Preparing Rutherford pupils for Secondary School
At Rutherford, we recognise that although our journey with pupils ends after Year 6, the next phase of their learning is about to begin. Consequently, our team works hard to prepare children for the secondary transfer process.
When creating our curriculum we began with the question:
What would we like a Year 6 pupil to look like when they leave our school?
This includes the values that we’ve instilled in them, manners, conduct, skills and knowledge. We aim to prepare pupils to be active members of their secondary school communities, having developed their character during their time at Rutherford and having had the opportunity to get a flavour for where their passion lies. Whether this be reading, writing, arithmetic, science, art, drama or sport to name a few. We expect all children to emerge from Rutherford as confident, resilient problem solvers who relish the challenges awaiting them.
Our Secondary Transfer offer
- All children sit CAT tests in verbal and non-verbal reasoning annually, beginning in Year 3. Parents are invited to meet with the Headteacher and Deputy Headteachers to discuss these assessments and their correlation to the Wandsworth Test that all pupils sit in Year 6.
- Verbal and non-verbal reasoning sessions are taught discretely from Year 5.
- Children in Year 5 and 6 are invited to join Prep Club.
- In Year 6 pupils can sign up for interview practise sessions with the Headteacher
- Year 5 parents are invited to attend a secondary transfer presentation at the school with the Deputy Head of Pupil Services for Richmond and Wandsworth.
- Once a year we host a Secondary Transfer Fair for parents, inviting admissions representatives from local state and independent secondary schools.
- Starting from Year 5, pupils have group sessions with our specialist tutor to support them with Maths, verbal and non-verbal reasoning.
- We are constantly developing our relationships and links with local secondary schools, including sharing best practice and organising opportunities for pupils, e.g. watching drama performances or attending sports coaching.
