Abstract
The chapter deals with pupils' experience of transition between primary and lower secondary school. Based on the results of the research it describes the feelings, anxiety and expectations that accompany the students during the transition.
We chose a qualitative research strategy inspired by grounded theory. On several deliberately selected schools we conducted interviews with pupils in fifth and sixth grade to determine what the transition mean for them, what they feel and what they perceive as important.
Interviews were conducted primarily in the form of triads, which is a research tool based on a similar principle as the focus group. Triad is an interview of a moderator and three deliberately selected participants.
In the analysis of transcribed interviews, we were inspired by the usual procedures of the grounded theory approach, i.e.: open coding, axial coding and finally a paradigm model was created on the basis of selective coding. The description of students' perception of the transition could be differentiated into four categories: anxiety (related mainly to worse school results, bigger demands, more strict teachers etc.), expectation of being older, social changes in the class, and changes in arrangement of teaching and school life in general.
Pupils associate the transition with positive expectations. Students consider having enough information about the lower secondary school as one of the most significant aspects enabling smooth transition while the preparation for the teaching style and organisation of the teaching of the lower secondary school is not considered that significant.
As an essential precondition for a smooth pupils' transition appears co-ordination of teaching and assessment strategies of teachers of primary and lower secondary school.