Year 5 students get glimpse of ‘big school’ at ASFA

Local primary schools were invited to the Academy of St Francis of Assisi (ASFA) for a fun-filled day of cooking, science experiments and arts. 

Children from local primary schools including New Park Primary School, Smithdown Primary, All Saints Primary, Whitefield Primary, Lister Juniors, St Patricks Primary and St Hugh’s Primary were invited to the Academy to follow a secondary school timetable for the day, giving them a glimpse of what lies ahead at ‘big school’.

On the day, Year 5 students took part in science experiments, cooking, arts, computer skills, sports and project work.

The day concluded with a service and feast to celebrate the life of the school’s namesake, St Francis of Assisi. St Francis was born in the 12th century and is the Catholic Church’s patron saint of animals and the environment.

This transition initiative is part of the Academy’s Saturday Club. Now in its fourth year, the Saturday Club offers children from local primary schools the opportunity to meet new friends and be actively engaged in organised activities.

Many of the activities are often not studied at primary school yet, so the day offers students an exciting look into the world of secondary education.

For children hoping to join the school in Year 7, the activity day gave them the chance to meet other prospective Academy students which will help to ease the transition from primary to secondary.

Tracey Greenough, head of school at ASFA, says: “Transition from primary to secondary school is an important milestone in a child’s life. It can be a nervous rite of passage so we try and host a whole range of events with our local primary schools to make it as seamless as possible.

“The primary students loved taking part in the Year 5 activity day and learning more about secondary school.