Appendix 1
Interestingly much of the research emanating from the Neath Port Talbot study reflects the findings of a recent national study published by Estyn.

"Moving On ...Effective Transition from Key Stage 2 to Key Stage 3" (Estyn 2004)

There is better continuity between key stage 2 and key stage 3 when primary and secondary teachers:

• know more about key stage 3 and key stage 2 programmes of study, respectively
• observe lessons to identify effective practice, for example, lesson structures
• exchange and discuss the content of their schemes of work and develop shared schemes of work to improve progression from Year 6 to Year 7
• work together to agree strengths and weaknesses in individual pupils' knowledge and skills, to plan teaching that builds on this knowledge and to monitor pupils' progress
• design units of work begun in Year 6 and completed in Year 7, sometimes including independent work at home or across the summer to prepare pupils for more demanding homework in key stage 3
• develop consistent ways of teaching literacy, numeracy and ICT skills across the curriculum
• learn about different teaching and learning methods, for example, mental mathematics or guided reading
• share in-service training to develop teaching methods, for example, promoting thinking skills, mental calculation or developing writing skills across the curriculum
• ease the transfer of some pupils by sharing expertise to provide more specialist teaching in Year 6 and more learning support for pupils in Years 7 and 8
• agree what evidence of achievement needs to be passed to secondary subject teachers to provide a benchmark to measure individual pupils' progress in key stage 3
• share teaching and learning materials and resources across the key stages
• share specialist facilities and learning resources, for example, drama, media and computer technology facilities and resources such as software, number aids in mathematics or science equipment
• arrange for key stage 2 learning support assistants to continue to work with groups of pupils and their new teachers in Year 7

To improve the continuity and quality of teaching and learning, primary and secondary schools should build on best practice to work more closely together to:

• develop policies to manage transition effectively
• develop consistent approaches to teaching and learning across key stages 2 and 3
• enable primary and secondary teachers to observe teaching in each others' schools and to agree the standards of work expected of pupils
• help pupils to make better progress by sharing subject expertise and ensuring continuity in schemes of work from key stage 2 to key stage 3
• develop strategies to ensure continuity between the primary and secondary phases in the ways pupils develop language, number, thinking and learning skills
• agree practices in assessing, recording and tracking pupils' progress and setting individual and school targets
• agree on the information about pupils' achievement and attainment that secondary schools need, and how and when it will be provided, so that secondary teachers can match work to the needs and abilities of pupils as soon as they transfer schools.

To raise standards in key stage 3, secondary schools should:

• build more effectively on the standards pupils achieve at the end of key stage 2
• monitor and evaluate the impact of improved transition arrangements on pupils' progress and standards through classroom observation and sampling pupils' work
• ensure that all subject teachers apply and extend the language, number, learning and thinking skills that pupils bring with them from the primary school
• make better use, at whole school and departmental level, of the information about pupils' prior achievement and attainment to plan for, and track, pupils' progress in each year of key stage 3

To improve transition and raise standards, LEAs should provide schools with:

• support in developing effective transition policies and practice help to improve pupils' literacy, numeracy, learning and thinking skills, through well-coordinated training and support programmes
• development and training for teachers, appropriate to their respective roles and responsibilities
• advice and support to meet the particular needs and priorities of groups of schools and individual departments
• additional targeted support, when they have significant challenges in raising standards
• information that enables them to record, track and analyse pupils' progress and to evaluate the school's performance and progress against others in similar circumstances

Continue: Appendix 2