The wildly eclectic Mucky Weekender Festival returns to Vicarage Farm near Winchester in September, bringing its biggest and boldest line-up yet…
Golden-era energy arrives in Hampshire this September as Goldie heads up the 2026 line-up at Mucky Weekender Festival, bringing his iconic live show to one of the UK’s most loved boutique festivals.
Returning to the Micheldever site, the much-loved independent event is back for its seventh year, continuing to build its reputation as a small but mighty end-of-summer celebration.
Curated by Barry Ashworth and his band Dub Pistols, Mucky Weekender is known for its genre-spanning line-ups and unbeatable sense of community – where music lovers come together for a weekend that feels more like a gathering than a gig.
Joining Goldie on the bill are reggae legend David Rodigan, drum & bass pioneer Roni Size, Leftfield (DJ set), Gentleman’s Dub Club, Dutty Moonshine Big Band and Norman Jay, alongside a huge supporting cast spanning dub, reggae, drum & bass, hip hop, funk, ska, house and more.
Across four themed stages and a lively indoor venue, festivalgoers can expect everything from high-energy live sets to late-night dancefloor moments, all set within a warm, inclusive atmosphere.
But what really sets Mucky Weekender apart is its spirit. This is a festival where you can arrive solo and feel instantly at home. As Barry Ashworth puts it:
“You can attend by yourself, feel safe, have the best time and leave with 100 new lifelong friends.”
Adding to the magic is the much-loved dress-up theme – and for 2026, it’s going full surreal with Circus of Freak.
Expect bold costumes, theatrical flair and a playful, anything-goes energy that runs throughout the weekend.
Set against the Hampshire countryside, Mucky Weekender offers an intimate, joy-filled alternative to larger festivals – without compromising on music, creativity or atmosphere.
Escape to the beautiful Isle of Wight with two nights at cliff-top Luccombe Hall Hotel, a sea-facing room with balcony, breakfast each morning and return car ferry travel included.
Fancy swapping everyday life for sea views, coastal walks and a relaxing island escape? One lucky Round & About reader and a guest could win a two-night stay at Luccombe Hall Hotel in Shanklin, one of the Isle of Wight’s most picturesque coastal retreats.
Perched high on the cliffs overlooking the English Channel, Luccombe Hall Hotel is perfectly placed for exploring the island’s spectacular coastline while enjoying a peaceful seaside break.
The winner and their guest will stay in a Sea-Facing Room with Balcony, where you can wake up to sweeping views across the water. The prize also includes breakfast each morning, so you can start your days with a leisurely meal before heading out to discover the Island.
And there’s no need to worry about getting there. Luccombe Hall Hotel will arrange and include your return car ferry crossing, making your island escape even easier.
Whether you spend your time exploring Shanklin, strolling along the coast or simply soaking up the sea views from the hotel, this is a chance to enjoy a memorable Isle of Wight break for two.
Please note, the prize is valid for stays during mid and low season, from 27 September 2026 to 28 May 2027.
The prize excludes 23–27 December 2026, the Easter holidays (26 March–9 April 2027) and 1–2 May 2027.
How to enter
To enter our prize draw, fill in the form below before 12pm on Friday 9 October 2026.
Enjoy live jazz while helping provide a new servery for St Frideswide’s free community curry this September.
Jazz lovers can enjoy an evening of live music while supporting a brilliant local community initiative when the Rory McInroy Jazz Quartet performs at St Frideswide’s Church on Saturday 26 September 2026.
The concert, starting at 7.30pm, will raise funds for a new servery at the church on Botley Road, which hosts the popular Friday Community Curry.
Rory McInroy is an accomplished jazz pianist and will be joined by Terry Hutchins on guitar, Steve Kershaw on bass and Ben Twyford on drums for an evening of live music in support of the project.
The Friday Community Curry provides a free meal and welcoming space for around 100 people every week, bringing together a wonderfully diverse mix of students, commuters, local residents who may be feeling isolated, families and people experiencing homelessness.
