Supporting pupils moving between phases and preparing for adulthood
To ensure a smooth transition into school, parents and children receive the following support:
▪ When children join the school in the Foundation Stage, we offer a home visit in order to meet the child in their own environment.
▪ All parents are invited to an induction meeting, where they are given all of the information required about our academy before their child starts.
▪ We also hold a series of transition ‘Stay and Play’ sessions where the child and parent come to spend time in the Foundation Stage setting.
▪ Children and parents, who are interested in joining the school in other years, are encouraged to visit the school. When a child joins the school, we ask parents to share any concerns they may have regarding their child with their class teacher. Where a child has previously been identified as having a special educational need or disability, the school will gather information from the previous setting and any external agencies to best support the child.
▪ As necessary the school will request training e.g. where needed for medical interventions. We communicate with previous establishments to support a child’s transition and for some SEN pupils; a phased transitional period may be offered to help the child to settle where appropriate.
To ensure a smooth transition between year groups in school:
▪ There is a consistent approach in promoting positive behaviour, with all staff and pupils follow. This ensures that all children understand our academy expectations and pyramid system.
▪ Planned transition opportunities take place over a week to prepare pupils for the next stage in their learning journey. Teachers and children get to know one another and positive relationships are developed which allow children to look forward to their next transition.
▪ A child engages in activities with their new teacher, which will be displayed in their new class at the start of the year, to make them feel welcome and have ownership of their new class.
▪ Children with additional needs will have additional transition sessions prior to the full week at the end of term. This may involve additional conversations with their new teacher or visits to the classroom so they feel more prepared for the transition.
▪ Additional resources are prepared for some pupils, such as a visual photo book of their new class, cloakroom and staff, which parents can share with their child over the summer holidays to support them further.
▪ Class teachers have transition time to pass on information about each child in their class, including those with SEN to their next teacher.
▪ The previous teacher also passes on medical and other information about a child to the new teacher and other key staff.
▪ Additional information may be passed to the new Class Teacher from the Extended Home School Link Worker and Senco on a need to know basis.
▪ Transition information presentation is provided to all parents electronically.
▪ Opportunities are provided for children to experience any new routines in the summer term so they are comfortable and familiar with these such as lining up before school/ playtimes in their new allocated location, playtimes/ lunchtimes etc.
To ensure a smooth transition into high schools our academy organises the following:
▪ Opportunities for the children to attend workshops at local high schools across all year groups.
▪ Meetings between class teachers and Year 7/ Pastoral / Head of Year high school teachers.
▪ Meetings between the SENCO and Extended Home School Link Worker and the high school SENCOs and Pastoral Team, where needed.
▪ Opportunities for SEN children to visit their choice of high school with a member of the EHSW/ Senco /Learning Support Staff where needed.
▪ Files are handed over to high schools or to the new school at the point of transition. ▪ Our e-copies of documents are only accessible by relevant members of staff and are
transferred once the child leaves school. We use CPOMS to store SEN information and safeguarding documentation securely and confidentially.