Transitions

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.

• Staff identify children and young people who need additional support for all or 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 or 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 classroom 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.

• 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 parents, carers, 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.

• If possible, class teachers and/or 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.