Transition - Moving on

Transitions, and moving on, can be an exciting and positive time for children and young people, but for others it can be daunting.
Read on to find out more about the additional support available.

Transition - Moving on

Some children and young people may need additional support while others are able to move on with the support of their family and professionals they are working with.

Transitions, and moving on, can be an exciting and positive time for children and young people, but for others it can be daunting. Some children and young people may need additional support while others are able to move on with the support of their family and professionals they are working with.

When we talk about transitions, we could be thinking about:

Moving from one school or setting to another eg moving from an early years setting into school
Moving between schools, perhaps from primary to secondary
Moving from a school to a college, other post 16 provider or pathway
Moving from children's social care into adults
Moving from children's health services into adults
Leaving school and moving into adulthood

If you or someone in your family is going to be experiencing a transition, it’s best to start to think about this early on. When moving between different educational settings, discuss with your setting what information is important to share with the new setting and how this will be shared. In Northumberland, schools and settings are expected to share information. This might include EHCPs and SEN Support Plans, but also what is working well in supporting your child/young person at the moment.

You may want to think about arranging a visit, either with or without your child to find out more about what to expect. You can ask your school what plans they have to support the transition so that it is as smooth as possible. Some children and young people will need a number of extra visits which can help to reassure everyone that steps will be taken to ensure support is in place before the child or young person starts at the new school. A teaching assistant can sometimes be released to accompany a child to reassure him or her and to pass on relevant tips and information to new staff.

You might also want to talk it through with other professionals who support you and your child such as health and social care professionals who could also offer advice and support.