Talk About Transition

Are your students secondary school ready?

Talk About Transition engages students using oracy based activities and strategies to develop greater self-confidence and resilience to support a successful transition from primary to secondary school.

This workshop can support the Gatsby Benchmarks by helping you to address the needs of each pupil (3) and linking curriculum learning to careers (4). This workshop can also form part of a stable careers programme (1).

England – supports the National Curriculum for Key Stage 2 and Spoken English for Key Stage 3

Wales – supports the Literacy & Numeracy Framework for Years 5 – 7

Workshop Aims

Building positive relationships
Promoting well-being
Boosting confidence in new surroundings
Improving connections with peers
Developing oracy skills

What does this workshop involve?

This is a half-day confident communication workshop aimed at students who are about to join or have recently joined secondary school. Within this workshop each student will speak in front of his or her peers on several occasions.

During the workshop students will:

Create an individual transition profile
Talk about how they feel when starting their new school
Be partnered with a new friend – and each will interview and then introduce their partner to their peers with a structured talk
Identify what they see as the opportunities and challenges facing them in their new school
Work within small groups to present a structured talk about these opportunities and challenges and suggest the means to embrace and overcome them
Identify their goals for the coming year in their new school and present a structured talk to their peers about them

Case Study - Ysgol Y Moelwyn

Students Reported Feeling...

49%

More confident when communicating

40%

More confident when talking about their life experiences

57%

Better equipped with the skills for confident communication

What students say about Talk About Transition

“We came up to the secondary school for the day with pupils from other primary schools in the area to take part in a Talk The Talk workshop. It was a great chance to express ourselves and to learn new words. I really enjoyed getting to know other pupils who I would be in year 7 with in September. I felt more confident speaking English in front of people by the end of the day as we did a presentation in groups in front of everyone. I would definitely like to take part in another workshop again!”

What staff say about Talk the Talk

“In my view fluent and confident oracy skills are a corner stone to success in the widest sense, personal fulfilment, social inclusion, developing friendships, success in the world of work and as a basis for developing other skills to get to grip with today’s ever more challenging world.

I am really impressed with the success of the Talk the Talk team in supporting and promoting the excellent work of our English department to ensure that our pupils develop these skills with confidence.

The workshops are brilliant! It never ceases to amaze me how the team succeed in developing oracy skills within an intense and lively one day session.”

Dewi Lake – Headteacher

Testimonials

“Excellent. All stages of the workshop were scaffolded, modelled and therefore accessible. The trainer was excellent at being patient with the students and giving tangible feedback. Students have definitely improved their speaking and confidence after the session.”

Year 8, Swanlea School,
London

“The workshop was fantastic and helped the children to become more confident as speakers and huge improvements were seen throughout. The trainer was excellent with the group and provided valuable direct and individualised feedback.”

Year 6, Carrdus School,
Oxfordshire

“Lovely manner with the students, building their confidence and resilience effectively. Students engaged in all activities and a positive learning environment throughout.”

Year 11, Shaftesbury High Special School,
Middlesex

“This Talk The Talk workshop is well designed to give students clearly defined steps for constructing compelling speeches. The trainers were warm and engaging, successfully creating a safe environment where students felt comfortable stepping outside of their comfort zones to practise their public speaking skills.”

Year 10, Channing School,
London

“Excellent! Not enough focus is placed on oracy and communication skills, so it was great for these students to have intensive support with this. The workshop was thoroughly engaging and delivered in such a way that the students really understood the value of it. I am sure this will be of huge benefit to them in the future. Thank you!”

Year 12, Richard Hale School,
Hertfordshire

“The CPD delivered was outstanding. Many teachers felt it was one of the best inset days we’ve had and they feel great motivation as a result of the tips and guidance.”

Staff, Ladybridge High School,
Bolton

“The trainer was excellent with the pupils, very warm and engaging. I really liked that he varied the content depending on the response of the group and was also hugely adaptable with pupils with additional needs.”

Year 7, Royal Grammar School,
Newcastle

“I overheard the students commenting on how good the session was – they became more relaxed and enthusiastic as time went on, engaging really well with the trainer. Excellent!”

Year 12 & 13, St Mary's School Gerrards Cross,
Buckinghamshire

View All

Years 5-7 - Half-Day Workshop

Talk About Transition

Talk About Communication

Talk About Communication Plus

Talk About The Future

Talk The Talk Teacher CPD