“Which school will you be going to in September?” is a question that most Year 6 children will be asked over the next few weeks. Most children will know the answer, having been informed of their new school placement on 15 February. But 3,812 children with SEND did not find out the name of their new school in February and for many of them, this is a question they are still unable to answer.

The transition from primary to secondary school is stressful for parents, teachers and, of course, for children.  The move to “big school” looms for all children in Year 6 and is difficult for many who have to leave friends behind, make new friends, travel to a new school, find their way around a large building and get to grips with a different curriculum and a different teacher for every lesson.

For children with SEND, the transition to secondary school can be even more fraught. Many of them will struggle with uncertainty. Not knowing what will happen, with whom, and when can be extremely unsettling, and leaving behind trusted teachers and teaching assistants is difficult.

Good transition takes time

Teachers and schools work hard to smooth the transition by devising individual transition passports for children to take with them to secondary school, by having a series of pre-visits and arranging close liaison with parents and carers. This all takes time. A good transition for a child with SEND will often need to take place over a number of weeks or months.

Of course, if a child is going to have a good transition, then they need to know which school they are going to with enough time for the adults around them to help them prepare for the move. This year, a request by the solicitors Simpson Millar revealed that 111 councils missed the deadline of 15 February for offering a secondary school place to 3,812 children with SEND.

This shocking statistic reveals the scale of a long-standing problem which, every year, causes massive stress for pupils and parents as well as education practitioners tasked with supporting them through transition.

Relying on local authorities

Teachers’ hands are often tied as they rely on the local authority to complete transition reviews and to update education, health and care plans on time for a smooth transition. They find themselves in the difficult situation of trying to support and to reassure children and their parents and carers but without the information they need to do so.

Councils must work harder to carry out transition reviews in a timely fashion. If the vast majority of children will know from 15 February which secondary school they will be attending in September, but 3,812 children with SEND will not, then this is an equalities issue that is both upsetting and unfair. It is one that children, parents and teachers should not be required to face.

Dr Katherine Runswick-Cole is senior research fellow in disability studies and psychology at Manchester Metropolitan University.

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