Guiding students from lower to upper secondary: a challenging and shared task for families and schools

Within the Italian educational system, the transition from lower to upper secondary school constitutes a challenging task for many students; in this process teachers and parents play a strategic role. In this paper is presented a survey aimed at highlighting the process of decision-making related to upper secondary education from the perspective of parents. This empirical action is part of a broader project aimed to fight training failure in Varese (Lombardy). A semi-structured online questionnaire was submitted to all parents of students attending lower secondary school in Varese in 2022/23. The results show that the guidance practices carried on by school are generally appreciated by many parents. A closer look to the data shows possible areas of fragility that require schools to take on responsibility.