Staff at Kingsbury Green Academy have been using online tools to support year six pupils from nine primary schools in preparing to move on to the secondary school in September.

Over the past weeks Kingsbury Green Academy, which belongs to the Royal Wootton Basset Academy Trust, has invited pupils from primaries in Calne, Hilmarton, Heddington, Cherhill and Bromham to submit questions they may have about life at their new school.

The pupils posed a wide a range of questions, from how their classrooms will look with social distancing, how any reward systems operate, whether most pupils are nervous when they start secondary school, to what happens if they miss the bus to or from school.

During the session they were also given a virtual tour of the school and got to meet the curriculum leaders in each of their subjects.

The school is also helping prepare the pupils’ parents for changes. Principal Jason Tudor and Head of Key Stage 3 Susan Giddings will lead a virtual new year seven Parents’ Evening via Zoom on July 8 and 9, where they will answer parents’ questions and ensure they have everything they need to support their child to start positively at Kingsbury Green Academy.

The evening will include a virtual tour of the school and a video to introduce key staff, along with a guide of what parents can expect their children will learn in year seven.

Kingsbury Green Academy is also the only secondary school in the area offering a year six to seven summer school this year.

In late July year six classes will each have two days of team building exercises at the school, using technology, making maps of the school to familiarise themselves with the layout, taking part in treasure hunts and getting to know other members of their tutor groups.

At any one time there will just be 50 pupils on site, split up into small groups.

Jason Tudor said: “We really did not want any of our new pupils to miss out on what new year sevens normally experience, so with a bit of imagination and a lot of technology and hard work by my colleagues we’ve created an experience for them and their families.

“The aim is that by the end of the summer they will be absolutely itching to start their new school.”