Is a summer school programme a promising intervention in preparation for transition from primary to secondary school?

Abstract

In England, some children have not reached what are considered to be expected levels in literacy and maths by the time they move from primary to secondary school. This is more likely for children living in disadvantaged areas. One proposal to address this is the provision of summer holiday schools for potentially disadvantaged pupils who are reaching the end of their primary schooling. Future Foundations ran a pilot summer school in 2012. This 4-week programme was intended to reduce summer learning loss, develop children's skills and confidence and perhaps increase parental engagement in their children's learning as they prepare for school transition. The programme provided targeted small-group academic tuition focusing on literacy and numeracy, using a scheme of work written by external experts in consultation with local schools, and a diverse programme of enrichment activities. The children involved were at Years 5 and 6 in the summer of 2012 (Years 6 and 7 in autumn of 2012). This pilot has been successful in demonstrating that the concept is feasible, with some suggested improvements, but it has not yet demonstrated that summer schools are effective in improving the educational outcomes of disadvantaged children.