Even the food has a community focus, with the curry made using surplus vegetables from Oxford Food Hub.
As numbers grow, the new servery will help the church continue providing meals in a welcoming and hospitable environment.
And this is one fundraiser where you certainly won’t go hungry.
Concert tickets cost £20 per person and include a glass of wine and cheesy nibbles, making for a rather appealing Saturday-night combination of jazz, refreshments and a very good cause.
The evening offers a chance to support a practical improvement to a community project that has become an important weekly gathering point for people from across Oxford.
You can win a fabulous Tracklements prize, packed with award-winning flavours and eco-friendly treats including the award-winning chutney.
Ready to take your cheeseboard to the next level? We have a fabulous Tracklements prize bundle to give away!
Our winner will receive a slate cheeseboard, Fresh Chilli Jam, Robust Wholegrain Mustard, Caramelised Onion Marmalade, Strong Horseradish Cream, Particularly British Piccalilli, Apple & Cider Brandy Chutney, two beeswax wraps and a Tracklements tea-towel.
Made in Wiltshire since 1970, Tracklements creates more than 40 award-winning chutneys, mustards, relishes and sauces using traditional recipes and plenty of proper flavour.
Its iconic Fresh Chilli Jam has won 10 Great Taste Awards and is naturally vegan and gluten-free – delicious with everything from soft cheese to sandwiches.
How to enter
To enter our prize draw, fill in the form below before 12pm on Friday 9 October 2026.
As the days draw in and the air becomes crisp, Round & About magazine’s resident wine columnist, Giles Luckett, recommends the best wines for cosy autumn evenings.
With summer officially over, even if the sun didn’t get the memo, it’s time to celebrate the season of mists and mellow fruitfulness. Or if 2026 continues as it is, with smoke from wildfires and alarming scarcity.
So, with Keats’ love of wine in mind, here are a dozen autumnal wines to fall for.
First up, Esporao’s Monte Velho (Noble Grape £9.50). Esporao was my winery of the year in 2024, and this is another gem. Gentle and generous with an unexpected lightness of touch, it’s berry-driven with complexity added by prunes, sage, and a touch of tapenade on the finish. Another example of a great Portuguese wine; try this on its own or with lamb or game birds.
Next up, the Gaia Malbec from Domaine Bousquet (Waitrose £18). This is a beautifully composed, fragrant Malbec that effortlessly delivers black fruits, cherries, spices, and its signature floral lift. Medium-bodied and refined, toward the finish, a seam of minerals and rounded tannins adds structure and length. I found it the perfect foil for red meats or tomato-heavy dishes.
If you are thinking of firing up the BBQ for an Indian Summer cook-up, then crack open a bottle of the Folklore Merlot (Tesco £10/£8 with a Clubcard). This Western Australia wine is a little cracker. So much Aussie Merlot is gloopy and lazy, but this is crisp and full of energy. Deep purple, it blends plums, cherries, raspberries, chocolate and spices in a tangy, refreshing fashion. Just the thing for rosemary-infused lamb steaks.
The French know a thing or two about red wines, or so a bloke in the pub told me last week. Tasting the Parallèle 45 (Majestic £14/£13.50 on a mixed 6) makes me think he had a point. Weighty with plenty of red and black berry flavours with plum, bramble, and spice notes, give it a light chill and summer berries and flowers come forth, making it a delicious partner to smoked fish or cold meats.
Heading south into the Roussillon, we have the Bila-Haut Occultum Lapidem (London End Wines £20). This stonking wine combines power and intensity with freshness and finesse. Dried black fruits, smoke, leather, and seductive aromas of pepper and herbs are followed by a mouth-filling combination of blackberries, damsons, and black cherries before raspberries ride in on the firm finish. Châteauneuf-du-Pape lovers, take note.
