Expectation
Every transition counts. Support is in place for routine and life transitions.
Why? Evidence base
- Changes can be difficult to manage and can cause worry.
- Understanding the impact of transitions, pre-empting challenges and providing support enables transition to be successful and can enhance progress and wellbeing.
How? Whole school
- There is a whole school understanding of the impact of transitions in the broadest sense which includes:
- Moving around the setting
- Preparing for weekends and the start of holidays and beginning of term
- Moving from lesson to lesson
- Changing from structured to unstructured times
- Moving from break to lesson times
- Moving from one activity to the next within a lesson
- Changes of staff -permanent and temporary
- Special events: visitors, visits, celebrations
- Life events: birth of a sibling, change in parenting arrangements, loss and bereavement, contact visits, puberty.
How? Classroom
- Staff identify children and young people who need additional support for all/most transitions and plan for these transitions.
- Where required the following strategies are available:
- Visual timetables, where events are removed or ticked off when finished.
- Timers to show pupils how long they have to work/how long to finish.
- Work systems that show pupils how much work they are expected to do and what will come next.
- Less structured times are carefully planned for, with some provision in place for children and young people who may find these periods difficult (for example clubs).
- All class room adults (teachers, support staff, supply and PPA teachers) have access to pupil passports or profiles, so they can quickly understand a child or young person’s strengths and needs, and strategies to support them.
Resources
Expectation
Procedures are in place to ensure smooth progression through settings/schools particularly during transition phases, including on entry and exit.
Why? Evidence base
- Providing information, guidance and support around transition to families can improve confidence and reduce anxiety.
- Smooth transition procedures can reduce the attainment or attendance dip that can happen with transition.
- Sharing information about strengths, needs and interests allows early identification of any additional needs so that early interventions can be put in place.
How? Whole school
- Information is actively sought and shared to support successful transitions.
- Staff are aware of children and young people who may need additional support to ensure a smooth transition.
- Teachers work together between schools to plan and support transitions, with a focus on groups who may require additional support.
- Plans are drawn up involving parent carers and children and young people, making use of good practice guidance from the Local Authority.
- Transition programmes address resilience, coping skills, social communication skills and preparation for common transition difficulties that can be associated with greater risks of school refusal.
- Relationships with the previous setting are maintained beyond the transition. For example, a check in with previous setting staff during the first term of a new setting so any queries and concerns can be raised.
How? Classroom
- If possible, class teachers/form tutors attend transition meetings alongside the SENCo for children with additional needs.
- Information about pupils with additional needs is distributed to key staff in advance to enable proactive planning.
- On transition days, children and young people are able to meet wider staff teams including learning support.
- Transition support extends beyond the transition