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School transition resources to secondary

Smart Moves®

An evidence-based programme in a physical book to help build skills that increase resilience. Pupils find it engaging, interactive and easy to use.

 

Smart Moves® is an invaluable pupil programme, designed uniquely for schools. It is instrumental in preparing pupils in Years 6, 7 and 8 for transition, supporting their move from Primary to Secondary by equipping them with a range of small learnable skills or “Smart Moves”. They will learn resilience skills to grow their confidence, increase the protective factors in their lives and improve their ability to cope with change so they are able to thrive.

Smart Moves® – Next Steps is the newest addition to our programmes – adapted for pupils with SEND.

Programme content:
  • Includes varied and interesting topics
  • Is flexible and adaptable and does not need to be delivered in a linear manner
  • Contains multiple sessions deliverable as long or short as required
  • Is ideal for tutor time
  • Makes it easy for staff to freely pick and choose topics to lead on, making it relevant
  • Uses consistent language and models across the different school stages to help pupils embed the new skills
  • Addresses common worries pupils often face when transitioning
Order Smart Moves® books for year 6, 7, 8 and SEND
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Programme delivery:

Staff deliver this programme to pupil groups through varied topics in a workbook and by facilitating group discussion.

Smart Moves® is designed to be delivered by a teacher or tutor in the classroom.

Smart Moves® Next Steps is best delivered by teachers, SENCos or Learning Support Assistants that have experience of running targeted group work.

Pupils – each receive their own private individual workbook to write in and keep at the end, not meant to be read or marked by teachers or parents.

Teachers – one teacher guidebook accompanies each class pack ordered, to help staff facilitate the sessions and support pupils as they work through the different topics covered.

Eikon is the sole supplier of this resource. We currently deliver to UK & Ireland only.

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View Programme details

Smart Moves 3
Next Steps (SEND) programme

For Years 5 & 6 SEND pupils preparing for transition to Secondary.

Smart Moves Year 6 programme
Year 6 programme

For Year 6 pupils preparing to transition from Primary to Secondary.

Smart Moves Year 7 programme
Year 7 programme

For Year 7 pupils who have just transitioned to Secondary.

Smart Moves sessions on a laptop
Year 8 programme

A follow-on resource for Year 8 pupils designed to help keep the momentum of learning and sharing going through discussion.

View Programme detail

We recommend you view our Smart Moves® in Action videos before delivering the programme.

 

Smart Moves® Next Steps (SEND) & Year 6

Smart Moves 3
Next Steps (SEND) programme

For Years 5 & 6 SEND pupils preparing for transition to Secondary.

This programme follows the same themes as the original Year 6 programme, enabling pupils to join their peers in discussions around secondary school outside of their Smart Moves® session.

Contents:

  • 15 x A5 pupil workbooks
  • 1 x A4 teacher guidebook

Suggested delivery:

Flexible in timing and topics to suit each individual class (guideline is 15 x 30min sessions).

Cost:

Currently funded and free of charge for Surrey schools. £40.00 per class pack for schools outside of Surrey.

Smart Moves Year 6 programme
Year 6 programme

For Year 6 pupils preparing to transition from Primary to Secondary.

A great place for students to explore thoughts and feelings as well as providing a useful, long-term resource to refer to in times of stress.

Contents:

  • 32 x A5 pupil workbooks
  • 1 x A4 teacher guidebook

Suggested delivery:

15 x 30min sessions

Cost:

Currently funded and free of charge for Surrey schools. £54.00 per class pack for schools outside of Surrey..

Smart Moves® Years 7 & 8

Smart Moves Year 7 programme
Year 7 programme

For Year 7 pupils who have just transitioned to Secondary.

Equips students with life-long resilience skills. helping them to learn how to cope when things are tough.

Contents:

  • 32 x A5 pupil workbooks
  • 1 x A4 teacher guidebook

Suggested delivery:

24 x 15 min sessions (ideally suited for tutor time) or 12 x 30 min sessions.

Cost:

Currently funded and free of charge for Surrey schools. £64.00 per class pack for schools outside of Surrey..

