It is important to plan and prepare for transition as part of a child or young person's special educational needs and disabilities (SEND) support.
They should be planned for as early as possible so that all relevant information can be shared to prepare the new school or setting. Transition reviews are held in the first autumn term in years 6, 9 and 11.
You can find more information from Leicestershire County Council on their schools admissions page.
What types of educational transitions are there
The main educational phase transitions are:
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early years to primary school
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primary to secondary school
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secondary school to further education or employment
There are also year to year key stage transitions, such as KS1 to KS2, KS2 to KS3 and KS3 to KS4. It may be helpful to think about annual or key stage planning, especially if your child finds changes to teaching staff and/ or rooms difficult.
A child may also transition within any school year, due to things such as house moves or changes to their SEND that require different provision or support to be made for them.
What should schools and other educational settings plan for transition
The Equality Act 2010 is an anticipatory duty to not treat disabled people less favourably and to make reasonable adjustments. This means that the new setting should be ready for your child to start their placement.
The current school or setting should share information as soon as possible, including:
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pupil profiles
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past reports
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provision maps
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Education, Health and Care Plans (EHCP)
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attendance and behaviour data
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mobility and communication needs
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special measures to support learning, supervision and visual aids
It’s also important that your child's voice is also heard and included in any planning. Does the school or setting know how they feel about the move and if there is anything they are worried about?
You might find the following video from the Council for Disabled Children (CDC) helpful:
Being involved with the planning
If you are feeling concerned about a future transition, you can speak to your child's school or setting. You could ask for a meeting to discuss this and to identify any planning and support that is available. We can help you to prepare for a school meeting.
There is also a need to consider what extra support your child may need to prepare them for a smooth transition to the next stage of their lives. This is called preparing for adulthood.
Disclaimer
Whilst we hope that you find these resources helpful, the information in this section is not endorsed by Leicestershire SENDIASS and we're not responsible for the content of sites or services offered by third parties.