Provence is best known for its rosés, but I often find the reds are where the real excitement lies. Take the Domaine de la Croix Eloge (Perfect Cellar £29.95). This Grand Cru Classé blends Syrah and Mourvèdre to give an intense, juicy red offering layers of blackberries, strawberries, blackcurrants, and cherries, with pepper and toasted vanilla. A serious wine, savour it with wild mushroom risotto or a baked camembert.
Bordeaux has had a torrid year. Wildfires have threatened the region as temperatures reached an unprecedented 107°F. While it’s too early to say how the harvest will turn out, fears of smoke taint are rife; other hot years such as 2022 produced wonderful wines such as the Right Bank 2022 (Perfect Cellar £39.95). Claret was Keats’ favourite wine, and I’m sure he’d find suitably honeyed words for this fascinating wine. Produced from Merlot and Cabernet Franc from a selection of right-bank communes including Saint Emilion and Pomerol, it’s big, juicy, exotic and refined. Inky blue-black, aromas of plums, cherries, crushed rocks, and liquorice rise from the glass. Medium-bodied and refined, layers of black berries, plums, chocolate, vanilla, and Asian spices make for a superb young claret. Drink now with roasted meats or hold for another 5-7 years.
Pinot Noir encapsulates autumn for me, and while I’d like to recommend the Romanee Conti 2022, I won’t, as a) I haven’t tried it and b) at £21,000 a bottle I’m not likely to. Instead, I’ll give a thumbs up to the LouisJadot Couvent Des Jacobins Pinot Noir (Sainsbury’s £21 or £18.50 with a Nectar Card). This is the best value red Burgundy I’ve tasted this year. Deep ruby, complex aromas of summer and autumnal fruits, married to oak and tart, sour cherries. The palate conveys everything from strawberries and loganberries to cherries and mushrooms with an effortless air, giving the impression that the winemakers have left its natural beauty shine through. Give this a couple of hours open and pair with mushrooms, steak and ale pie, or gammon.
If you need a lift as the nights descend, try the Leone 2021 Cabernet Sauvignon (Perfect Cellar £21). Aussie Cabernet can be a little forthright, in the same way that Gordon Ramsay can be forthright when presented with an overcooked turbot. The Leone is a jolly charmer of a wine. The usual bold black and fruits, eucalyptus and green pepper, earth and spices are all there, but the intensity’s been turned down, allowing a subtle filigree of citrus, cinnamon, and grilled meats to come into the equation. A super sipper; enjoy this with lasagne, herby sausages or roasted veg.
Italy is probably the most exciting wine nation on earth right now. Innovation within established regions and the emergence of new ones has created a vibrant scene with so much to enjoy. The perfect example of innovation in a classic region is G.D. Vajra in Piedmont. Founded in 1973, this family-owned estate makes classical wines with a modern outlook. Their G.D. Vajra Barbera D’Alba 2025 (Vinum £23.90), for example, shows considerable freshness and focus, while maintaining Barbera’s natural enthusiasm and weight. The nose offers red berries, plum jam, and tobacco. The first sip brings a surge of cheering cherries, mulberries, black pepper and fresh, tangy raspberries. This exuberant opening is followed by subtle tones of coffee, smoke and minerals, before the firm, taut finish brings things to an elegant end. Brilliant on its own, it’s perfect for all manner of hearty Italian dishes and is guaranteed to bring a smile to your lips.
Next, a wine I wouldn’t have drunk, let alone recommend ten years ago.Saumur-Champigny is a red from the Loire made from Cabernet Franc. Until climate change got its hot hands on the region, this meant growing a naturally green and tangy grape in a cool, marginal climate. The results were invariably harsh, acidic, and stalkier than a freshly combined wheat field. Things have evidently changed, as the Saumur-Champigny Le Boisclair, Joseph Mellot 2023 (Noble Rot £17.50) is a delight. Deep purple, the nose offers a classic mix of leafy blackcurrants, strawberries and black and green pepper. In the mouth is smooth, soft, and plump. At the periphery, there are green notes, but these just go to show the berry fruits in an even better light. I had this chilled (with chèvre) and at room temperature on its own, with equally impressive results.
