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