Hi,
My name is Mr Orr and I am the Director of Community here at Vale of York Academy and I am absolutely delighted that you will be joining us in September. I have the privilege of being your main point of contact when it comes to transition from primary to secondary school. I have put together some information that may be helpful for you and your family as you continue your journey to become a Vale of York Academy pupil. Having been at the school for 20 years, there is not too much I don’t know about Vale of York Academy. I will be coming to visit you at your primary school very soon but in the meantime, if there is ever anything you are unsure of or wish to know, I’m available via email using hello@voy.hslt.academy.
I look forward to meeting you.
Mr Orr
Director of Community – Transition Lead
1st March 2025 (Or next working day) – National Offer Day Saturday
This is when you will find out which secondary school you have been allocated. For more information about this, please visit – https://www.york.gov.uk/SecondarySchoolAdmissions.
March/April 2025 (Various Dates) – Welcome Presentation From Mr Orr at Your Primary School
Mr Orr will visit your school and explain step by step everything you need to know about transition throughout the summer. There will be a chance for you to ask any questions you may have too about joining Vale of York Academy. You will also be given an admission pack to take home that will need to be completed and returned to your primary school by Friday 16th May. This can also be dropped off directly at Vale of York Academy.
If you are at a primary school out of our traditional catchment area, Mr Orr will contact your family and school to arrange a visit to come and see you.
16th May 2025 – Deadline for Admission Packs
This is the deadline for getting your admission packs back to your primary school or dropped off at Vale of York Academy.
26th June 2025 – Peer Support Transition Day
We know that some pupils require a little bit of extra support when it comes to transition and our Peer Support Transition Day is an opportunity for such pupils to come and spend the day with us, looked after by Year 7 pupils who went through the same process only 12 months beforehand. This day is part of our wider Enhanced Transition programme (details further down the page) and isn’t open to all pupils. The day will be organised and coordinated in liaison with primary school colleagues.
1st July 2025 – Transition Evening
This is an excellent opportunity for pupils and parents to come and listen to presentations from key staff a Vale of York Academy. Details of the two transition days will also be shared at this event.
2nd July 2025 – Transition Day 1
On this day, every Year 6 pupil across the city will go to their allocated secondary school. At Vale of York Academy, we will have a fun packed day planned where you will get to meet your new classmates and teachers. Any nerves you may have will quickly disappear during this day!
3rd July 2025 – Transition Day 2
We like to keep the positive momentum going at Vale of York Academy and and as such, we put on a second Transition Day for our new Year 7 cohort
3rd July 2025 – Year 6 and 7 BBQ
For the first time, we are inviting pupils and their families from Year 6 and 7 to join us for an evening of fun, food and entertainment! This will be a great chance to talk to other Year 6 pupils and families and also pupils in Year 7 and their families about moving to Vale of York Academy.
7th July 2025 – Transition Parental Workshop
Another new edition to our transition process, this informal session is aimed at parents who are new to Vale of York Academy. During the workshop, Mr Orr will go through all the day to day processes and jargon we use, as well as explain things like how reports work and how do you access Edulink, Parentpay and Google Classroom. Times to be confirmed and advertised.
August 2025 Summer School
Our three day summer school is there as a final layer of support for pupils who, through conversations with primary school and parents and carers, would benefit from attending. Invites to this will be sent out during the summer term, when dates will also be finalised.
2nd September Start Vale of York Academy
An exciting day as you officially become a Vale of York Academy pupil! There will be plenty of support throughout the day and beyond to make you feel very welcome and get you off to a flying start.
We work very closely with our colleagues at the primary schools and have regular conversations about pupils as individuals to ensure that transition can be as smooth as possible. We have Enhance Transition that we put in place for pupils who are identified as requiring extra layers of support to ensure they are happy and confident when making the move to secondary school. Our Enhanced Transition package can be very bespoke for individual children, however the standard offer includes –
Enhanced Transition isn’t for everybody and we work with pupils, parents and the primary schools to identify who would benefit and to shape the package of support.
Throughout the transition process, we will be updating you with information. Any letters will be either sent directly or dropped at the primary schools to be given out, but we will also upload a copy of them here.
Click here to find out more about moving up to Secondary School.
Click here to find out more about Primary Schools we work closely with.
Click here to find out more about supporting your child with transition to Secondary School.
It can be a worrying and stressful time for parents when their children make the transition to Secondary School, particularly if it is the first experience of this process. Any questions or concerns that you have, please do not hesitate to contact Mr Orr via email using r.orr@voy.hslt.academy and he will be more than happy to invite you in for a cup of tea and a chat.
There are some things that you can do with your child which will benefit both and help make transition less stressful.