Marquee and music greet Seacroft’s newest school pupils

Hundreds of Year 6 pupils from across East Leeds got their first taste of secondary school life on Wednesday, as Leeds East Academy held its annual transition day for incoming Year 7 students.

The event, which saw a marquee erected at the front of the school, brought together an ice cream van, a pizza van, live music from Chapel FM and performances from the school’s own dance troupe, LEA Empresses, all designed to help nervous new starters feel at home before they even set foot in the building in September.

For Principal Mark Ayres, the day was about far more than fun and games. It was also about building a genuine sense of belonging, both for pupils and their families. He explained: “It’s really important that we have this around with the ice cream van, the pizza, and the drinks,” he said, adding. “Students that are coming up here don’t have that anxiety which they have when they come to a secondary school, and it’s really important that they feel like they’re welcomed. This is a hub of the community where students and adults can feel that they belong as well.”

Throughout the day, new pupils were paired with a “guardian”, similar to a form tutor, and set an orienteering-style task to help them find their way around what can feel like an overwhelming new building. Outside agency STEM ran team-building exercises, including constructing a tower tall enough to touch the sports hall ceiling, while science and art activities kept youngsters busy between performances on the school field.

Chris Powell, Behaviour & Attendance Manager and Year 7 Link, explained the thinking behind the day. “What we do is we set up the day for them where they can come in, meet with the guardian, and start connecting and making relationships with new peers who are going to be in the classroom, so they know who they’re going to be seeing and meeting when they come in September,” he said, adding: “What we’re doing is having a great day here, having a lot of fun, getting to know everybody, and then leaving here happy and feeling good about coming back in September, knowing that the school is here for them.”

Both staff members pointed to the school’s growing role as a genuine community hub, with groups such as Chapel FM, the Imagination Station, the Forest Garden and a new fishing club all now based on site.

Reflecting on the day, Powell said: “Today has felt really special. Everybody turned up here. It really does feel like the community is already forming, and I can’t wait to see where we are this time next year.”