Year 6 into Year 7 Transition

Full details about our school day and required equipment is provided in our Parent and Student Handbooks, which are available to view below, along with some key transition dates below.

Hailsham Academy Parent Handbook 2026/27Hailsham Academy Student Handbook 2026/27

Hailsham Academy Key Transition Dates  September 2026

Uniform update

In light of the proposed national changes to uniform guidance regarding branded items, MARK Education Trust has reviewed uniform expectations across our schools. As a result, updated uniform requirements will come into effect from September 2026.

To help families plan ahead, we want to make you aware that all new Year 7 students starting in September 2026 will be required to wear the updated Hailsham Academy Secondary Phase uniform items.

To support affordability, current students may continue wearing their existing uniform next academic year. However, the updated styles will also be available for those who wish to transition early.

You can find full details on our School Uniform and Equiment Key Information Page.

Arrival and the Start of the Day

• Students should arrive at school between 8.30am – 8.40am. Please note that the main gate closes at 8.40am.
• Each year group has a dedicated area on the playground where students line up in mentor groups, ready for an 8.45am start.

Mentor Time

• Every student is placed into a mentor group and meets with their mentor every morning, before the first lesson. This provides a consistent and supportive start to each day and helps students settle into school routines.
• The full timings of the school day can be found here.

Assemblies

• Weekly assemblies are held for each year group on set days.
• During the first few weeks, assemblies will be led by our Headteacher, Head of Year 7 and other key senior leaders with focus on our expectations and our values.

Break and Lunchtime Arrangements

• Year 7 students have their own dedicated indoor and outdoor areas for social times.
• There are two break times during the school day: 11:10am-11:40am and 1:35pm-2:00pm, and food can be purchased at both breaks (a hot meal is only available during the lunch break).
• To support a smooth transition, our Year 7 students will have an additional 10 minutes at the start of each break and lunch period during the first few weeks in September to help them access canteen areas while they are quiet.

We operate a cashless system for all canteen purchases and for other Academy items using a secure system called ParentPay.

• All parents and carers are provided with a secure online account.
• Students are issued with their own six-digit PIN number which they use to buy food in our canteens.

Free School Meals eligibility criteria is changing, and the transitional protection rules will cease at the end of this academic year.

Please visit East Sussex County Council’s website for further information: Free school meals | East Sussex County Council

From September 2026:

• All families in receipt of Universal Credit will now qualify for free school meals.

However, there will be two categories of benefits-based free school meals:

• Targeted FSM – This will continue to be based on the existing threshold and will cover students from households receiving Universal Credit with annual household earnings of £7,400 or less. In addition to receiving free meals, students eligible for targeted FSM will attract pupil premium and other disadvantage funding for their schools.
• Expanded FSM – This is a new category covering students who do not qualify for targeted FSM, but who are in households receiving Universal Credit. Students eligible for expanded FSM will receive meals only and will not qualify for pupil premium or other associated benefits, such as free HAF activity clubs or low-income transport.

For further information please visit our Catering Key Information page.

Registering for free school transport for the 2026-27 academic year

If your child may be eligible for free school transport, East Sussex County Council will contact you directly with the next steps.

Please click here to find out more about Free school transport

Please select the following link to find out about Special educational needs and disability (SEND): school and college transport.

For more information from the DfE about Free School Transport, including who is eligible to how it works, please click here to see the DFE Education Hub blog.

Key timeline for parents and carers:

• Early July Parents/carers who are eligible for funded transport will receive an email inviting them to register for the 2026-27 academic year. You will be asked to upload a photo of your child so that a travel pass can be issued.
• August onwards Families eligible under Low Income Funding will begin to receive their registration emails.
• August Once registration is complete, travel passes will be issued and sent to your home address.

Important

If you believe your child may be eligible for free transport but you have not received an email by early July, you should contact East Sussex County Council to check your entitlement.

Useful contacts

School transport eligibility (Admissions and Transport Team)
Tel: 0300 330 9472
Email: admissions@eastsussex.gov.uk

Transport arrangements and timetables (Mainstream Transport Team)
Tel: 01273 335088
Email: mainstream-transport.cts@eastsussex.gov.uk

Complaints or feedback
Tel: 01273 335577
Email: compliance.cts@eastsussex.gov.uk

For further information please see our Transport Key Information page.

Pastoral Support

• Each year group has a Head of Year and an Assistant Head of Year who oversee the care, organisation, behaviour and wellbeing of all students in the year group.
• They are supported by the mentor teachers, our SEND Team, Safeguarding Team and Senior Leadership Team.

Wellbeing and Counselling Support

We offer a range of wellbeing support including:

• A drop-in service
• Support through referrals
• An on-site counsellor, available to all students
• A Year 7 Worry Tree Group for those who may benefit from extra support.

Student Ambassadors and Peer Mentors

Our Student Ambassadors and Peer Mentors play a key role in helping our new Year 7 students settle in.

• Year 9 Student Ambassadors will wear burgundy high-vis jackets during the first few weeks and help guide Year 7 students between lessons until they know their way around independently.
• Peer Mentors will be available in the Library at lunchtimes to listen, support and help students find their way.

Via our extra-curricular enrichment programme, we want to provide opportunities for our students to extend their knowledge and understanding, and to improve their skills in a range of artistic, creative and sporting activities.

We offer a wide range of activities to all students from all year groups, encouraging them to pursue and develop their interests and abilities, to gain valuable learning experiences outside of their studies and form long-lasting friendships with students from other year groups.

Our clubs alter each term but some of the extra-curricular enchrichment clubs our students can try are;

• Textiles Club
• Academy Orchestra
• Trampoline and Boxing Club
• Badmington, Football, Rugby, Netball and Basketball
• Warhammer Club
• Dance, Drama, Songwriting and Singing Club
• Maths Champion Hour and Homework Support Club