Cross-sector links

What the research says

• Effective communication or partnerships between schools and teachers in the different education sectors has many benefits for a school community overall.
• Teachers who have the opportunity to spend time working or observing in another sector report being enthusiastic about the benefits of this; including better understanding the ongoing needs of their students and the ways in which teachers in different situations from themselves work.
• Cross-sector partnerships are particularly important when students undergo transition, such as from primary or intermediate school to secondary school.
• Effective liaison between teachers and schools at transition, amongst other things, helps ensure curriculum continuity, more accurate assessment of students’ learning needs, a wider understanding of different approaches to teaching and learning for middle years students, and greater scope for meeting students’ social and pastoral care needs.