MOVING from primary to secondary school is one of the biggest steps in our children’s lives but do parents worry about this more than youngsters themselves? Angela Kelly went to Bolton’s Tonge Moor Primary School to find out what pupils think and about their future plans

LEAVING Tonge Moor Primary School may be “like going from a big happy family” according to Travis Leyland.

But Year 6 pupils in Mark Thornley’s class are looking forward confidently to their new schools.

Travis, aged 11, is definitely happily anticipating physics “and doing experiments” when he starts at St Catherine’s Academy in September.

“I like getting involved in science things — it’s exciting! And we don’t do big experiments at primary school.”

Classmate Corey Donnell, aged 11, is also keen on experiments. “I like chemistry but I want to be an IT technician when I ‘ve got my degree,” he explained.

Rhia Carr, aged 11, has enjoyed the rounders and cricket at primary school and is looking forward to playing on the school teams when she goes to Turton High School. She is not worried about her new school and thinks it will be “exciting”. She has plenty of fond memories of Tonge Moor Primary “especially when we went on the residential trip to Hawkshead — that was brilliant!” she said.

Rhia would like to go to college after high school and has her sights set on a career in childcare.

“I’ve got a disabled brother so I’d like to carry on looking after other disabled children,” she explained The out-of-school clubs at St Catherine’s Academy appeal to 11-year-old Chelsea Malone — “that and meeting new people”.

Chelsea already has a career firmly in mind: “I want to be in the Air Force, in the bomb squad,” she stated matter-of-factly. “My dad used to be in the Air Force. If I couldn’t do that I’d like to work in a pet shop.”

Eleven year-old Katie Daniels knows exactly which subject she will enjoy at Sharples High School when she starts there — drama.

“I like drama and do it already in a theatre group I go to. I’ve been Cinderella and I’m in a new drama where I play a girl called Titch”, she said.

Katie wants to be an actress when she leaves college, she would like to “be like Tina in Coronation Street — she studied in Manchester first.”

Talented young footballer Caine Steciuk, aged 11, has also set his heart on a glamorous career — Caine wants to be an England player.

He has got a cousin already at Turton High School where he is going in September and, not surprisingly, is looking forward to playing football there.

The ICT suite at St Catherine’s has already impressed Denver Leyland, brother of Travis, so the hi-tech fan who has a laptop and X-box at home is not only keen to get started there later in the year but looking towards a career as a games designer.

Latifa Kasim is off to Ladybridge High School in September, where her sister is already a pupil, so she is not too worried about being in this new environment.

Latifa wants to be a surgeon “because they get lots of money, and I like helping people get well,” she said. She thinks general surgery is the way forward for her and says she “doesn’t mind” the long studying involved as she loves reading.

Secondary school holds no fears for 11-year-old Cameron Duckworth as Rivington and Blackrod High School where he is going “has its own separate school for Year 7 pupils”.

In any case, he points to the fact that the Horwich school “has three acres so you don’t see all the pupils together much anyway.”

Practical Cameron has opted to be a plumber when he leaves college.

“My grandad was a plumber and my dad’s friend Chris is one,” he added. “I don’t mind getting dirty and they get a decent wage.”

Joshua Cummins is especially looking forward to sports at Thornleigh — which is no surprise when you learn that the modest 11-year-old is national wrestling champion in his weight category.

He trains two or three times a week at his club and when he leaves school he would like to learn to become a PE teacher “and be able to keep on with his sports”. Science fan Amy Leliuga, aged 10, is keen to get to her new school,Turton, but has enjoyed being at primary school. She sees going to secondary school, though, as something she has to do to achieve her planned career as a vet. “I like small animals, and looking after them,” she explained.

Equally determined to realise her ambitions is 11 year-old Danielle Coldray who wants to be “a lawyer or a barrister because I like the law and I would work hard”. She is also a talented actress — “I was the Angel Gabriel at Christmas,” she stated.

And there is no doubt these dramatic talents could be valuable in her chosen career.”