Brave new world

Most of us take great care with our five-year-olds, making sure they are as prepared as can be for the big change before them. But what of our 11 and 12-year-olds embarking on the transition from being a big fish in a small pond to a tiny sprat in a huge ocean - in some cases swimming in murky waters? This transition can be smooth, with children going contentedly from their national school to second-level school with a number of other children from their class. Others who greet the new challenges with eager enthusiasm.

But it can be a difficult time for some children, a time to make sure that you keep the lines of communication flowing smoothly.

Most children will be changing from a day spent in one classroom with one teacher who looks after them all year - with the possibly exception of PE and art - to a situation where they have different teachers for each subject in different locations. In a large school, their friends from primary school may not necessarily be in their class. There may also be huge differences in standards - academic, artistic and sporting. The children may also be travelling to school on their own for the first time, either by bike or public transport, and carting heavy bags of books. It's vital to check they know where it's safe to cross and not to run out blindly between cars or from behind the bus; if they're cycling, they should know the rules of the road. According to the National Safety Council, cyclists between the ages of 10 and 25 run one of the highest risks of being involved in accidents. Due to problems with school catchment areas, Siobhan's eldest child gets to his comprehensive secondary school via two train journeys and a bit of a walk at the other end, a trip of about 80 minutes. "Before he began we did a `dummy run', so he knew where to transfer and at which station to get off," says Siobhan.

"I also rang a parent who had children in the school and asked her what was the normal code of dress in this uniform-less school. This made a difference to his confidence setting out that first morning. "While he knew no one in his school, he knew he'd get there on time, knew where to go, and knew he was wearing the accepted gear of Tshirt and jeans - up until then he was more a tracksuit person. While he appears outgoing and confident, and made friends instantly, he still threw up from nerves every morning for the first week." Yvonne's son Jake is now midway through secondary school. "I feel parents and children should be brought over to the new school and shown where everything is and the whole set up," she says. "Jake had no problems adjusting as he had friends going with him. But I know of one boy who was a nervous wreck until after Christmas in his first year. "He was terrified he wouldn't find the right classroom in time. They had a couple of minutes or so between classes to get from one to the other and he found it almost impossible. He had to lug his bag up the stairs while huge, noisy fifth and sixth-years thundered down. He hated it. "His mother noticed a complete character change, but she just thought it was adolescence - she didn't realise until later what the problem was."

"All mine are in secondary school now," says Paula. "and each of them adjusted differently. It depends on the individual - and the children they team up with in the class as well - as how they get on with the different teachers. "There's a lot of luck involved. You just have to be there for them so they can talk to you about what's going on - but it's a thin line, 'cos you can't pry."

John Whyte of the National Parents Council (Post Primary) says more could be done to ease the cross-over. "There should be some kind of transition period. Many schools bring first-years in a day ahead of the others, but that's not enough - especially in country places, where you have children coming in from a one or two teacher primary school into the town to a big school with so many teachers they can't even remember their names. "Then you might have a bright child who didn't have a good teacher in sixth class, doing badly in an entrance exam which wouldn't reflect his ability. Or an average student with a good teacher who does well and is then out of his depth.

"If you had a transition period of a couple of months, maybe up to Christmas, where you could look at this broadly, it would help a great deal."

Some teenagers also relate tales of initiation rites such as "First-Year Batin's", which can involve anything from being picked on by bigger kids to having your head flushed in the loo. While it doesn't happen in every school by any means, it is not as rare as you might hope and wouldn't make a nervy first-year feel at home.

Whyte says bullying should be clearly defined in schools' codes of discipline so that each teacher will be even-handed. What some pupils (and unfortunately some teachers) regard as a bit of fun may put another child off school completely.

He advises parents to contact the school principal if bullying occurs. Some schools, he says, are loathe to admit it goes on. The majority of children, however, settle into secondary school very well. Some children love the liberation of having different teachers. "It's great - you know that the class only lasts 40 minutes, whereas in primary school the teacher could go on all day!" says teenager Michael. "And you get to know the teachers in a completely different way. "Then there are lots of different groups. There are smokers and others who think it's cool to bunk off, and computer heads who plug themselves into a screen night and day, as well as sporty types and people who are just into having a good laugh. You're talking about lots of new ideas."