Welcome from our Principal
A very warm welcome to all of our Year 6 families who are about to make the transition from Year 6 to Year 7 in September 2024; we are really looking forward to seeing you.
Should you need further guidance you can always contact the office directly at office@bluecoatwollaton.co.uk. However, we hope that this page is a useful starting point for most of your queries. Remember to scroll down the page as you go!
We believe strongly that every child is unique and that they are valued by God. It is this belief which only serves to strengthen further our desire that they are made to feel welcome and part of our Bluecoat ‘family’ from the outset.
We understand the challenges that the transition from primary to secondary school can bring and believe that a strong start to secondary school is essential for any child.
Due to its popularity, the academy has over 50 feeder schools in any one year group which can make our ideal model of several years of school partnership very difficult beyond the schools closest to our site. However, no matter where your child joins us from, you can rest assured that we will do our best to fully support their move. As part of this, our process will typically include:
Mr Rowson | Principal
Family Transition Meeting
An initial meeting with all parents upon notice of gaining a place with us. We will discuss your child and their interests / needs as well as exploring friendships from primary school. These meetings will take place on Tuesday 19th March and Wednesday 20th March.
Primary School Visits
These are an essential part of our process. Students at our larger feeders or those identified with SEN are all visited at their own school by a member of Bluecoat Wollaton staff. This gives the opportunity for students to ask questions and discuss any concerns before their transition days and for staff to meet with their primary teachers.
A transition evening on Monday 1st July (5.30 – 6.30pm)
We will invite all parents to join us to learn more about how best to support your child’s immediate transition to us, deal with details around uniform and our high expectations of/for parents and children. Students will be able to visit the academy with a parent in order to hear important messages from the Principal, meet their form tutor, and also purchase uniform and equipment. All children joining in Year 7 will be provided with a Bluecoat Wollaton school bag that they will be expected to use every day.
Two days of transition on Tuesday 2nd & Wednesday 3rd July
Students will come to visit the academy for two days during the summer term in order to begin to familiarise themselves with the site, key staff and those students in their tutor group. The day begins at 8.20am and will end at 3pm.
Uniform sizing event on Friday 5th July
Parents and students will be able to visit the academy during the summer term to have our school wear providers help in ensuring the correct size uniform is ordered and purchased. Bluecoat Wollaton Academy school uniform may be purchased online from Just-Schoolwear.co.uk, with a home delivery option. There is a 5-7 working day turn around on all orders. For your nearest Just Schoolwear high street shop and information about opening times, please click here. Collection is available from all stores, but Bluecoat Wollaton Academy stock is only held in the Bluecoat Aspley Uniform Shop and the Just Schoolwear shop in Bulwell.
September Induction
During the first few days at the Academy the students will learn a lot about routines and expectations that will set them up to flourish across the next 5 years at Bluecoat Wollaton Academy. Over the first month at the Academy, students will be given the opportunity to join the extensive enrichment opportunities on offer.
Year 7 Welcome Party
We also look forward to meeting our Year 7 parents who are warmly invited to our ‘Year 7 Welcome Party’ in September. This is a very relaxed evening in which students, parents and staff can get to know each other. There will be refreshments, games and another opportunity to meet tutors and key staff at the academy. This is such a popular event as it allows people, many of whom come from primaries as the only child from that school, to cement new friendships – and for parents to know who they are talking about when they go home!
Founders Day
Our Founders Day Service is a very special event in the academy calendar and is the chance to share in the proud history of Bluecoat which has been established in Nottingham for more than 300 years. At this event all students are presented with a ‘Braithwaite Bible’ and they are then officially welcomed in to the academy for their five-year journey at Wollaton and two further years with our Sixth Form provision.
Meet The Tutor Evening
The final transition event for students and their parents is our Meet The Tutor evening in the Autumn term. Parents and carers will have the opportunity to book an appointment to discuss their child’s transition and how they have settled in to life at Bluecoat Wollaton Academy. In addition, the academy also offers additional sessions for parents to attend including things like: support with literacy, keeping your child safe online, understanding our reporting system, developing numeracy and others.
All students have a designated Year Leader. The Year Leader role at Bluecoat Wollaton is a non-teaching post, which means that any pastoral matters can be dealt with promptly. This is especially important in the transition process, where the Year Leader plays an important part in ensuring that all students have best possible transition from their primary school, and that they quickly feel a part of the Bluecoat family.
The Year Leader for your child’s year group in September is Mr Dyer.
Pastoral support at Bluecoat Wollaton Academy offers additional a variety of different targeted support to help and educate young people socially, emotionally, and behaviorally or with concerns around mental health. Click here to learn more.
There is also the provision of a Christian Youth Worker whose full-time role is to support the wellbeing of students and provide mentoring support where required.
Our students are also our biggest asset. Our Student Ambassadors help shadow the new students on their induction days and again for the first week of school to ensure that their experience is a smooth as possible and that they are well cared for. Our students really value and care about one another.
The Year 7 Form Tutors for 2024/2025 will be confirmed later in the academic year.
Mr Dyer | Head of Year 7 (2024)
7WB – Braithwaite
7WF – Fenton
7WH – Harrison
7WI – Inglis
7WM – Mellors
7WR – Rippon
7WT – Thorpe
7WW – Willoughby
Parent Handbook
You will also find a lot of key information in our Parent Handbook which will be posted to you. You can also read the most recently published version by clicking here. Specifically, can we ask that you take particular time to read the uniform sections of this and get in touch with us, or our uniform supplier, should you have questions. A link to their online ordering system is at the top right of our website and will be in your packs too.
Transition Materials
1. Transition Work
We have prepared a number of materials for your child to complete before they join us in September. Copies will be provided on transition days. You can find also find a digital copies of this material here:
2. Letters from our students
We draw from a wide range of feeder schools, more than 50 in any one year group. This means our children join our family from a range of places near and far. Use the letters here to get a flavour of their experiences.
3. A note to my younger self
Our former Head Boy, Head Girl, and their deputies have made a short video about starting at Bluecoat Wollaton, and share wisdom they would like to have told themselves in Year 7.
4. World Class Schools
Bluecoat Wollaton is also officially a ‘World Class School‘. This means that every child in our school is part of that World Class set up and we encourage them to get involved in as many different activities as possible over the next 5 years with us.
Our partners in this have also arranged some activities for this process if your child is already at a primary school that holds this World Class Status, for example Sneinton Primary. If this is your child, we strongly encourage your child to take part in this and sign up to these activities to be recognised by that group so that we can celebrate this achievement publicly.
