Year 6-7 Transition

Congratulations on securing a place at Ormiston Forge Academy and welcome to the Forge Family.

I would like to extend a very warm welcome from myself, our team of teachers and support staff and all of our students. This is an exciting time. Now that you have secured a place, we will be working alongside your primary school to ensure your transition to us is as smooth as possible.

We pride ourselves on our comprehensive induction process and, by the time you join us in September, you will recognise lots of faces and know how to get around our site. Our taster days, which will be filled with exciting activities and sample lessons, will be arranged directly with your current primary school.

TRANSITION DAYS

Wednesday 2nd July and Thursday 3rd July 2025

Our induction days on Wednesday 2nd and Thursday 3rd July 2025 complete your transition, and will also include parental information evenings. You will be notified of your allocated evening once form groups have been assigned.

Students will be expected to attend all four of these days, between 8:35 and 15:05, wearing their primary school uniform. There will also be a transition evening (information shared in due course) where parents will have the opportunity to meet with progress tutors and hear some important information from some key members of the Forge Family. This will also give you the opportunity to return the completed student information pack. On the transition days themselves, lunch will be provided, but we recommend that children are sent in with a snack for break time and a refillable water bottle. It would also be a good idea, weather dependent, to apply some sun cream and consider sending them in with a hat.

YOUR PACK

The pack you received in the post has everything you need to know before starting the Academy. It also included a voucher for your free blazer from our uniform supplier, Crested School Wear.

We begin year 7 formally on Wednesday 3rd September 2025 and year 7 will have the sole use of the Academy (along with year 12) for the first day. During that first term we will also invite you to Settling In Evenings for parents to attend.

Your pack aims to answer your queries, but if you do have any other questions, please do not hesitate to contact the Academy. If the office staff cannot answer your question, our transition team will be able to. You can email them directly using the email: [email protected].

Thank you for choosing Ormiston Forge Academy and I look forward to meeting you.

Yours sincerely

Dr Lisa Mason

Principal

Click here to download our student handbook

What do I do regarding uniform?  

There shouldn’t be any issues regarding the supply of uniform. Please remember that you are entitled to a free blazer, details are in your induction pack, you can get uniform from our new supplier, Crested Schoolwear in Dudley. If you experience any issues, please contact us via [email protected] and we will do all we can to support you.  

Who do I contact if I have concerns?  

Mr Gill will be the first point of contact – he is our Year 7 leader. You can get in touch via our social media channels, writing to [email protected] or calling the Academy on 01384 566598. We will be doing our best to monitor out-of-hours so will try and reply as quickly as we can.  

How will they know where to go and what to have on the first day?  

On the first morning, our key stage three staff and all form tutors will be at the gates to welcome children to Forge and ensure that everyone knows where to go and are comfortable.  

We’ll also update parents with drop-off details, information about lunches and timetables.  

You’ll already have lots of information in the student information guide which you received in March. If we’ve missed anything or you have a question, get in touch.  

What happens to SATs testing?  

Whilst testing is important, ensuring the new students are settled and used to their learning environment is even more important. We will have a plan to test in the first term and will communicate this and prepare the children thoroughly.  

What if my child is struggling and doesn’t want to come in?  

We’ll work with you and your child to reassure and build confidence. We know that some children will struggle joining a new school, but we will be able to provide support. All we ask is that you let us know as soon as you can if you feel your child might struggle; the earlier we can start talking the better.  

When can parents come in and meet staff and have an induction event?  

You will be invited to a transition evening in July. We are really looking forward to meeting you and we know that you are keen to come in.  

Will you be doing induction tours over the summer?  

There are no tours planned but it’s certainly something that we could consider for small groups and it reassures children. If this is something that you are interested in, write to us at [email protected].  

Will you be going over the work that the students have been doing in year 6? We will ensure that all students have opportunities to make good progress and go over the key stage two curriculum. The very nature of key stages means that we are constantly building and reviewing so there will be lots of opportunities to develop progress.  

How will we know that my child has settled successfully?  

There will also be a Settling In Evening which will happen after the first half-term where parents receive a report detailing how children have settled in each subject. Your child will spend time with their form tutor and the relationship they develop with them will be key in ensuring a successful transition. Form tutors will be writing to introduce themselves. At this point, you know your children better than we do so if they are struggling let us know. We see this as a two-way process.   

What equipment will my child need?  

Pen, pencil, ruler, reading book, pencil case 

How do we pay for school dinners?  

We will write to parents and introduce you to our catering company, you will be provided with an account that you can log in to and load money onto the system and track purchases. The process is very straightforward, some of it you will have received in your new parent pack. In the first week we’ll ensure that all students are familiar with the cashless catering system but for the first few days send them in with some lunch money.  

Who do I need to speak to if my child has a medical condition?  

We ask for details of medical conditions in the new parent pack that we’ve asked you to fill in, sign and return. Any medical information will be held on our school system. If anything changes before your child start with us in September, please let us know as soon as you can by emailing [email protected] 

Who will be my child’s key worker?  

Only children with Educational Health Care Plans will be assigned a key worker. If your child is on the code of practice, they will not initially be assigned a key worker in the first instance, however this can be negotiated on a needs basis, at a later date. If you have any queries or concerns please get in touch via [email protected]   

What support will my child receive in school?  

Students who are on the Code of Practice will be supported in a number of ways:  

  1. Interventions (where appropriate)  
  1. In-class support (quality first teaching)  
  1. One-page profiles  
     
    There are many more methods of support and these will be determined once we have received information from primary schools, key workers have spoken with parents and students (with an EHCP) hand one-page profiles have been created. If you have any queries with support please contact: [email protected]   
     
    What overall support will there be for my child’s well-being?  
     
    At Ormiston Forge Academy the well-being of our children is a high priority and is monitored closely by all staff. We are very clear about the characteristics of the children we are helping to develop. The three key attributes that are embedded in all aspects of daily life in order to prepare all of our children for future lives are: Resilience, Aspiration and Respect. All children have termly PSHE collapse days when our three key values are embedded into student learning. We have a Success Centre where support is provided for behaviour management, mental health and individual family support. Small intervention groups operate to support children with additional social and emotional needs and the Academy has trained first aiders available throughout to deal with medical incidents.  
     
    If you are concerned about your child’s social or emotional development please speak to your child’s form teacher/keyworker in the first instance.  

    If you have any further questions, please email [email protected]. Thank you.