Whole school approach to transitions in schools

Your school / setting's curriculum, teaching and learning, relationships with families, policy and systems can all be designed in ways which support transitions effectively. It is key that transitions are not just considered at the time of transitions and are integrated into your approaches throughout the year.

Your school or setting should foster a welcoming and inclusive culture and ethos which places importance on belonging, celebrating individual strengths and promoting emotional well-being and positive mental health. This will support children and young people to reach their own unique potential.

All staff should understand how they play a role in supporting children and young people through transitions and this should be championed at a senior management level.

When transition arrangements are effective, children and young people should feel comfortable to develop new friendships, build their confidence and self-esteem, begin to engage with their learning and community, become familiar with new structures and routines and experience an appropriate level of challenge in their learning.

There should be clear processes in place around transitions underpinned by an understanding that nurturing relationships between staff and children and young people are key in supporting moves between settings.

• Professional connections made between settings, including early years, to support relationships and in turn support better transitions for children and young people and their families
• Good planning and good communication, including all relevant staff e.g. teachers, support staff, SENDCos, Designated teachers, EAL co-ordinators, Early Years practitioners, MSAs
• Information sharing - Settings need to ensure that the right information about the needs of children and young people is shared, and that it is shared in a timely way to enable planning to take place. Information should be stored and shared in a secure and safe way, in line with GDPR requirements.
• Transition lead in both settings; this may be the SENDCo, year leader or another senior leader:
  • Keep children and young person at centre of the planning around transition
  • Plan the transition with key time scales and actions
  • Understand the value in visiting children and young people at home (early years) / previous settings
  • Aim to organise transition days on the same dates as feeder settings
  • Involve families by providing them with appropriate information
  • Ensure families are given the opportunity to share their own views in good time and in accessible formats
• Targeted and enhanced transition for those children and young people with additional needs or specific vulnerabilities such as being a young carer, being a child or young person in care, GRT, EAL, those with medical or mental health needs or safeguarding concerns
  • INTRAN can be used to support you in speaking with families who do not have a fluent level of English - this can offer them and their child a voice and ensure you fulfils duties under the Equalities Act and in terms of Safeguarding. Using an interpretation service like INTRAN can also support those families who may speak and understand English but are unable to or lacking confidence in asking the questions they need to.

See further guidance from Anna Freud - Mentally Healthy Schools on what your school or setting can do to support transitions as well as the Education Endowment Fund (EEF) who explain how schools and settings can tackle the challenge of supporting children and young people through times of change and transition and provide a transition tool.