The educational and social adjustment of Irish schoolchildren as they transfer to new schools is explored. The study emphasized problems of students entering secondary schools after completing primary school. Conducted by the Northern Ireland Council for Educational Research, the study encompassed over 3000 children who transferred from primary to secondary education in September, 1975. Twelve chapters analyze the pupils' background characteristics; their attitudes toward transfer, demographic characteristics of the different types of schools; initiatives taken by schools to alleviate problems of transition, pupils' socioeconomic status and friendship choices; their perceptions of their learning environments; their academic and social self-concepts; and teachers' assessments of their attainment, sociability, and perseverance. It was found that many difficulties experienced by children in their sociocultural characteristics (i.e., linguistic, aspirational) prior to entering secondary school. Pupil adjustment was also found to be influenced by relationships between teachers and pupils and different physical, social, and academic environments of the schools. (Author/AV)