SPECIAL arrangements are being made to welcome year 6 students to Winsford Academy.

Primary School pupils usually spend two days meeting their form tutors, having taster sessions on new subjects and getting to know their secondary school before they start in September.

This is not possible now due to the coronavirus pandemic.

However, the full 210 cohort of the September intake, will still get a chance to visit the academy theatre in small groups, with one parent, to talk to staff.

Headteacher Gary Evans said: "It is really important for them to experience what school feels like before September. Many of them won’t have been in primary schools since March. They have gone through quite a traumatic time.

"Any sense of normality at this stage is really important."

Pupils will be split into eight form groups and will be able to meet their form tutors and staff at small socially distanced meetings early in July.

"The key behind these meetings is for me as the new head to share with parents and pupils what my expectations are around behaviour, attendance, standards and the work they will ultimately do," said Mr Evans.

"They will find out useful bits of information around uniform, the equipment they will need to bring and how the school runs."

To give pupils a taste of some of the new subjects they will be studying, online assignments will be set for them to complete at home.

"All subject leaders will introduce themselves in videos and leave tasks or challenges electronically," said Mr Evans. "We will give prizes for the best entrants to bring an element of competition and fun."

Every effort will be made, he stressed, to ensure all the 10-year-olds feel reassured, relaxed and at home.

"I see our school as the Winsford family," said Mr Evans. "We are a focal part of the local community."

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Year 10 students made a video before lockdown to give primary school pupils a virtual tour of what the academy looks like inside.

Northwich Guardian:

Headteacher Gary Evans welcomed year 10 students back last week as new social distancing measures were introduced

"When children start in September we will make sure they spend some time on their own in the building before other year groups return so they can get used to their surroundings," said Mr Evans.

"I have already spoken to all the headteachers. The relationship we have with primary schools is really important to me

"It helps us to make that transition from primary to secondary as smooth as possible."