The transition from primary to secondary level in smaller and larger rural schools in Norway: comparing differences in context and social meaning

Research on the transfer of pupils from primary to secondary schools in Norway hardly exists. In this chapter the transfer from the primary to the secondary level is analyzed within the life course perspective. The focus is on informal social learning mediated through the social relations between and among pupils. Pupils are active participants and the meaning of transitions is based on their experiences in very different school contexts. Transfer and its social meaning is discussed as a “transition from” (primary) as well as a “transition to” (secondary). The chapter also compares the situation in smaller and larger rural schools in Norway using both quantitative data (“the transition observed”) and qualitative interview data (“the transition reported”). Two very different patterns of transition with differences in social competence as consequence are analyzed and discussed.