Bridging the gap

Parent and teacher strategies for effective school transitions

The back-to-school nerves can be as real for parents and teachers as they are for students. As a mother of three young girls, the last few weeks have been a challenge, but they have also led me to reflect upon school transitions and the emotions they bring up. This month, my youngest daughter started Reception. She experienced a regression of sorts; we have been up most nights with her recently, despite her peacefully sleeping through the night prior to this transition. After discussions at the school gates, we found that other parents were going through the same thing with their little ones. What was causing our children’s distress in returning to the same school building they had all been to last year? I decided to delve into this topic and discover why transitions can be a struggle for children, and how we as parents and teachers can support them through these transitory times.

Transitions are a big part of a student’s path in school. These moments can be really important for students and affect how they learn. In this article, I will talk about these changes, especially how our thinking and planning skills play a role, and share what recent research has found.

Understanding Transitions

There are many transitions a student may encounter on their academic journey. This can be something as small as changing classrooms or moving up a school year, or as significant as going from prep school to secondary school - or going from being a ‘flexi-boarder’ to a full-time boarding student. Each circumstance comes along with its own difficulties and can be experienced equally as intensely by individual children. Transitioning from GCSEs to A Levels might seem like no big deal to some, while for others it can feel overwhelmingly stressful and daunting. The degree to which students are impacted by these transitions are greatly influenced by the strength of their executive function skills.

The Role of Executive Functioning in Transitions

Executive functions are a family of brain processes that make it possible to mentally toy with ideas, stay focused, remain flexible in the face of unexpected challenges and think before acting. Executive function (EF) skills are the skills we develop which require executive functioning and manifest themselves as measurable and teachable skills.

EF skills are vital for smooth school transitions. This is because of their central role in a student’s cognitive flexibility and resilience in these shifts. Strong EF skills allow students to engage with new ideas and obstacles in the learning environment during the school year. In transitory periods, they also enable them to enter new school environments with open minds and an eagerness to engage with new learning material.

What’s more, EF skills help students regulate their emotions and any behavioural responses to their emotions that may bubble up during transitions, whether that be excitement, eagerness, anxiety or being overwhelmed. Managing these emotions effectively aids in maintaining positive relationships with classmates and teachers, which is essential for successful transitions.

Recent Research Insights

Recent studies have shed light on the correlation between executive functioning and successful transitions at school. Research by Jacobson et al. (2011) underscores the importance of targeted interventions to bolster executive functioning skills, thus facilitating smoother transitions. Additionally, research by Helm et al. (2019) highlights the positive

TURN TO PAGES 42-45 to read advice for parents from ISEB and Tooled Up Education impact of structured routines and visual aids in supporting students during these shifts.

Research conducted by STARS (School Transition and Adjustment Research Study) highlights the importance of effective transitions in the school environment. This includes two key factors: active engagement in academics and positive behavioural involvement, paired with a genuine sense of belonging to the school community.

Effective transitions are not marked solely by a student’s ability to engage in their academic endeavours, but also their behaviour in the school environment. It’s about nurturing a secure relationship between students and their educational environment, where students feel safe and are thus in a mindset to learn.

The research findings highlight the value of creating an inclusive and nurturing school environment that not only encourages academic development but also ensures that students feel safe and heard.

Practical Strategies for Teachers and Parents

1. Implement predictable routines

Consistency is key. Establishing predictable routines helps create a stable environment, reducing anxiety and enhancing a student’s ability to transition smoothly.

Teachers can write up a daily or weekly timetable with specific time slots for different activities like lessons, break times and extramural activities.

Parents can put a daily routine in place to make after-school time feel more structured - this can mean setting times for homework, tea and bedtime.

2. Offer clear instructions

Clear, concise instructions can significantly alleviate stress associated with transitions. Break down tasks, provide visual aids and offer step-by-step guidance.

Teachers can offer step-bystep instructions with visuals or written out in a numbered list.

Parents can reach out to their child’s teacher for guidelines or resources to better assist with assignments.

