Welcome to the Whitchurch High School Transition page. We are delighted to welcome you to our school and look forward to meeting all our new year 7 students when they join us in September. We have put together this page to hopefully provide all the information needed to ensure a smooth transition to secondary school.
Part of our transition process ensures we collaborate closely with key staff in each primary school including your child’s Year 6 class teacher. Should you have any concerns at all, please do not hesitate to discuss these, either with staff at your child’s primary school or Mr Duncan, our transition officer. Early and open communication is a crucial part of the transition process, and we welcome hearing from parents of current Year 6 students.
Induction Day
We would like to confirm that for the date for this years’ induction day for students joining Year 7 in September 2026 is Thursday 9th July 2026.
Please can students arrive at 8.30am in their primary school uniform. Members of staff will be at all lower school entrances with the list of pupils and their wellbeing/form group to inform your child which class they will be in. Students will then be directed towards the Dutch Barn to sit in the row matching their new class. Year 6 will then finish school at 3.00pm.
If dropping your child off at Whitchurch High School, please remember to drop them outside school grounds and at the end of the day collect them off school site. Additionally, please ensure your child is aware where to meet you at the end of the school day. Due to the safety of all our students, parent cars are not allowed onto school site at the start and end of the school day.
With the implementation of the Universal Primary Free School Meals initiative across primary schools in Wales, all year 6 students will be able to access a free school meal from the Whitchurch High School canteen on the induction day. Please note, this initiative does not apply to secondary schools, so in September only students eligible for Free School Meals will be entitled to a free meal from the canteen.
In addition, please be advised that lunch on the induction day will be at 1.10pm. Students can bring snacks with them if they so wish and are advised to bring a refillable drinks bottle. Water fountains are available for students at multiple locations around the school site. All students will have two 15-minute breaks in the morning, prior to lunch, one at 09.40am and one at 11.55am. In September, Year 7’s will be on the early lunch at 12.10pm. It is only for the induction day that Year 6 students will have lunch at 1.10pm.
We hope that your child will have a positive experience on this induction day and ask that a positive attitude towards the day is also encouraged at home as it is a fantastic opportunity to start making new friends, get to know school staff and school routines ahead of joining our school community in September.
First Day of School
The September term will begin for Year 7 on Thursday 3rd September at 8.30am. Pupils are to meet on the main yard, located next to the Manor Way entrance to our lower school site.
Wellbeing Tutors will also be assembled on the main yard. Students will need to line up in front of their Wellbeing Tutor who will be holding up signs of the respective Wellbeing Group letter. If your child has forgotten which class they are in, there will be members of staff on hand to help. Once all students are lined up, they will be taken to their classrooms.
During the morning, students will have their thumbprint scanned for our cashless catering system as well as have their school photos taken by Colorfoto. In addition, each student will receive a paper copy of their timetable and have a tour of the lower school site.
Students will then be following their timetable for a Wednesday Week A and attend timetabled lessons periods 4 & 5.
If dropping your child off at Whitchurch High School, please remember to drop them outside of our school grounds and at the end of the day collect them off school site.
Transition Video
We are keen to ensure that all children who join us in September are reassured and excited about starting secondary school. Please see below our transition video which addresses many common concerns and queries.
Parent/Carer Transition Presentation
The results from our most recent Year 7 Transition Survey highlighted that some information, which is more readily available in the Autumn term, may have been useful before the summer break. In response, we have put together a parent/carer presentation to address some the queries and concerns that were raised in the survey. We hope that this will help prepare yourselves and your children for the transition to Whitchurch High School.
Pupil Handbook
We are pleased to share our digital Pupil Handbook, which contains key information to help both students and parents/carers feel confident and prepared for the move to Whitchurch High School. It includes details about school routines, expectations, uniform, support services and frequently asked questions.
We recommend reading through this handbook together at home, as it offers a helpful overview of what to expect in Year 7 and how your child can make the most of their time with us.
You can view the handbook by clicking the link below:
View the Year 7 Pupil Handbook
If after looking through the presentations and information above you still have some queries or concerns, please do not hesitate to contact Mr Duncan our transition officer via email at duncand@whitchurch.cardiff.sch.uk