I’ll finish with the best Rioja I’ve tasted this year (and it’s a crowded field), the Viña RealGran Reserva 2018 (Hic! £32). Made only in the finest years, aromas of summer pudding, toast, and sage are followed by bold blackberry, cherry, and cranberry fruits, minerals and mint, orange zest and vanilla smoke. Remarkably easy to drink for a wine of such tender age, give it a couple of hours open and serve with sausages, roast beef, or a hearty vegetable stew.
BBC Radio 6 Music presenter Chris Hawkins reflects on a lifetime spent discovering new music, the artists he’s backed before they broke big, and why Mucky Weekender remains one of Britain’s most unique festivals.
Q. What’s your first memory of music?
I was obsessed with Radio 1 and Top of the Pops from when I was very young. I had a ghetto blaster and used to tape songs off the radio and made hundreds of mix tapes. I spent my first-ever pocket money on 7” singles and still love going through them now. I can remember where I bought every one of them.
Q. You’ve spent decades introducing listeners to new music. Is there still a thrill in discovering a new artist that nobody else seems to know about yet?
It’s definitely a buzz. I have a new music night called Awesome Friends and it’s fantastic seeing the new bands go on to great things. Lottery Winners did a night of mine a few years ago and now they’re huge. More recently I’ve had The Ks and Tom A Smith play the night and they’re flying.
Q. Who were your musical heroes as a teenager – and who inspires you today?
David Bowie, for sure. First for the intrigue and then the fascination with his music. Everything about him seemed so different. In my teens I was big into The Stone Roses and later, Oasis. I also loved dance music, from the tail end of Acid House through the amazing indie sleaze scene. I love guitar music as much as I love acts like The xx, Disclosure and Peggy Gou.
Q. Why do you love Mucky Weekender and who are you most looking forward to seeing this year?
Mucky’s got the most incredible spirit about it. I think the mixing of artists and festival-goers on site is key to that. The line-up is always brilliant. It might seem obvious, but I absolutely love seeing Dub Pistols on stage. They’re the ultimate festival band.
Q. Mucky has built a reputation for being more than just a festival. What gives it such a unique atmosphere?
It does what it says on the tin! It’s brilliantly eclectic, welcoming and unpretentious. People come for the music, but they stay for the atmosphere – and of course Barry Ashworth and Dub Pistols. There’s a real sense of community, it’s small enough to bump into all your friends and the headliners, and that’s what also makes it so great.
Q. You’ve interviewed some of the biggest names in music. Who has surprised you most over the years?
Maybe Calvin Harris because when I first interviewed him he was very much an artist releasing great pop music. He’s now one of the biggest DJs on the planet, so seeing him make that transition is incredible.
Q. Who is the most underrated artist people should have on their playlists right now?
I think The Guest List have the potential to go huge. They’re a great band from Manchester. Seb Lowe is a big talent. There’s a band from Leeds called The North who have big potential, and also STRATA. I think they could all go very big.
Q. What makes 6 Music such a special home for music lovers?
In short, 6 Music is an amazing home for anyone who loves music beyond the mainstream. We all love the music we play and I think you can sense the passion. It’s also got the best listeners, who are a fundamental part of the station sound.
Q. Did you enjoy school – and why?
I didn’t love school in the UK, but I spent a year at an American high school, which was absolutely incredible. It was in Baton Rouge. I was in class with James Taylor and Carly Simon’s son, Ben Taylor – an artist in his own right. I later went to college in the States and was friends with Bill Withers’ son, Todd. Both of those American experiences were unbelievable. The best.
