into the types of things they will be learning, whilst at the same time being fun.

“We have staff from a range of subjects volunteering to take part, at present we have 16 staff, including senior management, teachers, teaching assistants and office personnel.

“We are very pleased with the take up of this offer as it will allow the new students to have a transition period that they would otherwise have missed this year due to the lockdown restrictions still in place.”

Frances Green, Somercotes Academy principal added: “We are really looking forward to putting on summer school activities for the children who will be joining us in September.

“We hope the Year 6 pupils will find the time they spend with us informative, educational and great fun.

“With pupils joining us from across the many feeder schools we have, this will also enable our new students to get to know each other before the first day of the Autumn term comes across.”

There is still time to sign up for Louth and Somercotes Academy Summer Schools by visiting the school websites or calling the academies directly.