Year 6 to 7 Transition
The Transition Journey
Timeline of events:
3rd October 2023: Open evening
8th October 2023: Open morning
31st October 2023: Application deadline - https://www.oxfordshire.gov.uk/residents/schools/apply-school-place/year-7-applications
11th February 2025: School production primary matinee performance
3rd March 2025: National offer day - https://www.oxfordshire.gov.uk/residents/schools/apply-school-place/year-7-applications/offer-day
17th March 2025: Last date to respond to offers
20th June 2025: Primary PE day
25th June 2025: SEND transition morning
27th June 2025: Primary sports afternoon
2nd July 2025: Main transition day and new parents' evening
3rd July 2025: Rounders and BBQ, PTA new parents' welcome
4th September 2025: Term starts
Welcome message and video
Dear Year 6 (soon to be Year 7 Matthew Arnold School students)
Welcome to our transition section of our website. I hope you find the resources here useful in preparing you for your visit to the school on the 2nd July 2025 and then when you start in September 2025.
We are very excited to be welcoming a new group of students to the Matthew Arnold School family and know you will have a wonderful experience when you join us.
You will have fantastic lessons where you are inspired to learn as well as a wide range of clubs to get involved in beyond the classroom. All this alongside getting to know your new tutor group will be a fantastic start to your life as a Matthew Arnold School student.
You will hear us talk a lot about success for everyone and all of the things that I talk about above will help you to achieve academic success where you will do well in your studies and go on to great destinations. You will also be supported as you grow from wonderful children to wonderful young adults through the development of our core qualities and personal characteristics of:
- Self Management: Resilient and independent
- Attitudes to learning: Motivated and hardworking
- Treatment of others: Honesty and kindness
- Social responsibility: Good citizen and respectful
I look forward to meeting you all again in person soon.
Mr Broadley
Video from Mr Broadley - Headteacher:
/i/video/Video_for_Transition_Page_-_Mr_Broadley.mp4
School Tour Video & Map
/i/video/Final_School_Tour_Video.mp4
Supporting children's transition to Secondary School
This short guide provides tips about how parents and carers can best support children through the transition to secondary school. It explains why the transition can be difficult for some children, and gives practical advice such as talking and connecting with the new school as well as suggesting further resources to explore.
PDF Download here:
Online link here:
Uniform information for Year 7's in September 2025
All Year 7's will be expected to wear the school uniform consisting of the 'V' neck sweatshirt and polo shirt.
- Burgundy ‘V’ neck sweatshirt with school logo.
- Polo shirt worn underneath. Logo polo shirts are available but not compulsory.
- Plain black legwear. No faded, or ripped trousers.
- Footwear must be predominantly black, no higher than the ankle and low heels. No open-toed shoes are permitted.
The school sweatshirt, polo shirt and school sports kit are available through the school’s uniform supplier, Price and Buckland https://www.pbuniform-online.co.uk/matthewarnold. All other items can be purchased wherever the family feels provides best value.
Joining the school community - messages from our current Year 7's
A previous Botley Primary School student:
Dear Year Sixes,
I bet you feel a mixture of emotions about leaving primary school and starting secondary school. I did too.
My favourite subjects are art, drama and PE. In art, I'm doing character designs and in PE I'm doing netball which is fun because I get to play with my friends. Also, in drama I’m doing acting to do with Harry Potter and magical spells.
Outside of school, I do Football which I really like. After school for an hour we just do a big match with even teams and then every week there's a game and if you played well in training you will get picked for the School team to play matches against other schools.
I have met a lot of new friends from being in their classes and going to summer school. It was so much fun! We went bowling and ice skating and played on the field all day! I met a lot of new friends at summer school so I recommend you go there if you get a chance.
A previous St Swithun's Primary School student:
Dear year 6,
I have really enjoyed my time so far at MAS, especially the fact that you can play football and lots of other things every single break and lunch and afterschool. Another thing that I find fun is changing classrooms each lesson whereas in primary school you are also in one room. I found settling in to Matthew Arnold quite easy because I knew lots of people already from primary school and I also made a lot of new friends during lunchtime.
Some of my favourite subjects are PE because you do so many different things such as capture the flag, badminton and much more. I also like art because I have a really nice teacher. Beyond the classroom I do after school football on Monday and it's really fun because we always have lots of matches against other schools and it's good to get to know different people who have the same interests.
A previous Cumnor Primary School student:
Dear Year 6,
I know what you might feel like right now as this was the same for me when I first joined the school I felt the same. Moving up to secondary school made me feel a bit anxious as well. Luckily though, The school is very welcoming and once you settle in, you’ll feel like you belong.
At Matthew Arnold School there are many different subjects but for me my favourite has to be P.E as I’m very athletic and the many sports at Matthew Arnold can make any sporty person like me happy. All of the subjects at Matthew Arnold can feel very different to primary school. For example, in Art there is a lot more equipment to use than in primary. Also in Secondary School you can be a lot more creative with the tasks you are given.
At Matthew Arnold I enjoy either the food or the extracurricular activities the most but I’d be lying if I didn’t also say the break times too. During break, you can get fresh air or even go to one of the many clubs that happen during break or Lunch. There are also activities that happen after school such as the Club for Interesting Problems (Maths) or the School Musical club (Music). For me, I do the Year 7 Football club but I’d recommend you try as many as possible as all the clubs are fun!
As a way to end this, I decided I’d write about my experience when I was new to the school. For me, I remember I was quite nervous about coming to school. Lucky for me though, everyone here is very friendly and I made many new friends very quickly.
I made tons of friends from a lot of different schools and I settled in very well because of it.
So to any Year 6s reading this, don’t be scared of secondary school because in the end you’ll find it very cool!
A previous North Hinksey Primary School student:
Dear year 6,
I have enjoyed my first year in year 7 more than I expected to. So far I have most enjoyed PE lessons because you get to play lots of different sports. Another subject I enjoy is art as you can be creative and let your imagination run wild. Science is fun because you get to do practicals (experiments).
There are various clubs after school varying from maths to football. I do football and I have enjoyed playing other schools. When I started I was worried about getting lost and being late but you quickly get used to it and there are plenty of students and teachers to help you.
Enjoy your time at Matthew Arnold!
A previous West Oxford Primary School student:
Dear year 6
Moving up to Mathew Arnold can be scary but it is not as bad as it seems. You meet lots of new people and will make lots of new friends. My favourite lesson at Mathew Arnold is art because you do so many different things and you use lots of different equipment. Also at Mathew Arnold I enjoy Science more than in primary because we do so many fun experiments and I like using the bunsen burners. I took part in the school play which was so exciting seeing it all come together and meeting lots of new people. Also I do hockey after school which is just one of the many sports clubs.
Letters sent home
Invitation to the Open Evening 2024
Useful Links
Please email transition@maschool.org.uk if you have any questions.
