Additional support for positive transitions

Some children or young people, for examples those with SEND, may need additional support during transition. Information and resources to support.

It is important to prepare children and young people who are more likely to struggle with moving to a new school. These include children and young people with:

  • Special educational needs and disability (SEND)
  • Mental health difficulties
  • Social and emotional challenges
  • Limited parental support
  • Experience of transient living, such as being in care
  • Anxiety
  • Experience of being bullied
  • Children who don’t feel that they belong in their school; who struggle to develop good relationships with school staff and peers; and who struggle with changes to a routine may also find this transition challenging.

Why

  • Two in five pupils fail to reach expected academic progress after transitioning to secondary school.
  • Feeling like you belong has an impact on achievement and how well a CYP transitions.
  • Children with SEND are more likely to feel isolated and vulnerable if they don’t have a smooth transition.

Useful websites

  • The mentallyhealthyschools.org.uk website has some useful tips for school staff to help children settle when starting primary school or to support those who change school regularly.
  • Autism Transitions: An autism transitions project. This project is a collaboration between The University of Southampton and Aviary Nursery in Eastleigh.
  • Bridging the Word Gap at transition: The Oxford Language Report 2020: This new report, Bridging the Word Gap at Transition, builds on the previous report from 3 years ago, Why Closing the Word Gap Matters. The latest research reveals that all of the consequences of the word gap identified in the first survey still remain.