Year 7 information
Welcome to Dallam – your Year 7 journey begins
Starting secondary school is an exciting new chapter, and at Dallam School, we’re here to support you every step of the way. Our dedicated Year 7 Transition Team ensures every student feels confident, prepared, and excited to join our community.
Key dates for your diary:
- Monday 02 March – Secondary Offer Day
- May/June – Primary School Visits by the Transition Team.
- Early June – Author Visit and Year 6 Transition Day with Joseph Elliott.
- Monday 29 June – New Intake Evening for parents and students.
- Tuesday 30 June – New Intake Day: Experience a full day at Dallam.
- Summer School 21-24 July – A great way to meet new friends before September.
Meet your transition team
At Dallam our team works closely together to ensure every student has a smooth transition into secondary school. Here are your key contacts:
| Mr C Pattinson | Deputy Headteacher – Transition lead | c.pattinson@dallamschool.org |
| Mr R Surtees | Senior Assistant Headteacher – SENDCo and Designated Safeguarding Lead | r.surtees@dallamschool.org |
| Mr P Ainsworth | Head of Year 7 and 8 | p.ainsworth@dallamschool.org |
| Mrs S Wright | Assistant Head of Year 7 | s.wright@dallamschool.org |
How we support you
- Daily Form Time: Your tutor will check in with you every morning.
- Pastoral Hub: A space for support, advice, and wellbeing.
- Year 7 Team: Always available to help with any concerns.
- Senior Students: Ready to help you find your way.
How to contact us
Parents: Once your son/daughter has started at Dallam, parents/carers message us via Synergy or call the school office for urgent queries. For any queries prior to the September start date, please contact the school office on 015395 65165 or via enquiries@dallamschool.org.
Students: find us before school, at break/lunch, or in the Pastoral Hub. Paul and Sophie are in the Year 7 area daily, checking in with students and supporting their journey.
Getting ready for September
Your welcome pack will be sent in June. This will include:
- Key dates and school information
- Bus and transport details
- Synergy and ParentMail setup instructions
- Uniform and equipment checklist (find out more here)
Here are our top tips for a great start in year 7:
Year 7 transition team
– Organisation is key. Use your timetable to plan your day and pack your bag the night before.
– Get ready to explore a bigger campus as you move between different subjects and specialist classrooms.
– Be open to learning from more teachers; each subject has an expert teacher to guide your learning.
– Expect exciting lessons – you’ll explore science labs, creative arts, sports, and more.
– Attend Summer School as it’s a great way to meet teachers and new friends!
– Read our transition book – this shared reading experience helps ease the transition.
– Be positive, try your best, and support others.
Q&A with our Year 7 Transition Team
At Dallam, we know that starting secondary school can be exciting and nerve-wracking. That’s why we have a dedicated Year 7 Transition Team to support students every step of the way. Below, they answer some of the most common questions from new students and parents.
Mr Ainsworth: “Starting secondary school is a big step, but if you stay positive, work hard, and show kindness, you will settle in quickly and do well.”
Miss Wright: “Read the transition book over summer. It’s something all Year 7s will have in common and helps introduce key themes in our curriculum.”
Mr Surtees: “Come to our Summer School! Students who attended even just one day felt more confident and secure in September. Meeting teachers and classmates early makes a huge difference.”
Mr Ainsworth and Miss Wright: “We meet daily to review progress and ensure students are supported and challenged. We aim to help every Year 7 student develop the habits and resilience they need for success at Dallam and beyond. We meet fortnightly with form tutors to discuss students’ wellbeing, academic progress, and additional support needs.”
Parents can message us via Synergy or call the school office for urgent queries. We aim to respond within a few hours but appreciate that response times may vary in a busy secondary setting.
Students can find us:
- In the Pastoral Hub – it is open before and after school and during breaks.
- Before school, break, and lunch – Mr Ainsworth and Miss Wright are regularly in the Year 7 area.
- At line-up – We are there every morning to greet students.
Mr Surtees: “The biggest change is moving between different classrooms for different subjects. Our purpose-built facilities allow you to explore subjects in more depth, like Science in the labs, Drama in the theatre, and DT in the workshops.”
Mr Ainsworth: “Class sizes are often larger than primary, but to help with the transition, students stay in their form groups for most lessons at the start.”
Miss Wright: “You’ll also have more teachers, which is great because you get subject experts guiding your learning.”
Mr Ainsworth: “Watching students grow in confidence and independence. We have an incredible team of teachers, pastoral staff, and support staff who genuinely care about every student’s success.”
Mr Surtees: Our tight-knit community; as part of our family at Dallam you will become part of something special, a genuinely wonderful set of people who are bound together through our shared values and aspirations. We are a diverse set of people, all with our own fantastic qualities.
Mr Ainsworth: “Once a parent confirms their place on 1st March, we send out a welcome pack with all the key details, including:
Important dates & milestones
Bus and transport information
School information (uniform, equipment list, etc.)
Synergy & ParentMail setup instructions
Miss Wright: “There will also be forms to complete for communication and finance systems, so keep an eye out for these”