Q. What’s been your most memorable moment behind the microphone?
Genuinely, I love every moment on the radio. I consider it such a privilege. I loved getting behind Sam Fender early doors. I did exclusive first plays of his first three releases, so seeing him win the Mercury Prize felt very special. Interviewing artists I love is always memorable – people like Calvin Harris, Sam Fender and also Jack White, Dave Grohl, Fatboy Slim, Tim Burgess, Lana Del Rey, Moby, Johnny Marr, Brett Anderson, Shirley Manson, Skin and so many more. All icons and all lovely too!
Q. If you could curate your dream Mucky Weekender line-up – living or dead – who would be on the bill?
Three artists I think would have been great, and that I never got to see: Lee Scratch Perry, Andrew Weatherall and The Specials.
Q. Desert island choices: one album, one song and one luxury item?
Talking Heads – Stop Making Sense, Once in a Lifetime. Suncream.
Q. Best gig you’ve ever been to – and why?
Stone Roses at Heaton Park in Manchester – the comeback show with Primal Scream supporting. A dream night.
Q. What song guarantees a packed dancefloor at your ultimate party?
I play indie bangers when I DJ, so Arctic Monkeys’ I Bet You Look Good on the Dancefloor is always fantastic. But Gala’s Freed From Desire is always a winner too. I played Dexys’ Come On Eileen at the end of a festival set the other night and it went wild.
Q. What’s the one record everyone should listen to from start to finish at least once in their life?
John Lennon and the Plastic Ono Band. It’s a masterpiece.
Chris Hawkins will be appearing at Mucky Weekender Festival from 10–12 September at Vicarage Farm, Winchester. The festival line-up includes Goldie Live, David Rodigan, Gentleman’s Dub Club, Roni Size, Pop Will Eat Itself, Goldie Lookin Chain, Children of Zeus, Norman Jay, Darren Emerson, Don Letts, Utah Saints, The Sabres of Paradise, DJ Yoda, X-Press 2, Mr Scruff, Greg Wilson and many more. https://mucky-weekender.co.uk/
Going from a state school to an independent one can be daunting but, as Karen Neville shares, it can also be a delight…
When you’re 11 years old there are many changes in life to negotiate, not least moving from primary to secondary school, from all your lessons taking place in one classroom with one teacher to moving from room to room with fresh teachers each hour.
For many, me included, this might also mean going one step further and moving from state to independent. I remember greeting it with equal measures of trepidation and excitement.
Long before the actual ‘first day’ there was a process to go through which began with an entrance exam. I remember having “homework” to do in my last year at primary school along with a fellow pupil who was applying to the nearby boys’ independent school.
As the only two going through this process/torture we were sat together and supported each other through it, sometimes cheekily sharing answers. We – naturally – ended up dancing together (very gingerly) at the end of school disco too!
Thanks to the encouragement and support of our teacher by the time the exams came round one Saturday morning in January I was prepared for the maths, comprehension and verbal reasoning tests that faced me, if rather “unprepared” for the rows of girls sat around me in very smart, mainly prep school uniforms, pencils poised.
As it turned out, I didn’t need the tutor that was suggested – although this can be a worthwhile option to explore – as I scored among the top 10 per cent. About a month or so later came the interview with the Headmistress, I’d never felt as scared as I did in her study.
When September rolled around, there I was in a green and maroon blazer and razor sharp pleated grey skirt, complete with a tie – once I’d learned how to tie it – and ready, just about, to face the day. We had to wear hats then too!
The day, which I failed to fully appreciate until then, was longer than I had been used to, starting at 8.30am, often with chapel, and finishing at 4pm. I was however more appreciative of the longer school holidays – four weeks at Christmas and Easter and eight in the summer.
Probably the main difference which may sound obvious was that it was single sex – there were just smiling girls faces everywhere and at that time very few male teachers as well. That was quite a learning curve in itself, not seeing any boys. Once in the sixth form there were some shared lessons and drama productions with boys from the nearby school as well as the balls and parties to enjoy.
The curriculum was also very different to that which I had been navigating at primary and while, of course, the syllabus is much the same at any secondary school, to me it felt like a big leap, for one I had to learn Latin!
