New pupils enjoy ‘summer school’ experience in Louth

The former primary pupils are all taking part in the academy’s summer school to smooth their transition into secondary education next month.

The event replaces the usual term-time taster days which had to be cancelled due to covid restrictions this year.

Transition days are a very valuable part of the journey from primary to secondary schools, familiarising pupils with their peers and their new school site and taking away some of the anxiety involved in starting somewhere new.

They usually take place in the summer term over a number of days and are a complement to the annual open evenings, none of which have been able to take place during the pandemic.

With the help of extra Government funding, Louth Academy was determined to ensure that Year 7 students joining in September this year would not miss out completely on this experience.

Teachers volunteered to run the summer school during their annual break.

Rob Colbert, vice principal at Louth Academy, said: “The idea is for the students to get a feeling of what the school is like, to be able to help them settle in when they join us in September, but also to be able to continue their learning to help them catch up some of what they have missed throughout the covid pandemic.

“We have put on a variety of subjects, including science, English, maths and geography, and they have even learned some circus skills, learning how to juggle and spin plates. We did not want it to be all work and no play.

“The students have had the chance to enjoy themselves and get to know each other a little as they all come from different feeder schools.

“This has been a lovely opportunity to familiarise the children with the Academy, and it has been great to see so many here. We know that not everyone can make it but the turnout has been absolutely fantastic.”