Losing friends from primary school, tests and schoolwork are among the most pressing worries cited by schoolchildren starting second-level education, according to new research.
The findings are contained in the latest results from a landmark longitudinal study, Children’s School Lives, undertaken by University College Dublin’s School of Education, following 4,000 children across almost 200 schools.
New findings published on Wednesday, based on interviews with more than 2,000 pupils, centre on expectations heading into secondary school.
Generally, pupils in sixth class have positive or neutral views on school, according to the study, with about half saying they feel they “belong” there.
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Just over three-in-four pupils believe they do well at their schoolwork, while a slightly lesser proportion (72 per cent) believe schoolwork can help them find a good job later in life.
About 53 per cent of sixth-class students surveyed said they usually or always felt listened to at school. In a related question, about one in three said they never, or rarely, are allowed to make decisions at school, or that their ideas are never, or seldom, used in school.
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Looking towards secondary school, 67 per cent of sixth-class students said losing a friend was a worry. A similar number also cited tests and schoolwork.
Conversely, the study found that 84 per cent of sixth-class students are most excited about having extra freedom upon reaching secondary school. About four in every five said they were excited about having access to new equipment for sports and learning.
In general, the study found children felt a mixture of excitement, nervousness and anxiety about starting secondary school.
Parents of sixth-class pupils interviewed about their children’s transition to second level expressed positivity about the change, according to the research. But they also cited concerns about social adjustment and an increased potential for bullying and antisocial behaviour.
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Teachers surveyed said they expected about 70 per cent of their students would settle in at secondary school, academically and socially. Teachers were more likely to expect girls (78 per cent) to settle in well, in contrast to boys (71 per cent).
A subsample of 67 students was surveyed after beginning secondary school. Of these, more than half said they believed that primary school had prepared them well for second level.
The children also said they generally felt they belonged more at secondary school, and made friends easily, but also cited worries about failing tests or exams.
