Why can transition be Why can transition be a problem for the a problem for the

student?student?

ChangeChange

What changes do What changes do children experience children experience during transition?during transition?

TeachersTeachers Support staffSupport staff LocationLocation Size of buildingSize of building LayoutLayout FriendsFriends LessonsLessons Male/female ratioMale/female ratio

More changes!More changes!

RulesRules ClassroomsClassrooms ClothingClothing Number of studentsNumber of students Size of studentsSize of students TimetableTimetable Lunch timeLunch time HomeworkHomework TimeTime

Why can transition be Why can transition be a problem for the a problem for the

staff?staff? Information – too little or too muchInformation – too little or too much Relevant information not given to Relevant information not given to

relevant staffrelevant staff Fear of the unknownFear of the unknown Staff don’t feel skilled or supportedStaff don’t feel skilled or supported Misunderstanding of child’s needsMisunderstanding of child’s needs Liaising with parentsLiaising with parents

How can we help to How can we help to alleviate worries?alleviate worries?

Early planning and preparationEarly planning and preparation Awareness Awareness TrainingTraining CommunicationCommunication Schools working togetherSchools working together Continuity of approachContinuity of approach

Pre school to schoolPre school to school

Anticipate future caseloadAnticipate future caseload Occasional input in early years Occasional input in early years

planningplanning Training for all settingsTraining for all settings Parental involvement in support Parental involvement in support

groupsgroups

Mainstream to PhoenixMainstream to Phoenix

Familiarise parents with PhoenixFamiliarise parents with Phoenix Regular visits for studentsRegular visits for students Class visitsClass visits Planning meetingsPlanning meetings Transition workTransition work Initial Outreach support for Initial Outreach support for

PhoenixPhoenix

Phoenix to MainstreamPhoenix to Mainstream

Long term linkLong term link Planning meetingPlanning meeting Train mainstream staffTrain mainstream staff Ongoing support from OutreachOngoing support from Outreach Confidence for parentsConfidence for parents Outreach act as linkOutreach act as link

Primary to SecondaryPrimary to Secondary

Help to inform parentsHelp to inform parents Link between schoolsLink between schools Training for receiving schoolTraining for receiving school Prepare student Prepare student Planning meetingPlanning meeting Ensure support in place from day Ensure support in place from day

oneone

Do you have any Do you have any worries about worries about

secondary school?secondary school?

‘‘It’s really big and I might get lost’It’s really big and I might get lost’

‘‘I will miss all my friends’I will miss all my friends’

‘‘I’m scared that I might get a I’m scared that I might get a detention’detention’

‘‘I’m worried about Saturday I’m worried about Saturday detentions’detentions’

‘‘I think the work will be too hard’I think the work will be too hard’

Do you have any Do you have any worries about worries about

secondary school?secondary school?‘‘What if…….?’What if…….?’

‘‘I can’t tie my tie’I can’t tie my tie’

‘‘I might get hurt in PE’I might get hurt in PE’

‘‘I might not get any friends’I might not get any friends’

‘‘I don’t know how to get home’I don’t know how to get home’

‘‘I don’t like wearing the uniform’I don’t like wearing the uniform’

How are these worries How are these worries different to other different to other

children’s?children’s?

More extremeMore extreme Unable to problem solveUnable to problem solve Unable to communicate anxietiesUnable to communicate anxieties Lack of social senseLack of social sense

Big Fish, Little FishBig Fish, Little Fish

‘‘Your brother was a big fish in Your brother was a big fish in a small pond’a small pond’

‘‘Yes and now it’s like he’s a Yes and now it’s like he’s a small fish in the pacific small fish in the pacific

ocean!’ocean!’

Do you have any Do you have any worries about worries about

secondary school?secondary school?

‘‘I’m worried that bullies will I’m worried that bullies will steal my lunch and I will be steal my lunch and I will be

hungry’hungry’

Violence, Abuse and Violence, Abuse and Bullying is What Worries Bullying is What Worries

us Mostus Most

115 children and young people 115 children and young people were given the power to decide were given the power to decide what England’s Children’s what England’s Children’s Commissioner should be spending Commissioner should be spending his money on next year – and his money on next year – and bullying and violence came out on bullying and violence came out on toptop

Transition BookletTransition Booklet

Who is it for?Who is it for?

