Transition to secondary school

[Nikkih]

Hi,

 

our son is going into secondary school in september (into mainstream) from a mainstream primary. He is HFA and has a full-time NNEB at present. As yet we haven't had his transition review or had any contact with anyone from education. His current NNEB has taken him to the secondary school for a 2-hour visit last week but she said they couldn't go into any of the classrooms as lessons were on-going, couldn't meet any of the teachers and basically said it was a waste of time. The next visit is cheduled for 3 weeks time and is only for an hour and will basically be the same. I'm happy for him to visit the SEN unit as he may well spend some time in there but the purpose was to see the classrooms and meet the teachers he will come into contact with and take photos of people and places so he can get familiar with them.

 

What I'm wondering is, if you have had a child make the transition or are current;y preparing........How many visits did they have/are they having........and what things did they/are they doing during the visits?

 

He is worried about going to 'big' school and worried about growing up and I don't think the LEA are doing anything to make things easier. I am presuming they are going to try and change his statement, by either taking away the NNEB and replacing with an LSA or reducing hours, or (heaven help us) both.

 

Sorry to have rambled on, but I am getting more and more concerned as time goes on that they are going to take away his provision and he will never cope.

[justamum]

Contact the High School and get an appointment to see their learning support team. They will get you to bring your son a long for several visits before transition. If he has a camera get him to take that along on his visits and take snaps as he walks round.

 

As far as I am aware usually it's just he 2 visits, which won't be enough for your son.

[pearl]

JP went a few times with his TA, & she ended up moving with him to High School & worked with him till he was 16. He did things like get a map of the place etc & it was v helpful.

[Nikkih]

JP went a few times with his TA, & she ended up moving with him to High School & worked with him till he was 16. He did things like get a map of the place etc & it was v helpful.

 

 

That is one thing we would love but she wont go. His NNEB has been with him since he started school in Jan 2001. He even goes home after school with her 2 afternoons a week...!!!!

 

We have been down to speak to the SENCO and she said that they didnt want to start visits until after the Whitsun holiday and that she didnt want his NNEB to go with him as he might be confused and think she is going with him. I think she is worried that she will want to go with him cos she has probably got someone lined up for the job already.

 

I dont knwo what I should be asking for. Hi NNEB said they couldn't go into the classrooms as there were lessons going on and had to be careful about where they took photos as they weren't allowed to get any other children in them. I just think he needs to see the classes he will be going to, meet the teachers and have it explained to him how things work in secondary school, e.g. changing classes for each lesson, registration etc.

[justamum]

Hi NNEB said they couldn't go into the classrooms

 

When I was considering my son going to High School the learning support team were going to set up a small class for so he could see what was expected of him.

 

As for photos, that was the LEA idea and at no stage was he told not to get other pupils in the photos.......PC gone mad!

[Kazzen161]

It is very difficult with schools, as they make so many decisions at he last minute. As soon as they know who his Tutor will be, and then they will know where his Tutor room will be, he can arrange to meet her, look round the tutor room, practise finding his way there from the school entrance, see where his locker will be (I got them to give R one on the top end of a row, so he wouldn't get sqaushed using it). What happens if he loses his locker key? Introduce him to the reception staff (they can be very helpful as a first port of call when there is a problem), how does the library work? Practcie using a planner/a timetable? Get a map of the school and practice getting from one place to another, and familiarising him with the layout. What happens when you have PE? Look in the changing rooms? Do they have to have a shower after PE? Can he go for time-out in the Unit? Does he need a time-out card? How much do the teachers know about asd? If he can visit just before lunch, perhaps he could look round the science labs, etc when the children are out for lunch.

What happens at lunch time (eg: rucksack to hall or in locker? queue? rota? choice? pay?). What do children do at playtime? Where are they allowed to go in the grounds? What happens at the end of day?

 

We practiced everything we could think of. He had one visit with an LSA from his current school, and I took him (at my insistance) for two more visits to meet with the LSA at the secondary, and walk round the school.

He also needs to meet the Head of Year.

