Crossing the humpback bridge: primary–secondary school transition in music education

Abstract

This article explores the process of transferring from primary to secondary school in music from the perspective of the pupil. Seventy-five pupils from five schools were interviewed in small focus groups during their last weeks in primary school and follow-up interviews on 68 of the original pupils, representing 13 schools, took place one year later following a full year in their secondary school. The investigation explored how pupils’ attitudes towards classroom music change between primary and secondary school, and investigated if there was any evidence for the continuing existence of the five approaches to the introduction of music in the secondary school suggested ten years ago by Mills (Starting at secondary school, British Journal of Music Education, 13, 5–14, 1996). The results suggest that curriculum continuity in music has not necessarily improved as a result of the introduction of the national curriculum, and that progress in other aspects of the transfer process has been slow or non-existent. Information on individual pupils from school records is still sparse, with reference to music, but there is some evidence that pupils now experience lower levels of anxiety before they transfer to secondary school.

We would like to acknowledge the help of Tony Knight and the Qualifications and Curriculum Authority for their support with this research.