Smart Moves sessions on a laptop
Year 8 programme

A follow-on resource for Year 8 pupils designed to help keep the momentum of learning and sharing going through discussion. This helps pupils continue to build resilience and to foster good relationships.

This consolidating resource is only available for pupils who have already completed the Year 7 Programme.

Contents (available as a downloadable pack only):

  • 1 x teacher guidebook containing 14 topics for discussion. Some ideas require preparation time and your own preferred interpretation.
  • 1 x PowerPoint presentation
  • 1 x A4 printable problem flow chart

Suggested delivery:

14 x 20-30min sessions.

Cost:

Currently available free of charge to ALL schools in and outside of Surrey who have ordered the Year 7 resource within the last 3 years.

Origins, basis and framework

Origins

Smart Moves® was originally created when schools shared with us that they were experiencing an ‘anxiety-epidemic’ around transition. Developed in consultation with teachers and young people, this resource was specifically created for schools as a programme for teachers to deliver to whole pupil groups in their classroom integrating it with their schools’ schedule.

Basis and framework

Smart Moves® programmes are based on the Resilience Framework (developed by Prof. Angie Hart and Dr. Derek Blincow, with help from Helen Thomas and a group of parents and practitioners) and the resources produced with Hove Park School, Boing-boing and Young Minds.

SEND edition

Smart Moves® Next Steps is our newest Smart Moves® programme, launched in 2023 as an edition to support children with special educational needs and disabilities transition to secondary school.

Created in collaboration with outreach workers from Surrey Autism Outreach Service and SENCos from Surrey primary and junior schools, this programme has been adapted to include clearer imagery, explicit instructions, and greater emphasis on supporting change.

Smart Moves® Next Steps can support smaller groups of pupils that have SEND, attend nurture / ELSA groups and that would benefit from a softer approach to supporting transitions.

Smart Moves® in action

Insights

The Eikon Charity specifically commissioned Royal Holloway University of London to conduct independent research into the Smart Moves® programme and materials.

We wanted to know, “Can Smart Moves® really make a difference?”

The resulting assessment report produced by Dr Watling and her team at the University showed:

  • School-based programmes such as Smart Moves® can significantly improve resiliency for young people.
  • Where there is success in enhancing resiliency, it can positively impact both wellbeing and behaviour. Read the full report here.
  • Both teachers and pupils felt that through using Smart Moves® they were able to build confidence around their capability (e.g. transition to secondary school, dealing with new situations, building friendships and being able to cope when they began to worry).
  • Children reported they were better able to communicate about feelings, to understand how others may be feeling and to engage in conflict resolution.

Videos

Watching the videos below will give you a helpful insight into understanding more about Smart Moves® as you prepare to deliver the programme.

The main objective for staff delivering is to support young people in finding their own answers around what resilience means to them. As training for this programme is offered in the teacher guidebook provided, we suggest you become familiar with the content and style and reflect on your own resilience skills as you prepare to deliver the programme.

We suggest you watch the following videos in sequence.

 

Smart Moves: A Pupil’s View
Smart Moves: A Teacher’s View
Smart Moves: An Overview of Resilience
Smart Moves: Top Tips for Delivery

What others say about Smart Moves®

“Thank you – this is a great offer to our children.”

Deputy Head and Inclusion Lead

“This is such a valuable resource for our Year 6 children, and I am so grateful that you continue to offer this transition support at no cost. It makes a massive difference in the children’s preparedness to moving on.”

Surrey Primary School teacher

“We have ordered Smart Moves books for our current Year 6 cohort moving on to secondary school – we love them and thank you for providing such a great resource.”

Primary Headteacher

“We find them invaluable.”

Year 7 Secondary School tutor

“Thank you so much for this resource. These books have always proved to be an instrumental part of the transition support we provide to our Year 6 children.”

Primary Home School Partner

“Without a doubt your resources are the best I’ve ever used with SEMH children to support transition.”

SENCo

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Smart Moves Next Steps (SEND): top tips for delivery
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