Welcoming Our New Year 7 Students: Transition Week 2026

The week beginning 29 June 2026 was an exciting and important milestone for our incoming Year 7 students as we welcomed 170 pupils from our local primary schools for a series of transition events designed to help them prepare for life at the academy.

Parents' Welcome Evening

On Monday 29 June, we were delighted to host a Parents' Welcome Evening, giving families the opportunity to meet their child's tutor ahead of September.

Our new Year 7 tutor team includes:

Mr Duthuit
Mrs Gibbins
Mrs Boulton
Miss Lane
Mrs Lain
Ms Reed, who is kindly standing in for Miss Overton before she joins the academy in September

Parents also had the opportunity to meet Mrs McLoughlin, Head of Year, Miss Logan, Assistant Head of Year, and members of our Senior Leadership Team. The evening provided a valuable opportunity for families to learn more about the academy, ask questions, and begin building relationships with the staff who will support their children during this exciting next stage of their education.

Transition Day 1

On Wednesday 1 July, we welcomed students for the first of two transition days.

The day began with a warm welcome assembly in the Isaac Hall, where students were introduced to academy life and the exciting opportunities that await them. Throughout the day, pupils took part in a variety of activities including:

Tutor time activities
A visit to the library
A guided tour of the school
Lunch in the Isaac Hall
PE House competitions

They also contributed to our Tree of Aspiration, writing a leaf to share something they hope to achieve during their time at Braunton Academy. The tree is now proudly displayed in the foyer of Isaac Hall, where visitors can read about our new students' hopes, dreams and ambitions for the future.

The afternoon saw the students take part in a series of PE House competitions. It quickly became clear that this year group contains some very talented sportspeople! If the enthusiasm and effort shown are anything to go by, I think we may see some Sports Day records under threat in the years ahead. Congratulations to Putsborough House, who were the overall winners of the competition.

The day concluded with a review session back in the Isaac Hall, allowing students to reflect on their experiences and share their thoughts about their first day at the academy.

Transition Day 2

During the second transition day, students had the opportunity to experience a range of academy lessons and meet staff from across different subject areas. Lessons included:

Technology
Spanish
Geography
French
History
Drama
Personal Development
Art
Beliefs & Values
Computing
Science

These taster sessions gave pupils an insight into the broad and exciting curriculum they will enjoy when they join us as Year 7 students.  We were particularly impressed by the creativity on display in Art and the confidence and enthusiasm shown during Drama activities. There is certainly a great deal of talent within this year group, and we look forward to seeing it develop over the coming years.

The two days concluded with a special graduation assembly attended by parents and carers, where students were presented with a certificate in their House colours to mark the start of their secondary school journey.

Looking Ahead to September

It was wonderful to see so many enthusiastic and engaged young people embracing the opportunities offered during the transition programme. The new students thoroughly enjoyed their time at the academy, made new friends, met key members of staff, and began to familiarise themselves with their new surroundings.

We are delighted to hear how excited they are to begin their secondary school journey and look forward to welcoming them back to the academy in September 2026 as they embark on this new adventure.  In the meantime, we wish all of our new Year 7 students a happy and successful final few weeks at primary school, followed by a wonderful, safe and well-deserved summer holiday.

We look forward to seeing some of you at The Big Step.