By now, heads of sixth form across the country will have navigated the rollercoaster journey that is sixth-form enrolment: the expert guesstimation of how many of their original applicants will actually enrol and the complex jigsaw of timetable option blocks to accommodate the new cohort. 

And with results days scheduled earlier in the holiday this year, it’s been a very stop-start holiday experience for those of us working in post-16.

Now there are just a few days before students arrive so it’s all about making sure everything runs as smoothly as possible - for both new and existing students. Here are a few ways to do that as the first day looms.

Back to school: Ensuring a smooth transition into sixth form

1. Social media communications

A smooth start begins before your new Year 12 even set foot on the premises by outlining key information to new students in the run-up to term starting.

Hopefully, you’ve done this already with emails and other communications; now is the time for social media to come to the fore. New posts for students - or even their parents - about what to expect, from start times to uniform requirements, could help to ease nerves ahead of day one.

Don’t worry if social media engagement, in terms of likes and shares, is low - many students may well read or click through and find the last-minute information very helpful.

2. Sanity check day one

Following on from the above, it’s important that once learners arrive key information is clearly provided and you have thought through their journey on the opening day or two.

For example: where should students go to meet their tutors? Is it clear where they meet them or where they will have to walk from the entrance space?

On the first day, we usually gather all of Year 12 in our restaurant so they can easily meet their tutors and be escorted to their tutor room to ensure that nobody gets lost. This also allows the sixth form leadership team to address the whole year group as a collective to ensure that all students receive consistent important information. 

Remember, you may have students who haven’t enrolled who just “turn up” for day one (or those who have enrolled then don’t attend), so be prepared for last-minute changes to tutor group lists and other arrangements - it is worth keeping sixth-form leadership staff free for dealing with any unplanned situations.

For external students joining, try to get them set up on school systems as quickly as possible so they are able to access everything that internal students can: the catering, transport and IT systems are the main ones to prioritise initially.

Sanity check all these sorts of issues with key staff - maybe even conduct a “new learner arriving” rehearsal the night before so that on the first day you avoid any unnecessary gaps and everything runs like clockwork.

3. Think about digital assets

If you have digital screens around your campus, think about how they can be harnessed for the first day back - not just with positive greetings but useful information, too: phone numbers to save, where the nearest loos are, what time school starts each day - anything that you think students may want to know but perhaps be afraid to ask.

Like social media, it may not elicit obvious engagement among young people trying to play it cool on day one, but having these extra sources of information could be crucial in helping them to relax a little and feel more at ease.

4. Signpost support

Whether students are joining the school for the sixth form or not, there will be many anxious faces as they transition into Year 12.

Remember that most students will not have been into school since May and so offering support in the first few days is essential. 

You can signpost your pastoral support system within your pre-term communications then reiterate this in person on the first day. 

You should be aware of any internal students with potential issues (do speak to the head of Year 11 if you haven’t already, as they will provide crucial insight) and you might know about external students’ issues via references you have received. This will enable you to put in place any additional measures necessary for individual students.

Ensure that your Sendco is aware of new Year 12 students and that any initial support is put in place as swiftly as possible as well.

If you have a tutor system, use the first few days to make it clear that students should see their tutor as their “go-to person” so numbers can be managed effectively and aim for there to be no difference between the support available to internal students and those who have just joined the school.

5. A warm welcome

Fundamentally, nothing beats a warm welcome for allaying any nerves among your new Year 12 students. 

It is really important that their first impressions of the sixth form are positive, so try and utilise Year 13 student leaders in your start-of-term activities - this will show Year 12 that students just like them a year ago are now able to help and support.

In my view, there is nothing more powerful than our students learning from their peers.

Claire Green is director of sixth form at Northampton School for Girls