As the Head of Year 6 and Year 7, I know very well that starting secondary school is a moment of excitement for most pupils, and of reflection over where the time has gone for so many parents! However, it can also be a time of worry and concern, as your daughters move from what is likely to have been the only school they have attended to the next phase in their education.  

At Leicester High School, our girls move up to the Senior School for Year 6. However, we also have a large intake of new girls joining us from local primary schools across Leicestershire and beyond in Year 7.  

You may find sharing some of the information below with your daughter useful in preparing her for the change:   

1. Don’t panic! This applies to you girls and your parents! Although we have not been able to do as many transition activities this year as we would have liked, the School remains committed to ensuring you have a smooth transition into your new Year group. Girls joining Year 6 and Year 7, including those already studying at LHS, will have been invited to an Induction Day where you will be able to meet your classmates and some of your teachers. 

2. You won’t get lost! You will be provided with a map on your first day and you will soon find your way around. If you can’t find a room, just ask and someone will help you. You can also check our Interactive Map before you start.

3. You will still have your own ‘classroom’ but this will be referred to as your Form Room. You will have a Form Teacher who will be the first person to ask if you have any queries or problems that you need help with. You will also have a cubby hole or a locker in your Form Room where you can keep your bag and coat. You will carry your books and pencil case with you to your lessons.  

4. Your lessons will take place in the specialist teaching rooms across the School with specialist teachers for each subject. This will mean more walking around the School than you are perhaps used to, but also means you will soon get to know the rooms and the teachers really well. Year 6 girls will have some of their lessons in their Form Room but will still travel to the specialist teaching spaces for subjects like Science and Art.   

5. Your main School uniform will be different, even if you were in our Junior Department, so please check the list online to make sure you have what you need. The PE uniform is the same between LHS Junior Department and the Senior School.  

6. You will make friends! Everyone has some worries that they will not make friends, especially if you are joining us from another school. But there is no need to worry; all the girls at LHS are brilliant at making new starters feel at home, and you will probably find secondary school is the place where some of your strongest friendships are founded.  

7. You will need to be responsible. This means acting responsibly, but also being responsible for having the right equipment with you for your lessons and for getting to your lessons on time.  

8. You may have more homework. You will have homework to do for each subject. Homework will be set using a system called Show My Homework, which both you and your parents will be able to access. Although you will probably have more homework than you have been used to at primary school you will be supported by your subject teachers to make sure you get the most out of the tasks set.  

9. You will have lots of opportunities to get involved. There are Form Captain and Year Group Captain roles, a huge number of extra-curricular clubs, choir practice, performances, and the School show to name just a few things that you can get involved in.  

10. You will have a lot of fun! Although the change may feel daunting at first, all our girls have a huge amount of fun at LHS, forming friendships and making memories that will last a lifetime.  

I am looking forward to welcoming you to Year 6 and 7! 

Mrs Kate McCarthy, Head of Year 6 and Year 7