Students at Robert Smyth Academy in Harborough are writing messages of encouragement to pupils who will be stepping up to secondary education

Students at a Market Harborough secondary school are being urged to help out youngsters set to start in September amid the Covid-19 pandemic.

Pupils at Robert Smyth Academy on Burnmill Road will be putting down and recording their thoughts over the next few days as part of the huge effort.

Dan Cleary, the school’s principal, is hoping that their responses and answers will help support and reassure primary school children set to step up.

“We need your help as we think about the experience of younger children in Year 6 as they approach their transition to secondary school. For some of you, it was not so long ago that you were Year 6 students thinking about your transition to secondary school and for others this will seem like a lifetime ago,” Dan has told his students.

“We think that what you will all have in common is remembering the feeling of uncertainty that comes with this.

“The Year 6 students who will join us in the new academic year have the extra worry of the current situation and the fact that the coronavirus will affect their transition.

“We are going to work together to welcome our newest students so that we can reduce their feelings of anxiety.

“This will also be an opportunity to allow us to remember the positive features of the school life that we will get back to in the future.”