Successful transition for pupils with SEND
Whether it’s the change from the foundation stage to key stage one, Year 11 to college, or even sixth form to higher education, transition times can be exceptionally challenging for a child or young person with additional needs. SENCOs, therefore, have a crucial role to play in ensuring that the handover from one setting or phase of education is successful for all those involved.
Many of the ways we can support children and families at significant times of change are simple and easy to implement. It could be, for example, that additional visits are arranged, a personalised ‘handbook’ about a new school which includes photographs of key people and places is created, or it might be more about the sharing of important information in a timely manner so that all parties are reassured about the impending change.
It could be that external agency professionals need to be involved too, like a habilitation specialist to work with child with a vision impairment negotiate their new setting, or a specialist teacher from the Local Authority physical disabilities team who will look at the environment and make recommendations regarding potential changes that need to be made in order for it to be fully accessible. There is no one-size-fits-all approach, and so liaison between pupils’ families and professionals on both sides of the ‘transition fence’ is essential in order to establish what might be the best course of action for each individual with SEND.
For those pupils with Education, Health and Care Plans (EHCP), there is lots of advice in the SEND Code of Practice about transition. In section 8.9, it makes it very clear (p125), for example, that from year 9 onwards:
“Transition planning must be built into the revised EHC plan and should result in clear outcomes being agreed that are ambitious and stretching and which will prepare young people for adulthood.”
There is also guidance about students transferring to higher education, to ensure that things run smoothly before the EHCP is ceased by the Local Authority and the young person is subsequently supported through Disabled Students’ Allowance and the team at university.
So, given that we know that carefully considered transition measures can have such a positive impact upon new starts – which, of course, then affects a pupil’s longer term engagement and outcomes – it is certainly something which warrants time and thought by SENCOs and support staff teams in all settings.
Contact me if you would like to arrange a meeting whereby we could review and evaluate your current arrangements and look at ways to enhance your transition practices.