Transition from Key Stage 4 to Key Stage 5

The step up from Key Stage 4 to Key Stage 5 is a significant one and it is really important that both you and your child fully understand what the options are. The options are:

• Key Stage 5 @ Grange Park School (Wrotham), 

• One of the college partnerships: Grange Park @ Mid-Kent (Medway or Maidstone) or Hadlow College.

• Find another educational provider or employment

Finding employment is a rare occurrence and we therefore encourage pupils to access a vocational course at one of our college partnerships. Attending college opens up personal horizons and, with the support of Grange Park staff, pupils do well.

For pupils not yet ready to access college, we do provide an interim course at the Wrotham Site.

 

The transition process

The process begins in Year 9 when we discuss transition to Key Stage 5 in the EHCP review. Over the next two years we work to ensure that you and your child are well informed about the different options and what needs to be done to achieve a successful transition into Key Stage 5.

• Year 9: Transition Review

• Year 10: parents and pupils invited to attend an information sharing session about college.

• Year 10: pupils attend a Taster Day at the colleges.

• Year 11: parents’ visits to Mid-Kent College Medway, Mid-Kent College Maidstone and Hadlow College)

• Year 11: support with College applications and interviews 

• Year 11: Taster Days

Key Stage 4 to Key Stage 5 Transition Timeline

 

Date	What Happens	What You Need To Do
End of September	1) Pupils talk with staff about College & KS5 options 2) Pupils send questions to College staff and current students
Early December	Open evening for parents and pupils to visit colleges and attend information sharing session	Complete response form to attend the relevant open day Attend
December	1) Pupils make provisional college course choices 2) Pupils to have created Personal Statements Pupils’ personal statements and data sharing letter are sent home for parents to approve	Discuss this with your child at home   Check your child’s personal statement and send with an approval form.
January	Teachers provide predicted grades for Year 11-14 pupils. These are sent home. Applications to college made by Grange Park Staff	Complete and return consent form agreeing to course choice.
February/March	Pupils will receive letter inviting them for an interview	Inform the school of time and date as well as any difficulties with appointment time/date.
March/April	Interviews for college courses. Pupils are supported by GPS staff	Take your child to and collect from college. N.B. Parents are not invited to be in the interview.
April/May	Pupils receive a confirmation letter of the offer from college	Share letters you get with school.
May	KCC transport form is sent home to be completed. Q&A session for parents	Complete and send form with letter Attend if needed
June/July	Pupils have transition days to college/KS5 Wrotham.

 

 

Throughout The Year
EHCP Transition Targets set in Yr10, Yr11 and KS5	Discuss possible transition options with your child and bring those ideas to their EHCP annual review.
Careers Advice for Year 10, 11 and KS5	Reports from career advisor will be sent home

 

Come and look at the provisions

Tours of the school and colleges run regularly throughout the year. These are often at 16:00 so as to provide a quiet opportunity to look around the facilities and more opportunity to ask questions. There is also a virtual tour on the school website in the About Us page.

 

What if Grange Park @ College or Wrotham are not appropriate provisions

You will need to research the local provisions and then, if there is no appropriate local provision, the national provisions. We are happy to discuss the KS5 and Post-19 provisions with you and provide you with support through this process. If you believe a national specialist college or other non-Kent County Council provision will be best for your child then we recommend starting this by identifying it as the preferred placement in the Year 10 EHCP.

Specialist Colleges can be found using www.natspec.org.uk