Starting secondary school is such an important part of your child’s educational journey, and getting the Year 6 to 7 transition right matters deeply to us. We want every child to feel happy, safe, and well, from the very first day they join our community.
At Marsden Heights, our core values - Respect, Aspiration, and Resilience - are at the heart of everything we do. These values shape the way our staff and students learn, work, and support one another every day.
It is an exciting time to be joining our school. We are committed to ensuring that every child not only settles in smoothly but also thrives, discovers new opportunities, and develops the confidence to aim high.
If you wish to apply or appeal for a place in Year 7 for September 2026, please see the information on our admissions page by clicking here.
July 2026
All Day
Starting in September Days! Your child will attend Marsden Heights instead of their usual primary school. During these two days we will be getting to know your child, they will be getting to know our building and their teachers. They will also complete an assessment so that we can be ready to start full steam ahead in September. They will also have fun with new classmates and experience a variety of lessons that they will be having in September - some for the very first time.
July
2026
6pm Start
Getting ready for September Evening! We also look forward to meeting all our parents at school for our 'Getting ready for September' event. This will start promptly at 6pm. This will involve a very short meeting with senior staff and the majority of time will be spent with your child’s Progress Tutor, giving you the opportunity to meet with them, where they will introduce themselves and talk through the September start and where you can share any concerns or questions you may have.
Our journey begins in Year 5, when our specialist team visits our feeder primary schools to help pupils get to know us early. Many will have already experienced our excellent facilities and supportive teachers during primary school visits, helping them feel respected, welcomed, and inspired to explore new subjects.
By the time your child joins us, they may have visited several times, depending on their needs. This means they’ll already know their way around, recognise friendly faces, and understand how the college day works, giving them the confidence and resilience to start Year 7 feeling ready.
For children joining from non‑feeder schools or moving on their own, our transition team offers extra support. We are a familiar, approachable presence who will help ensure every child feels prepared and able to settle quickly into learning.
To support conversations at home, we have created a transition booklet to help your child understand what to expect as they begin their journey with us.
Click here to download the booklet
MHCC has a whole team led by the Deputy Headteacher, in addition to our Progress Lead for Year 7, whose job it is to facilitate the smoothest move from Year 6 to Year 7. Each Progress Lead is not timetabled to teach which means they are available for every eventuality and are able to discuss any concerns or issues which your child might have. They work closely with our Assistant Headtacher who is responsible for Special Educational Needs, Mrs Bevan.
We are all individuals and we are all very different, which is exactly why we do not expect one approach to suit every child. Your child has their own needs, worries and concerns, and we are here to ensure that the experience of 'Starting in September' is the best it can be for them. We call it a tailor-made approach.
Our newest students quickly understand that we are here to help them; they are our priority. Our dedicated staff will tend to your child’s needs – dietary, medical, social and, emotional. Any issues will be dealt with discretely, whether your child has special medical requirements or unique educational needs, we’ll see to it that they get the support they deserve.
Did you know that we have a Summer School exclusively for those who will attend MHCC in September? It’s a great way to brush up and improve skills to make high school even easier whilst making new friends ready for the new term ahead. There is a great deal to learn and so many fun-filled sessions!
During our two Starting in September Days in July, we use this time to assess and get to know our new students. Not only does this enable us to know your child's English and Maths levels, we can also support our newest students to have a flying start in September. We will share the information with you to support any intervention package that your child might need.
All of this before your child starts in September!
At Marsden Heights, our mission does not stop when students leave school, it shapes their future. We want every student to look back and know that their time here helped them:
We believe this is possible for every student when we live by our values: Respect. Aspiration, Resilience.
Reading is so important that we dedicate 2.5 hours per week to reading aloud with our students. We all know that reading is the one element that will lift every student's performance at GCSE, at college, at university and in life. So we dedicate quality time, acquire quality texts, and we train our staff to read at the highest level. And where our students struggle with reading, we have many intervention programmes to support each child through to gaining more confidence and fluency to support them on their educational journey.
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