Welcome from Miss Withnell – Head of Year 7 & Transition Co-ordinator

Hello and a very warm welcome to Burnley High School. My name is Miss Withnell, and I am delighted to introduce myself as Head of Year 7 and Transition Co-ordinator. My role is to ensure that every student joining us feels supported, excited, and fully prepared to begin their journey with us in September.

I know that moving from primary school to secondary school is a big step for both pupils and families. It can bring feelings of excitement, but also some nerves about the changes ahead. At Burnley High School, we place great importance on making this transition as smooth and positive as possible.

During the summer term, I will be visiting our feeder primary schools to meet teachers and gather key information about each pupil. This allows me to start building a picture of every child, so that I can understand their strengths, interests, and any areas where they may need a little extra support. This means that when your child arrives in September, we already know them as an individual, and they can feel reassured that we are ready to help them settle in quickly.

As part of our transition programme, we run dedicated transition days in July. All students in the new Year 7 cohort will spend a full day with us to experience life at Burnley High School, meet new classmates, explore the school building, and take part in activities designed to help them feel at home. In addition, we also provide an extra transition day for our SEN students, giving them further time and support to adjust at a pace that suits them.

Throughout the process, I will be working closely with pupils, parents, and staff to make sure that every child feels confident and excited to begin this next stage of their education. Our aim is for each student to arrive in September with a sense of belonging, ready to embrace new opportunities and challenges.

I very much look forward to meeting you all in the coming months and to welcoming our new Year 7s into the Burnley High School family.

If you have any questions, please reach out to me on swithnell@burnley-ept.com