OVER 70 new starters joined the annual King James Transition Summer School this year, spending two days in school before heading off for a free, three-day adventure holiday to Weardale Adventure Centre.

Organised by the King James Transition Team, days in school focused on fun, team building activities to help establish new friendships and promote independence. In teams, students learned how working together and supporting each other achieves the very best results; this is something that the school promotes in all aspects of Academy life. Following these two fun-packed days, students were more than ready to embrace the next transition opportunity at Weardale Adventure Centre.

The centre offered the chance to try a range of outdoor activities including canoeing, climbing, high ropes and underground exploration in a safe, residential environment. Activities were designed to both thrill and challenge new starters, and allow their level of confidence and self-esteem soar as they proved to themselves that they could achieve anything with a little courage and determination.

Every year, the Academy’s Transition Programme has proved to be hugely successful. It begins with the nationally-recognised ‘No Wasted Weeks’ initiative, which sees new starters attend King James one day each week to experience lessons and accustom themselves to Academy routines. Next, three consecutive days in school allows students to meet their Tutor and Form Group, and these things, combined with the Summer School, ensures that new starters have plenty of friends and feel confident from day one.