Year 6 transition is a key milestone in the life of a young person as they prepare to leave the comfort of primary school and start secondary school.  They can often feel nervous, and ill equipped.  Year 6 transition is all about helping to prepare them for their move to secondary school and help squash any fears, and feel more confident and prepared.

You can run year 6 transition as a church session with your year 6’s, or if you/your church does schools work in a local school you may want to offer a year 6 transition project that you could deliver to their year 6’s.  Or perhaps you are a parent of a year 6 young person and want to prepare them yourself at home. Either way these resources could be really helpful.

In this article we are reviewing and recommending two year 6 transition resources, NUA Move by Scripture Union Ireland and It’s Your Move by SU England and Wales.

I’ve previously used the It’s Your Move booklets as part of year 6 transition in a previous job at a Christian schools work trust – where we delivered the project across over 40 local primary schools, every year, over 2 weeks of summer term – doing multiple school visits and workshops a day! We used young people at uni or year 11, 12, 13 at local schools, who were on study leave (or had finished studies for the year!) to come and help deliver workshops with us, supervised by a team leader who was a staff member or volunteer.  The young people on our teams were especially excellent at answering questions from year 6’s as part of a Q&A – where there would always be questions about bullying, what happens if i get lost? Do people really get ther head flushed down the toilet? what is detention like? and all their other worries.  The older students were ideally placed (having only recently finished secondary school themselves) and were excellent at answering those and squashing any irrational fears.  (we did prep them in advance by practising some questions that could get asked and giving some advice to answer in ways that wouldn’t make pupils more scared!)

While I haven’t used the NUA Move series personally, I have seen it and totally recommend it.  We’ve also recommended other Nua series videos before in our recommended library- we love how well made they are and engaging they are for young people exploring God and Christianity. This 3 part series of short films could be used as part of a session in a school or youth group.  You could even possibly combine the NUA Move videos and resources with giving out copies of ‘It’s your move’ booklets to year 6’s at your church or local school(s) – getting the most out of both resources!

 

NUA Move

A three part series helping those leaving primary education make the ‘Big Move’ to secondary school. Suitable for schools, churches, youth groups or at home.  These resources are free! 

Hosted by Sarah, Darren, and Mark, the series explores key themes around this significant life change: Emotions (acknowledging feelings and identifying support systems), Foundations (understanding influences, identity, and faith), and Growth (embracing new opportunities and personal development). Through real stories and thoughtful reflections. NUA: Move helps young people approach this new chapter with confidence and clarity.

Approx. 5mins per episode designed to support students as they navigate the transition from primary to secondary school. It’s also perfectly suited for church youth groups or use at home, offering flexibility across different settings.

Enhance your journey with our free downloadable resource pack! This collection of printable activities and worksheets is designed to complement each episode. Perfect for group discussions, personal reflection, or family engagement!

It’s Your Move 

Is primarily a handbook guide you can use to give out to pupils in your local school as a gift, or to your year 6’s in your church, or buy a single copy for a year 6 child in your care at home. But there are also free resources to use with it, assembly plans, lesson plans for schools, and workshops/kids group sessions. The plans are free, but the booklets cost money. 

It’s a tool designed to Equip children to thrive in secondary school – from day one.  

Give Year 6 pupils the practical tools, real-world advice and emotional reassurance they need to step forward with confidence.  It’s Your Move is more than a guide, it’s the essential companion for this life-changing step. Because a strong start begins with smart preparation.

A backpack essential for year 6 pupils. But don’t just take our word for it…