How to support your child throughout key changes in education (transition)
When we talk about periods of significant change in a child or young person's life such as moving to a new school/key stage, or the process of becoming an adult, we often refer to the preparation involved as 'transition.'
Transition periods can be a daunting time for children, young people and their parents/carers and it is important that these are positive experiences for them. This can be done by planning and preparing in good time before the changes take place, so that the process is as smooth as possible.
Examples of tranisitional periods could be:
- Getting from the home environment to an educational environment
- Moving from one class to another class
- Moving to a new year group
- Moving from a mainstream setting to alternative provision, specialist provision or home learning
- Moving from an early years setting to infant or primary school
- Moving from infants to junior school
- Junior or primary school to secondary school
- Secondary to post-16 educational settings
- Post-16 to higher education or work
- Higher education to adult life
Resources to aid transitions
Transitions in school
- 5 tips for families going back to school anxiety - suffolk.gov.uk
- 5 tips for families going back to school autism - suffolk.gov.uk
- A letter to my new teacher - suffolk.gov.uk
- Back into School - Children's Commissioner for England
- Managing back to school anxiety support brochure - suffolk.gov.uk
- Supporting your child to attend or get back into school (Parent Workshop) - Norfolk and Suffolk NHS
- Transition-focused photo book - suffolk.gov.uk
- Transitional objects - suffolk.gov.uk
- Transition tips PDF - Suffolk SENDIASS
- Transition - Suffolk SENDIASS
- What to do if your child is anxious about school - YoungMinds
Transitions in primary education
Transitions in secondary education
- Going back to secondary school - suffolk.gov.uk
- Starting secondary school - Health for Kids
- Starting secondary school - Health For Teens
- Secondary school print cards
Transitions in further and higher education