There are without doubt some aspects of the transition I wish I had been better prepared for. Those pupils going from prep to independent were much more in tune with some of the nuances and practices and looking back now it would definitely have been helpful to have had some sort of mentor who could have guided me through those early days – many schools now have buddies to do just this. I can’t even tell you the number of times I got lost going from one classroom to another and what was the “san”? Turns out nurse in the sanitorium was on hand to treat all manner of ailments.
Prep as I discovered it was called, rather than homework, was also a revelation to me. I’d been at school for seven and a half hours and now I had to do more? The sheer discipline of doing this was a challenge at times I’ll admit but staff were very supportive and recognised that this wasn’t a straightforward step for many pupils, especially those in my situation, to make and offered help and extra tuition where needed. So first big lesson learned – never be afraid to ask for support if you need it.
While there is much that can weigh heavy on your mind, it’s important to focus on the positives and in particular the opportunities an independent school education can offer to ensure you’re excited and happy about the transition.
If you love your sports or are musically-gifted the opportunities are endless to explore these avenues further and develop your talents. While I may have been the “worst lacrosse player ever”, it did teach me a certain strength and resilience, even if not how to run and cradle the hard rubber ball at the same time with any proficiency.
There is a sense of camaraderie that develops among pupils at independent schools, especially among boarders, and ultimately of course, it’s worth remembering that all 11-year-olds are in the same situation when they enter on day one – you go from being a big fish in a small pond to being a small fish in a big pond, but with the right moves and support you’ll soon find it’s all going swimmingly!
Heidi Kennedy, head of complex care for Bluebird Care, tells us about a different kind of support for children with additional needs.
Most parents of children with additional needs will recognise the feeling. A phone call from school. A meeting that goes on longer than it should. The sense that your child needs something more than the school day can give them, and no clear idea of where to find it.
It’s a feeling that more and more families are having. Government figures released this year show the number of children with an Education, Health and Care (EHC) plan rose by 5.3% in 2025. The proportion of pupils receiving SEN support, without an EHC plan, climbed to 14.8%, up from 14.2% the year before. Both numbers have been rising for years, and neither shows signs of levelling off.
Schools up and down the country are doing everything they can with what they have. But a classroom of 30, with one teacher and often one teaching assistant, has its limits.
The Department for Education’s white paper earlier this year set out a clearer expectation: more children with complex needs supported in mainstream settings, earlier intervention, and stronger provision before a family even reaches the point of applying for an EHC plan. That’s a good ambition. But it also means schools are being asked to do more, for more children, without a matching rise in resources.
This is where families often feel stuck. The school is trying. The local authority is stretched. And the support a child actually needs, whether that’s help with communication, personal care, or simply having someone consistent and trained alongside them through the day, doesn’t always fit neatly into what a school can provide alone.
There is another option, and it’s one many families don’t know exists. Care providers such as Bluebird Care work alongside schools and families to support children with special educational needs, both in mainstream classrooms and in specialist settings.
That might mean a trained carer supporting a child through the school day, help with personal care, or support that continues at home so the whole family gets a bit of breathing room. An extra layer to support schools and families alike and built around the child.
For parents wondering whether this kind of support exists for their family, the first step is often a conversation, with the school, with the local authority, or with a provider directly. None of those conversations needs to wait for a crisis. The earlier they happen, the more options tend to be on the table.
If this sounds like your family’s situation, or you want to understand what support is available locally, email SEN@bluebirdcare.co.uk.
A team member will point you in the right direction, whether that’s Bluebird Care or somewhere else better suited to what you need.
The number of children needing this kind of support is only going up, but thanks to nationwide organisations such as Bluebird Care, there’s a growing network of care professionals ready to help them get it.
Despite increasingly challenging times for choir schools across the UK, Christ Church Cathedral School in central Oxford has celebrated its most successful chorister recruitment event in several years.
