Education transitions

Education transitions

Education transitions happen when a child or young person starts or moves between schools, settings, year groups or stages of education. They also include moving on to further education, training or work and preparing for adulthood.

Every child and young person is different, so they may not need all the suggestions on this page. Open communication between your family, the schools or settings and any professionals supporting your child/young person is key. If your child or young person has more complex needs or may find change particularly difficult, additional preparation may be helpful. This could include a personalised transition plan agreed with you, your child/young person and the professionals involved.

Oxfordshire Local Authority has agreed a set of principles to guide all transitions: Principles for good transitions (pdf format, 112 KB) 

Planning a successful transition

The way a transition is planned and supported can make a real difference to your child/young person’s development and emotional wellbeing. Good planning can help your child/young person manage the change and give you confidence that their needs will be understood and supported.

Parents and carers know their child/young person best, so transition planning should involve you, your child or young person, the current and new schools or settings and, where appropriate, other professionals. Together, you can share your child/young person’s strengths, needs, views and interests, agree the support they may need and consider what adjustments may help. A transition meeting may be useful if enhanced transition planning is needed or several people are involved.

Schools often explain support available during transitions and when preparing for adulthood, through their SEN Information Report which must be published on their website. This report outlines how they support children and young people with SEND.

Practical ways to help your child

Starting an early years setting

Starting at a nursery, preschool or childminder is a new experience for every child. Children with additional needs may need some extra preparation and support to help them settle in.

Before your child starts, you could:

• arrange a visit so your child can meet staff and explore the setting
• share your child’s strengths, interests and needs, including what works well at home
• ask whether home visits, settling-in sessions or other relevant support are available
• ask any professionals supporting your child how they can help with the transition

Moving from early years to primary school

Starting school is an important milestone, and careful preparation can help make the transition a positive experience for your child and family. Once you have accepted your child’s Reception place, it would be useful to speak to the SENDCO at your child’s current early years setting, if they attend one, and the SENDCO at their new school about transition arrangements.

If your child needs additional support to prepare for the move (beyond that all early years children will receive because of their individual needs), a transition meeting should be organised. This gives you and those who know your child well an opportunity to share their strengths, needs and what helps them feel comfortable, take part and learn. Together with staff from the new school, you can agree what should be put in place to help your child settle in and get off to a positive start. This may include additional visits or other arrangements to meet their needs. An Enhanced Transition Action Plan (pdf format, 538 KB) can be used to capture the information shared by Early Years settings and joint planning discussions that take place

To help plan your child’s transition, you could:

• explain how your child communicates, manages daily routines and shows when they need help, including any strategies or resources that work well. An All About Me (pdf format, 790 KB) may help gather and record your views.
• ask how the early years setting and school will share information
• share the outcomes your child is currently working towards and discuss how their support plan and strategies that work well can be continued or updated when they start school
• ask about visits or other adjustments that may help your child settle

If your child has an Education, Health and Care (EHC) plan, an annual review will also take place as part of the phase transfer process. 

Moving from primary to secondary school

Moving to secondary school can involve a larger site, new routines and more members of staff. Careful planning can help your young person become familiar with these changes and ensure the new school understands their strengths and needs. Once a secondary school place has been confirmed, the SENDCOs from the primary and secondary schools should work together to plan the transition. Parents and carers should be involved, and your young person should be supported to share their views in a way that works for them.

To help plan your young person’s transition, you could:

• ask how the primary and secondary schools will share information
• help your young person share their views about what helps them feel comfortable and learn, or share these on their behalf if they are unable to do so
• share the outcomes your young person is currently working towards and discuss how their support plan and strategies that work well can continue or be updated at secondary school
• ask about visits or other support to help your young person become familiar with the site, routines and key staff
• discuss transition planning at your young person’s annual review if they have an EHC plan

Schools may use the guidance for a successful primary to secondary transition (pdf format, 1.3MB)  to support with the transition process from primary to secondary school.

Preparing for adulthood and further education

From Year 8 or 9, your young person should start thinking about their future. This could include:

• further or higher education
• training or work experience
• employment
• independent living
• hobbies and activities in the community
• managing their health needs

By age 13 or 14, someone from the school will organise a meeting to discuss future plans. This meeting should include your young person and focus on their goals and dreams and how they will be supported to achieve them.

If your young person has an EHC plan, these discussions will take place during their annual review meetings.

Education, Health and Care plan (EHCP) phase transfers 

When a child or young person is transitioning to a different educational phase, their EHCP must be reviewed and amended during the Annual Review. This process, known as the Phase Transfer process, is managed by the EHCP Casework Team and operates alongside Oxfordshire's standard admissions procedures.

Useful resources

These resources provide further information and practical tools for families and professionals supporting transitions:

• Principles for good transitions (pdf format, 112 KB) – Oxfordshire agreed principles for good transitions. 
• Oxfordshire resources for sharing information when a child moves to a new school or setting.
• Oxfordshire guidance for a successful move from primary to secondary school (PDF).
• Preparing for Adulthood Outcomes Framework from the National Development Team for Inclusion (PDF).
• SENDIASS Oxfordshire – Provide Support to people with SENs in Oxfordshire