5 Ways To Create A Welcoming Environment For Year 7 Students

In this blog, you will learn:

• Why it’s important to create a welcoming environment for year 7 students.
• 5 ways to create a welcoming environment.
• Where the latest teaching jobs are and how to apply for them.

Starting year 7 is a significant milestone, one that marks the transition from primary to secondary school and signals an exciting 5 years ahead. Students in year 7 are bound to feel overwhelmed or anxious going into a new school, with new people and new rules to navigate, adjust and adapt to. 

A new school and classroom can be stressful for students, especially a shift as significant as primary to secondary school. It’s part of a Teachers role to create a welcoming environment for year 7 students and ensure that the start to their secondary school experience is positive and inclusive.

In this blog, you’ll discover ways for Teachers to create a welcoming environment for year 7 students to ensure they thrive in secondary school.

Why is it important to create a welcoming environment for year 7 students?

It’s crucial that all students feel welcomed and safe at school, and the transition from primary to secondary school can be especially difficult for some students to comprehend. Not only are they faced with a new environment and new people but also new rules, dynamics and expectations. The new routine and adjustments means new subjects to explore, different dynamics and more opportunities to build connections.

A positive school is something Teachers, Teaching Assistants and Headteachers strive for to ensure all students feel valued, supported and empowered in the classroom. Creating a welcoming environment for year 7 students can help them in their stead and elevate their secondary school experience in many ways.

5 ways to create a welcoming environment for year 7 students

• Break the ice.
• Establish and build trust.
• Build a classroom community.
• Celebrate diversity.
• Recognise achievements.

Break the ice

The first step to make students feel welcomed and included in the classroom is to break the ice. Teachers need to introduce themselves and immediately lay a foundation for the way they work and what they expect in the classroom.

Year 7 students might be feeling anxious, awkward and overwhelmed by the change and the idea of meeting new people. Aim to create a space that is welcoming and inclusive to help everyone feel comfortable and integrated in the classroom and to foster connections with other students.

Icebreakers play a key role in encouraging students to communicate and listen to each other. Why not play games, take part in group activities or encourage students to share their interests and hobbies? This can help to break the ice and it is a fun way for Teachers and students to get to know each other.

Establish and build trust

Teachers and school staff assume the responsibility of caregiver for their students and are the main source of support for many students.

It’s important for students to know that Teachers are someone they can trust and rely on if they have any concerns, issues or questions. There are several ways for Teachers to establish the role they will play in their students' school experience and to form a positive relationship with students.

Teachers can create a welcoming environment that promotes student engagement and establishes trust by showing genuine interest in their students' wellbeing. These connections can have a significant impact on year 7 students' school experience and their ability to communicate with their classmates and other Teachers.

Actively engaging with students and encouraging them to grow as independent thinkers can help Teachers to establish trust and ensure they feel welcomed and included in the classroom. 

Build a classroom community

Encouraging consistent open communication can help foster a welcoming environment for year 7 students. Secondary school is all about discovering passions, being yourself and forging friendships, and being in a classroom that encourages positive communication with others is crucial.

The classroom should be a welcoming environment that fosters a positive culture and encourages open discussions. Building connections and establishing a classroom community is all part of the secondary school experience and is crucial to ensure students feel welcomed, included and confident.

By having informal conversations and encouraging students to ask questions, Teachers can build a classroom community that supports open discussions about various subjects and topics.

Celebrate diversity

Feeling welcomed and included in the classroom is crucial and it starts by creating a culture of empathy and non-judgement. Prioritising and promoting diversity in the classroom is crucial especially when it comes to young learners.

The classroom isn’t just a place to learn and celebrate academic achievements, but should be a welcoming and inclusive environment that encourages all students to be themselves. It’s important for Teachers to have conversations that reflect diverse cultures and perspectives to validate the experiences of all students and show an appreciation of different backgrounds. Ensure that you provide students with the opportunity to celebrate differences and promote inclusivity in the classroom by having conversations about different types of diversity such as race, gender, religion and identity.

Encourage students to share their own traditions and experiences to broaden everyone’s understanding and appreciation of different backgrounds. This ensures students are aware of other people’s feelings and diverse experiences, and about the importance of being inclusive and welcoming to all.

Recognise achievements

While everyone is adjusting to new people and environments, it can be difficult for every student to feel valued, recognised and seen as an individual. It’s important for Teachers to empower year 7 students to reflect, continuously improve and recognise their peers achievements.

Teachers can provide students with the opportunity to demonstrate their achievements, voice their opinions and contribute to school decisions. When year 7 students provide contributions about their school experience and environment they can feel more involved, appreciated and welcomed.

Feedback and input from year 7 students can help to shape the school environment, inform improvements and foster a welcoming environment for future year 7 students. Recognising areas for improvement and celebrating success means students are able to feel valued, appreciated and accepted by their Teacher and peers.

Teaching jobs

If you’re searching for your next teaching job, why not take a look at the latest teaching vacancies, or simply upload your CV to be notified when a relevant position becomes available.

Recruit teaching staff

As a specialist education recruitment agency, we support mainstream and SEND schools with their temporary, permanent and temp-perm staffing needs. 

We currently work with hundreds of schools and have exclusive access to some of the best Teachers and Teaching Assistants in the North West.

If you’re struggling to fill a teaching vacancy, why not get in touch with one of our team to see how we can help?

• Primary schools - Jimmy Callagher 
• Secondary schools - Liam Jones
• SEND schools - Jamie Heath 

Who is Spencer Clarke Group?

Established in 2017, we’re a vibrant and progressive recruitment agency based in the heart of the North West. 

We continually reimagine the recruitment process to challenge convention and defy expectations; from creating a better recruitment experience to remodelling employee engagement, we thrive off doing things differently and turning heads along the way. 

We operate in two sectors:

Private Sector

Public Sector 

In eleven specialisms:

Accountancy & Finance

Education & SEND

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Housing

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