The Social Adjustment of Newcomers in Secondary School

Each year, a large number of children change residence and school. This paper examines the social experience of being a newcomer at secondary school, with special reference to the process of adjustment. It is based on a detailed longitudinal case study of 45 newcomers. Each was followed for 12 months, with the main source of data being seven in-depth interviews with each student, backed up by unscheduled interviews, school reports, teacher and peer-group comments and observations. Because the data show extensive similarity in newcomers' experiences-all must deal with a different curriculum, new teachers and the social world of other students-it is possible to construct a general three-stage map of the process of adjustment. This map has important implications for the guidance and counselling of such students.