Secondary school environments are quite different from those at primary schools, and pupils have more responsibility for their own learning.
Secondary schools should provide additional support for pupils with SEND during transition and the following may be suitable:
- Making sure pupils have a map of the new school building. Colour-code subjects and classrooms and highlight important areas such as the dining hall, their locker and their form room.
- Adapting timetables to make them more user-friendly.
- Creating daily checklists so the correct items are taken to school each day.
- Creating a user-friendly diary for organising homework.
- Setting up a buddy system with a designated friend, or group of friends, to help with the move between classes.
- Assigning a member of staff as a mentor to help if pupils become anxious.
- Having a chill-out area in the school that pupils can go to if they need a quiet place to have some space.
- Considering having some structure, such as a ‘circle of friends’ or a lunch club, during break and lunchtime as these can often be the most stressful time of the day.
Additional support should be agreed before your child starts at the new school to make the transition smooth. A transition meeting should be arranged so that you, your child and their current class teacher as well as any other professionals who work with your child can discuss their strengths, needs and the support required for transition and school life. Notes from the meeting should be used to help with transition.