Transition BookletTransition Booklet

StudentStudent Primary schoolPrimary school Secondary school or FESecondary school or FE ParentsParents Other professionalsOther professionals

Powerpoint Pen Powerpoint Pen PortraitPortrait Pupil ledPupil led Helps pupil to reflect on strengths and Helps pupil to reflect on strengths and

needsneeds Input from parents and professionalsInput from parents and professionals Easily shared informationEasily shared information Easy to digest Easy to digest Relevant informationRelevant information FunFun

John SmithJohn Smith

Fact fileFact file

John SmithJohn Smith

Name: JohnName: John

D.O.B: 10.6.98D.O.B: 10.6.98

Location: Bow, LondonLocation: Bow, London

Live with: Mum,Dad,Brother(11)Live with: Mum,Dad,Brother(11)

John SmithJohn Smith

Likes: History, Geography, Likes: History, Geography, Magazine Club, WW2, Pizza, Magazine Club, WW2, Pizza, Eurovision, Planes, Computers, Eurovision, Planes, Computers, Horrible History BooksHorrible History Books

Dislikes: Maths, Spellings, Bullies Dislikes: Maths, Spellings, Bullies (but then again who doesn’t!), (but then again who doesn’t!), lemons, shopping in IKEA!, lemons, shopping in IKEA!, hypocriteshypocrites

John SmithJohn Smith

Information I would like people to know about Information I would like people to know about me:me:

If I get upset, because of a maths or spelling If I get upset, because of a maths or spelling test for example, I need to calm down. When test for example, I need to calm down. When this happens I need my own space and this happens I need my own space and people telling me off just makes it worsepeople telling me off just makes it worse

At playtime sometimes I feel staff don’t At playtime sometimes I feel staff don’t believe me and I wish they would listen to believe me and I wish they would listen to both sides of the storyboth sides of the story

John SmithJohn Smith

I have a problem with making friends. I I have a problem with making friends. I like to have one friend at a time and if like to have one friend at a time and if a friend lets me down I feel annoyed a friend lets me down I feel annoyed and lonelyand lonely

I often feel that no one likes me in my I often feel that no one likes me in my class, I know this might not be true, class, I know this might not be true, but it is how I feel sometimesbut it is how I feel sometimes

John SmithJohn Smith

I believe people when they tell I believe people when they tell me something and if they lie to me something and if they lie to me I feel really crossme I feel really cross

I like to have rules and don’t like I like to have rules and don’t like it when other people break themit when other people break them

John Smith John Smith

Name:Name:

Position: Outreach TeacherPosition: Outreach Teacher

Location: Phoenix School, BowLocation: Phoenix School, Bow

Involvement: I visit John once a Involvement: I visit John once a fortnight and offer support and fortnight and offer support and strategies to John and his schoolstrategies to John and his school

John SmithJohn Smith

These are things I would like people to These are things I would like people to know about Johnknow about John

He is an intelligent young manHe is an intelligent young man He has a logical mindHe has a logical mind He has a thirst for knowledgeHe has a thirst for knowledge He is a great conversationalistHe is a great conversationalist He has a lively energy about himHe has a lively energy about him He likes to please peopleHe likes to please people

John SmithJohn Smith

John often sees things in a black and John often sees things in a black and white way. Some things appear unfair white way. Some things appear unfair and John needs someone to explain and John needs someone to explain things to himthings to him

John gets very frustrated at times and John gets very frustrated at times and this can turn into anger. At these times this can turn into anger. At these times John needs time to calm down before John needs time to calm down before being spoken to. Once he is calm it is being spoken to. Once he is calm it is easy to reason with himeasy to reason with him

John needs to be listened toJohn needs to be listened to

John SmithJohn Smith

John has a difficulty with friendships. John has a difficulty with friendships. He likes one friend at a time and He likes one friend at a time and feels betrayed if that friend goes off feels betrayed if that friend goes off with someone elsewith someone else

He wants to be part of the group but He wants to be part of the group but has difficulty in achieving thishas difficulty in achieving this

John has most problems during John has most problems during unstructured times for these reasonsunstructured times for these reasons

John SmithJohn Smith

Strategies that might work:Strategies that might work: Be consistent Be consistent Give John warnings of time Give John warnings of time

limits limits Constant reassurance and Constant reassurance and

support with lots of praisesupport with lots of praise Identify stressorsIdentify stressors

John SmithJohn Smith

Give John time out if necessaryGive John time out if necessary Prepare John for changePrepare John for change Ensure all lunch time staff are Ensure all lunch time staff are

aware of potential problems aware of potential problems and how to deal with themand how to deal with them

Sit down with John and discuss Sit down with John and discuss how he is feelinghow he is feeling

Example of visit Example of visit bookletbooklet

The aim of the booklet is…The aim of the booklet is…

To familiariseTo familiarise To prepareTo prepare To lessen anxietiesTo lessen anxieties