A new generation of young singers has been given a taste of life as a cathedral chorister as part of a special experience day celebrating a centuries-old choral tradition.
The event welcomed 24 families, with some travelling from as far afield as Birmingham and London, giving boys aged six to nine the chance to discover what life could be like as part of a world-famous cathedral choir.
The experience comes during a landmark year for the Cathedral Choir, which is celebrating its 500th anniversary. Founded by Henry VIII in 1526, the choir has marked the milestone with a packed programme of events and live radio broadcasts, before heading to New York later this year for a tour that will include a performance at Carnegie Hall.
Today, the choir includes 20 boarding choristers aged eight to 13, alongside its adult singers. The young choristers combine an intensive schedule of cathedral services, broadcasts and international tours with a full school curriculum.
During the experience day, visiting boys took part in singing workshops and team-building craft activities before joining the Evensong service, watched by their families and the regular congregation.
The school also offers three choirs, including opportunities for younger voices to sing with the Worcester and Pembroke College Chapel Choirs. With almost two thirds of its prep boys involved in a choir, choral singing remains a significant part of school life, helping pupils develop confidence alongside their musical skills.
The school says the experience day was particularly special following the recent closure of several choir schools, with the strong turnout highlighting the continued interest in choristership and the opportunities it can offer young people.
Families interested in discovering more about choristership and school life can find out about upcoming open events, nursery Stay & Plays and chorister experience days at cccs.org.uk or by calling 01865 242561.
Christ Church Cathedral School is an independent preparatory school for boys in central Oxford, educating pupils aged four to 13. One of the city’s three choral foundation schools, it provides choristers for Christ Church Cathedral, as well as the chapels of Worcester College and Pembroke College. Alongside its strong musical tradition, the school offers a broad education designed to help pupils grow in confidence and thrive both in and beyond the classroom.
Jeni Kelly is an independent provider of SEND advocacy service, here she offers parents a guide to navigating Windsor’s three-tier school system.
Windsor’s three-tier education system creates a unique transition journey for families. Unlike most of the surrounding boroughs and counties, which operate traditional two-tier systems (primary then secondary), Windsor students experience two significant transitions: from lower school to middle school at age 9, and from middle school to upper school at age 13.
Understanding this structure helps parents support their children through multiple change points.
Why three tiers matter
The three-tier model means your child changes school twice rather than once. For many children, this provides benefits. Younger primary-aged children stay in smaller, nurturing environments longer.
he transition to middle school at 9 is often less dramatic than jumping straight to a full secondary at 11. By age 13, students are more emotionally mature for the final transition to upper school.
However, two transitions also mean twice the adjustment periods, twice the new routines, and twice the opportunity for changes in support structures or teaching approaches.
Preparing for each transition
The first transition at age 9 is often underestimated. Parents often focus heavily on the secondary move at 13, overlooking the fact that moving to middle school is significant.
Your child will navigate new buildings, teachers, social groups, and academic expectations. Practical preparation helps; visit the school, meet key staff, and establish what to expect.
The transition to upper school at 13 coincides with adolescence, a time when many young people experience increased anxiety or social complexity. Preparing early, discussing concerns openly, and maintaining communication with the school will ease this.
SEND-specific considerations
Each transition point presents opportunity and risk. An opportunity to reset support structures with fresh eyes and motivated staff. There is a risk that the provision will become unclear during handover between schools. The critical step is detailed transition planning starting well before the move.
equest meetings with schools. Ensure that written documentation of what works, what doesn’t, and what supports your child’s needs is passed on to the new school.
Making it work
Windsor’s system requires parents to be intentional about two major transitions rather than one. Build relationships with each school, document your child’s needs, and stay involved throughout transition periods.
Most importantly, recognise that multiple transitions can build resilience and adaptability, but only if each move is well-managed. The investment you make in smooth transitions pays dividends across your child’s school journey.
Get in touch with Jeni on 07387 672245 or email jk@sendeducationadvice.co.uk.
