New Year 7 Information Site 2024New Year 7 Welcome Evening Presentation 2024
Meet the Tutor Head of House Presentation 2024
Our Aims
At Burnham Grammar School we believe that students’ induction to our learning environment is paramount to their first steps in secondary school life. We aim to support students during their transition into year 7 over a number of months through a carefully designed programme.
First experiences
The vast majority of our students will first experience BGS at an opening evening during the autumn term of year 6 to get a feel for our school, meet our students and staff and discover our facilities; often unavailable in primary schools. These include: fully equipped science laboratories, activity studio, three badminton court sports hall, music suite and drama studio alongside the department areas with technology-filled classrooms using Clevertouch state of the art interactive boards.
Families may visit BGS during our September and October open mornings, to experience the school ‘at work.’ Visitors will see students engaging in lively and interactive lessons embracing the challenge of life at Burnham Grammar School.
Confirmation of a place at BGS
In March, having received confirmation of a place at BGS, parents of students joining us the following September will receive a welcome email and an invitation to the Welcome Evening which is held in mid-March. The Headteacher and senior staff describe the induction process and other key details for a smooth transition to secondary school. The information site and welcome presentation will provide more information about life at BGS, uniform suppliers and requirements and much more.
Getting to know us better
We invite all new year 7 students to join us at BGS for the Transition Day during early July. This will typically begin with a warm welcome from the Headteacher in the hall followed by a series of taster lessons delivered by our staff throughout the day. This enables students to familiarise themselves with our building and begin to feel part of BGS.
Our pastoral staff will visit many of our new year 7 students in their primary schools and they will talk to their primary school teachers to learn more about the students in order to support their transition further still.
Summer Camp
All year 7 students are invited to join the Summer Camp programme during the summer holidays. This is an opportunity for students to get to know others joining them in year 7 and once again, use the facilities and buildings at BGS. By the end of Summer Camp, students feel they know their way around the school rather confidently.
Starting in September
Year 7 students return to BGS one day earlier than the older students in September to enable them to have a further opportunity to orient themselves before the remaining cohorts start the summer term. Year 7 meet their vertical tutor groups during the first week and begin to quiz the older students about life and how BGS really works! Each of these activities helps to remove some of the anxiety students may feel about moving to a new school.
Throughout the first term, students participate in the Talk the Talk programme to develop communication skills, undergo a CSI experience to gain key skills for Science and have further exciting experiences during away days to an outward bound centre, where they develop team and key BGS Diploma skills which they relate to their academic studies in the months which follow.
All of this is on top of the many other extra-curricular activities on offer at BGS every day we are open (and some when we are not!) and our students soon find themselves representing BGS at inter-school sports fixtures, Maths challenges and/or volunteering in the local community with the environment group, to name but a few examples. And that is without mentioning the academic excitement caused through learning in a new school!
We look forward to welcoming our new cohort of year 7 students each September and getting to know their families as they embark on the next stage of their lives.