[Nikkih]

It is very difficult with schools, as they make so many decisions at he last minute. As soon as they know who his Tutor will be, and then they will know where his Tutor room will be, he can arrange to meet her, look round the tutor room, practise finding his way there from the school entrance, see where his locker will be (I got them to give R one on the top end of a row, so he wouldn't get sqaushed using it). What happens if he loses his locker key? Introduce him to the reception staff (they can be very helpful as a first port of call when there is a problem), how does the library work? Practcie using a planner/a timetable? Get a map of the school and practice getting from one place to another, and familiarising him with the layout. What happens when you have PE? Look in the changing rooms? Do they have to have a shower after PE? Can he go for time-out in the Unit? Does he need a time-out card? How much do the teachers know about asd? If he can visit just before lunch, perhaps he could look round the science labs, etc when the children are out for lunch.

What happens at lunch time (eg: rucksack to hall or in locker? queue? rota? choice? pay?). What do children do at playtime? Where are they allowed to go in the grounds? What happens at the end of day?

 

We practiced everything we could think of. He had one visit with an LSA from his current school, and I took him (at my insistance) for two more visits to meet with the LSA at the secondary, and walk round the school.

He also needs to meet the Head of Year.

 

Thank you so much for that. Now I know what I can ask for I am going to ring the school and ask to go in for a chat and see if we can get some of these things going. I have said before that I dont mind taking him down if it will make things easeier but they dont seem to be in any rush.

 

Thanks to everyone forthe replies, its just nice to know you're not alone

[justamum]

Kazzen that is precisely why my son is not going to high school...he won't cope, simple as that

[pearl]

Could maybe his class teacher or SENCO go with him rather than his NNEB? Just a familiar face to ease the transition.

 

Yes it really did help her moving up with JP, but dont despair the important thing is to meet & liaise her replacement before he starts if at all poss. You are the expert on your son so they should welcome your involvement, should make things easier for them. JP lost his TA when he moved to 6th form but the replacement was just as good.

[Stella63]

Hi

 

OJ had a pretty amazing transition considering he missed most of yr 5 and 6 because of anxieties with school and children etc. I was convinced he wouldn't make it but he copes better with the rigidity of time tables etc than he ever did at primary.

 

He spent a whole day there in the summer term but after halfterm so they could get all the SAts out of the way. His TA went with him and he was given a time table and basically spent the day with a yr7 class that also had two AS boys. He took his camera, took lots of pics of buildings and members of staff.

 

We then downloaded the autism toolkit - go to www.autismtoolkit.com and he spent time with his TA filling this in - it is brilliant!!!

 

Hope that helps!

 

Stella x

[Nikkih]

Hi

 

OJ had a pretty amazing transition considering he missed most of yr 5 and 6 because of anxieties with school and children etc. I was convinced he wouldn't make it but he copes better with the rigidity of time tables etc than he ever did at primary.

 

He spent a whole day there in the summer term but after halfterm so they could get all the SAts out of the way. His TA went with him and he was given a time table and basically spent the day with a yr7 class that also had two AS boys. He took his camera, took lots of pics of buildings and members of staff.

 

We then downloaded the autism toolkit - go to www.autismtoolkit.com and he spent time with his TA filling this in - it is brilliant!!!

 

Hope that helps!

 

Stella x

 

Thank you so much for that link Stella, I have saved the book already, going to start filling that out rightaway and take it with us on Friday morning. We have arranged a meeting with the headteacher and SENCO of the secondary school.

 

Thank you to everyone for their replies and advice x

[Juney]

Hi Stella,

 

My son is in Y7 and moved up to a very big secondary school last september - this time last year I was very anxious but I am pleased to say that he has managed extremely well.

Last summer he had about four visits between half term and the end of term. one was with me after school, we looked around all the classrooms, dining room, library, loos, and the SEN area.

The next 2 visits he went from school with a LSA and he was also able to take a friend. they went at breaktime so he could hear the noise etc. Finally he did the usual day there that the whole of Y7 do.

We did quite a lot of planning at home - I laminated his timetable - I waas going to colour code it but he hasn't needed me to.

I was concerned that he would get lost between classses but he's adapted very well.

He has a quiet area that he can go at break timetimes - but he doesnt use this very much.

one of things that he does need a lot of help with is organising his school bag as he needs to take so many more books etc.

So Good Luck to you and your son. juney