Your transition begins while you are still at primary school.

We work closely with our associated primary schools to learn about the young people who will be joining us.

This helps us understand your strengths, interests and achievements, as well as anything you might be worried about or any additional support that might help you make a successful start.

You’ll also begin to hear more about life at St Kentigern’s and what you can expect when you become an S1 pupil.

As you move through P7, there will be opportunities to become more familiar with St Kentigern’s.

You’ll begin to meet pupils and staff, learn about our Houses, discover some of the subjects you’ll study and find out what a normal day at secondary school actually looks like.

You’ll have opportunities to ask questions too — including the ones you might think are silly!

By the time summer arrives, our aim is that St Kentigern’s already feels a little less like an unfamiliar secondary school and a little more like your school.

Your transition visits are an opportunity to experience St Kentigern’s for yourself.

You’ll meet other pupils who will be joining S1, spend time with staff, explore the building and experience some of the subjects you’ll study.

You’ll begin to learn the things that quickly become normal when you’re at secondary school:

Where do I go?

Where do I have lunch?

What are my teachers like?

Who can I ask for help?

And don’t worry — nobody expects you to remember everything!

A smaller community within St Kentigern’s

When you join St Kentigern’s, you’ll become part of one of our three Houses:

Ninian • Columba • Margaret

Your House gives you a smaller community within the wider school.

Throughout your time at St Kentigern’s, you’ll represent your House, take part in activities and become part of its identity.

Your House also connects you to the adults who will support you throughout your school journey.

From the beginning, you are part of something.

Someone who gets to know you

Every young person needs adults in school who know them.

Your Key Adult will be one of those people.

You’ll meet regularly as part of your Key Adult group, giving you a consistent point of contact throughout your time at St Kentigern’s.

Alongside your teachers and House team, they are another person who can notice when things are going well — and help when they’re not.

Some young people need additional support when moving to secondary school.

That might be because you’re particularly anxious about transition, have an additional support need, find busy environments difficult or simply need more time to become comfortable with a new school.

Where appropriate, we can offer enhanced transition so that pupils can become familiar with St Kentigern’s through additional visits and support.

We’ll work with your primary school, your family and you to understand what will help.

Transition doesn’t have to look exactly the same for everyone.