ABSTRACT
This chapter reveals what happens to children's relationships with peers as they change schools. It amalgamates research on how friends are made and lost, sexual and romantic relationships, older children, friends outside of school and bullying. Researchers use a sociometry technique to explore how friendships stay the same or alter across transition. Peer relationships are children's primary concern at school transition. The chapter discusses how children's perceptions of the quality of these relationships associate with their psychological wellbeing. It concludes with ideas on how to improve wellbeing by targeting peer relationships in transition interventions. Children use labels such as chavs and nerds to indicate a group's position in a social tracking system known as a peer hierarchy. Peer support also influences children's mental health at transition. The chapter demonstrates that peer relationships have far-reaching effects on children's wellbeing at transition. The situation can also be improved by involving children in activities that facilitate tolerance of individual differences and social cohesion.
