The Belfast Model School for Girls cares greatly about the girls who come to us each year in September in Year 8.  So much so that teachers are kept very busy looking after them.

When the girls start in September they come in the day before the rest of the school to meet their teachers and be given a guided tour of the school.  There is a special coffee morning for parents that morning who are often more worried about starting ‘big school’ than the girls.  Parents can find out information about the school and chat to other parents and members of staff about the move.

Over the year there are lots of special clubs and events just for Year 8s to make them feel part of the Girls’ Model family. Friendstop is one of these clubs.  It meets in the first term during Breakfast Club for the girls to talk to a Transition teacher and some peer mediators about how they are settling into school and about any questions they might have.

We try our best to help the girls settle in as soon as they can and use as many of the older girls as we can to help with this process.  We like to see ourselves as a big family in the Model and this is a way of looking after our ‘little sisters’.  And then next year these girls can help the Year 8s who come in September.