How to help special needs kids change schools
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Changing schools is a stressful time for any family, but on top of working through different considerations, such as admission regulations, environment and the population of the wider community, the upheaval can cause unease and anxiety on a greater level for children with SEND. This post will detail the information parents need to know about when moving schools, and also provides different strategies for teachers and parents to try out.
What are the procedures parents need to follow?
Normally, without an EHC plan, children are expected to attend a mainstream school and obtain a place through the regular admissions system. This means filling in a single form from the local authority and stating in order of preference which schools you would like your child to go to.
However, if a child has an EHC plan then parents should not follow this admissions process and instead be involved in getting a ‘named' school. A ‘named' school is one parents would prefer their child to go to after receiving an EHC plan, or is applied for when the child moves on to a different phase of education.
In both situations parents can show a preference for:
- Academies and free schools
- Maintained nurseries
- Maintained schools (community schools and voluntary-aided schools)
- Non-maintained special schools (independent but run not-for-profit)
- Further education colleges
- Independent schools or colleges from the government's ‘section 41' list
If your child is looking to move on to secondary school or post 16 education and has an EHC plan, then again you will be asked for your main preference of educational setting. Parents and schools will find it useful to discuss all the options at the annual review before the time of the transfer. To make sure that this is a smooth process, when a child with SEND moves into year 5, their parents and teachers can work together to think about which school would be the best fit for their needs.
The legal timescales for the local authority to name the new school or college for entry in September are:
15 February for secondary
31 March for post 16
How do you help a child with special needs move to a new school?
Focus on the positive
By accentuating the positive aspects of the change in school, a child will feel more confident about the move and may become more enthusiastic to get involved in their new school. Parents and teachers do not have to over-hype how wonderful the new school is, but pointing out the obvious and practical positives means that the child will be more likely to recognize these good things when they start the school and settle down more quickly.
It is also key that the people who are important to the child in their former school or setting, such as friends, teachers or club mates, can still be contacted and be seen outside of the new school. The child will feel less like they have been forgotten or dropped onto another planet if play-dates and visits can be arranged, and know that the change of school does not mean a complete change of how their life will run or what their identity is.
Create a comfort zone
Most pupils, regardless of need or ability, react better to a change of classroom when there are safe or special places they can visit and use. Teachers should try to ensure that the classroom is fully resourced with toys, objects and opportunities which can soothe and provide comfort. Fiddly items such as fidget spinners, blu tack, pipe cleaners and squeezy toys should be kept close by.
Also, think of ways you can make the classroom feel and look more comfortable to learn in. Consider different seating options in various areas of your room such as beanbag seats, rocking chairs, deckchairs, cushions, benches, stuffed footstools, armchairs and even upturned buckets. Greater comfort can be achieved by controlling the light in the classroom. If possible, think about using only some banks of light whilst turning off others, and providing upward projecting lights or sunglasses to students who are particularly sensitive. On top of this, comfort levels can be increased if teachers can find ways to reduce loud noises. Earplugs, headphones, soundproofing and special carpeting can be very effective strategies to consider.
Create a schedule and stick to a routine
Incorporating a schedule or routine both at home and school can give the child a sense of control when other things such as classrooms, teachers and learning expectations are in a state of flux. One way to help achieve this is by using visual timetables. These clear visual signs help to break down the week, the day and even the hour, making sure that a child with SEND knows exactly what is expected of them and when it is expected to happen. The day and schedule is made to feel more manageable with this resource, and will also help the child to recognize the event patterns that repeat themselves on a daily basis.
Another idea to consider when creating a new routine is to talk to your child as much as possible about it, including their thoughts about what schedule they would be happy with where appropriate. This again will help them to feel a greater sense of control, and will no doubt help them to see why certain events or expectations about themselves need to occur at a particular time.
Inform teachers about your child
The success of any child's learning in school depends on the cooperation between parents and teachers. The sooner the parent can contact the school and have meetings, the better. Some parents find asking the teacher to visit their child in their current school setting will help them to see immediately what provision needs to be put in place. This experience will help them to understand the character and sensibility of their prospective pupil. However, it is also advised that parents and their children visit the new school before starting so that the child can get used to their new classmates and classroom. This visit will help you to network with other parents, and is a great way to have an informal chat with teachers about your worries, concerns, and world-class knowledge of your child's needs and interests.
Meeting the school SENCO will also be really useful because they will most likely be the key member of staff you will be working with as your child moves through the school. This person can share advice and solve any problems you may face from week to week. The SENCO will also have a big responsibility for making sure your child's EHC assessment plan is followed by the staff, or can help you to request an EHC plan if your child does not already have one and there are concerns about their needs.
Therapists and other healthcare professionals who visit the school may also set up meetings with parents so that important information can be shared. Some parents have created one page documents which brief the reader about their child's needs or development, and this has become a very useful strategy to help them focus the conversation during those all-important initial meetings.
Relevant information you may want to discuss could include:
- Social and communication needs
- Learning needs
- Care needs, including dressing, toileting, mobility and medication needs
- Physical needs that require environmental adaptations
- Sensory needs
Communicate with your child
Sometimes parents may find that talking to their child about a big change is a sensitive issue, and can only be achieved in a way that is personal to the individual character and needs of their child. This is a perfectly acceptable strategy if you know that moving schools will be a difficult change for your child to cope with. However, it is advised that some form of chat or talk is carried out to prepare children and young people with special needs because the more information they have, then the more comfortable and confident they will feel when the change finally takes place. Communicating in whatever way suits them best and whenever it is most appropriate, will ensure that all the possible experiences or variations they could face within a school day are explored well before time. As a result, when the child starts a new school, events will not come as such a great shock and it may mean that they feel more comfortable to talk to classmates and teachers if something is bothering them.
How does changing schools affect a child?
If connections with the new school are not put in place or developed as the initial weeks go by, or if a child with SEND has not been prepared for the change, then moving to a new school could have quite a negative impact on their personal and academic progress. They may lack confidence to feel independent enough for their classroom, to believe they have the right abilities to succeed, or to learn the social skills required in order to make new friends quickly. Sometimes, because thought-through strategies have not been considered by parents and teachers, children with SEND may fall behind with their learning and as a result develop very low self-esteem or determination to keep trying their best.
To tackle this possibility it is so important for parents, teachers and the child to be on the same page and for everyone to be adaptable and flexible. Not everything goes to plan, and during each individual move each child will settle at their own speed. Some may feel comfortable on the very first day, whilst others will finally feel confident with the routine on the very last day of term. Whatever the situation, if all stakeholders can keep the points discussed in mind throughout the transition period, then the child will have a fantastic start full of reassurance, consideration, support, belonging and self-worth.
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