In common with many countries, UK schools closed for most pupils for periods between March 2020 and March 2021 because of the Covid‐19 pandemic, with significant implications for school education and the primary to secondary school transition. The transition to secondary school occurs at a crucial time of child development, with evidence suggesting transition may have a range of impacts on pupil wellbeing and academic performance. We wanted to understand how the pandemic had affected secondary teaching staff and their pupils during the move to secondary school. The study involved semistructured interviews with transition leaders from 12 secondary schools with subsequent thematic analysis. The findings of the study include; potential benefits from the digitalization of teaching practice; improving both pupil inclusion and staff efficiency, an enhanced interface with new parents resulting from virtual tours and open evenings, implications for the scope of existing teacher training with regard to virtual learning and concerns over pupil wellbeing, with increased levels of anxiety and a lack of emotional intelligence resulting from lockdowns. The study concludes that whilst the overall impact of the pandemic was probably detrimental to pupils' education and transitions practice, some potentially significant educational opportunities have arisen. Practitioners points: 1.The Covid‐19 pandemic forced significant changes to the degree of digitalization within schools and the delivery of education. Some of these changes may be permanent, which has significant implications for the skills presently gained during teacher training.2.The use of digital platforms to deliver education was seen by participants to have a range of potential benefits including the ability to deliver education more inclusively to students not previously truly engaged with the school such as persistent absentees or indeed those absent through illness. They also provide an enhanced ability to support pupils who were struggling with schoolwork by them being able to revisit lessons in their own time and at their own pace.3.Participants reported increased levels of anxiety amongst pupils and some participants observed that the year 7 s entering school in 2020 demonstrated: immaturity, a lack of socialization and an inability to manage their emotions when involved in a dispute. This may result in longer term wellbeing issues. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]