Planning a move to a new school or setting

The short answer

Map the child's actual move rather than assuming which changes will be difficult. Cover the journey, entrance, timetable, people, learning, breaks, meals, toilets, equipment, transport and route to help. Ask the child what information they want and in what form. Agree what the current setting will share, with whom and for what purpose, then ask the receiving setting to confirm how support will work in practice. Visits, photographs or route practice are options, not guarantees. Build a concrete first-day plan, name backups, and review the first weeks against the agreed provision rather than assuming the handover succeeded.

• Start with this child's questions and the real differences between settings.
• Share concise, usable information with an agreed purpose and recipient.
• Confirm how each support arrangement works in the receiving setting.
• Practise only the tasks that provide useful information or familiarity.
• Review delivery and impact during the first weeks.