3. Empower young people with choice and self-advocacy

Empower students to communicate their needs and preferences during transitions. Encourage them to ask for support where necessary, fostering independence and self-confidence.

In the classroom, this could look like encouraging pupils to make decisions within the classroom, like choosing their own assignment topic or deciding on one from a list of suggestions. At home, this could mean allowing your child opportunities to make age-appropriate choices - take them along when going stationery shopping so they can pick out the pens, pencils, crayons, etc., that they would like. This will also help them feel more in control in a transitory period that otherwise can feel completely uncontrollable.

4. Visualise the transition

Visual aids, such as schedules and checklists, serve as powerful tools for students with executive functioning challenges. They provide a tangible framework for managing transitions. For both teachers and parents, this could mean scheduling a visit to the school grounds before the academic year begins. Then, you could work alongside the student with visual aids like maps or photo collections to allow students to feel familiarity with the new routines and environments.

5. Be patient

Allow for adequate transition time between activities or classes. This buffer period gives students the opportunity to mentally prepare for the upcoming task.

Teachers and parents can execute this by recognising that some learners may take a bit longer to adjust to transitions than others. Offer emotional support and allow opportunities for the child to speak openly about their feelings and worries.

In conclusion…

Navigating transitions in a student’s academic journey can be a challenge, impacting their learning experience and emotional wellbeing. Understanding the role of executive function skills in managing these transitions is crucial for parents and teachers alike. Recent research underscores the importance of targeted interventions, structured routines and fostering a sense of belonging in the school community. Practical strategies - such as implementing predictable routines, offering clear instructions, empowering young people with choice and self-advocacy, visualising the transition and exercising patience - can support students during these critical moments of change. By putting these strategies in place and fostering an inclusive and nurturing school environment, we can empower students to navigate transitions with confidence and resilience, ensuring a smoother journey through their academic years.

VICTORIA BAGNALL Co-Founder and Managing Director of Connections in Mind

Accommodating all learners

Children and teenagers with ADHD have unique needs in the classroom. Here are my top ten tips for helping your students succeed.

1. Ask, don’t tell

It goes down much better with an ADHD student if you ask them to do something rather than telling them.

2. Watch the tone of your voice

People with ADHD have rejection sensitive dysphoria and any shouting, sarcasm or perceived belittling will make them feel dreadful. It might also bring on a verbal or physical reaction in some cases.

3. Be aware that hyperactivity is often part of their condition

Students with ADHD will likely need to keep their hands busy while in lessons so they can concentrate and focus. Allowing them to doodle or have a discreet fidget toy can help ensure they get the most out of their lessons.

4. Accept that they may struggle to interpret instructions

If you see your ADHD students looking blank while others are getting on with the work, it is helpful to discreetly ask them if they know what they are expected to do.

5. Expect them to become distracted

Discuss with your students, in advance, how they would like to have their attention brought back to the class. For some, this might be a gentle tap on their pencil case, while others may prefer you to say their name.

6. Most ADHD children have the coexisting condition, sensory processing disorder

You should accommodate for this where possible. For example, if wearing their tie with the top button of their shirt done up is making a student uncomfortable, allow them to undo the top button.

7. As ADHD children tend to do things quickly, they might be hotter than other children Therefore, don’t insist on them wearing their school jumper or blazer if they don’t want to.

8. A lot of ADHD children will have issues around eating

Food might be too wet, dry, crunchy, soft, smelly or any one of a hundred other problems. If a child insists they really cannot eat something, don’t force them to.

9. Keep lessons varied, interactive and interesting Too much of the same thing will bore an ADHD brain and leave it understimulated, so make sure classes are interesting and cover varied topics.

10. Make sure coexisting conditions are identified 80% of people with ADHD have at least one coexisting condition and 50% have at least two. These are likely to show up in the classroom, so keep an eye out for conditions like dyslexia, dyscalculia, dysgraphia and dyspraxia.

SARAH TEMPLETON ADHD counsellor, founder of the charity ADHD LIBERTY and author of Teachers! How Not to Kill the Spirit in Your ADHD Kids

www.sarahtempleton.org.uk