Last year the Trust ran the inaugural Futures Vision Award Tours of schools that had excelled in achieving learning transformation using ICT. These were unusual events for two reasons. First, over a six-day period, we took a total of 160 diverse opinion leaders, from the worlds of business, politics and education, out to see the work of 18 schools. Second, we visited and awarded primary, as well secondary and special schools.

One of the major talking points on the tours was the issue of transition. Many of the people on the buses were truly amazed at the high levels of achievement and confidence of primary school children, especially their understanding of their own learning skills, their independence and their team working skills.

Most people commented on how many secondary schools are not geared up to take these children to the next steps in their learning journey, fearing that some of these children may have to mark time literally for years. This situation sometimes happens because of the rigid subject divisions at most secondary schools. Children are moved round from place to place, five or six times a day. There is often no coherent monitoring of learning and 'learning to learn' programmes may not be provided.

The Futures Vision group of headteachers is in the process of co-constructing a document on future schooling and, in the first draft, Steve Gater (Principal of Walker Technology College) and David Broadfield (Head of Robin Hood Primary School) both point out the issue of primary-secondary transition:

'Historically, secondaries have used the number of their feeder schools as a reason for either starting again or starting from the lowest common denominator. More recently, the issue of primaries teaching to the test has cast a shadow of doubt over the validity of the assessments they pass on to secondaries. Furthermore, most examples of primary-secondary transition reinforce the existing hierarchies and tend to be subject-centred rather than learner-centred. This needs to change - now!'

This important debate will continue in the spring at two regional Futures Vision conferences in the UK, for teachers in their first five years of teaching. The Trust's National ICT Register Conference, in Birmingham, on 20 March 2006 will also be showcasing award-winning schools that have made a big impact on the issue of transition through using ICT.

Ken Walsh
Associate Director, Specialist Schools and Academies Trust

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