How will Jewell help support my child?

We know that transitions and change can be a challenge for any child and their family, and we take great care to ensure that your child with SEND has a transition into the academy that is as smooth as possible.

Joining us from another academy or pre-school/nursery setting

• An initial transition meeting at academy or in the Nursery/Preschool with you and the staff who currently support your child.
• Key staff may visit your child in their current setting, with our SENDCo, if required.
• The SENDCo will attend Annual Reviews in the term prior to starting academy if your child already has an Education Health Care Plan and our academy is to be named.
• A short, simple “social story” can be written about our academy and given to you and your child.
• We may arrange additional short visits to our academy; perhaps just spending time in our playground or playing in the garden.
• If appropriate, we may arrange an accessibility visit with your child’s Occupational Therapist.
• Discuss and plan for any appropriate training including medical training if necessary.
• Ensure that any reports and/or records are transferred to the academy.
• Attendance at Team Around the Family (TAF) meetings where an EHA (Early Help Assessment) is open, prior to your child starting.

Moving classes within academy

• Information is always transferred onto the new Class Teacher by the previous teacher; this will include Individual Education Plans (IEPs) and any medical information.
• Social stories describing what will change and what will stay the same can be written for your child.
• Additional visits to the new classroom can be planned for some children and the new class teacher will meet them too.
• The children will have a taster session in their new classrooms with their new teacher in the Summer Term before the holiday. You will also be invited to meet the new teacher before the end of term in the new classroom.

In Year 6 and moving to another academy

• Your child’s teacher attends a transition meeting with the key staff at secondary placements to discuss all relevant information relating to your child
• The SENDCo, Mr Smith, will discuss the specific needs of your child with the SENDCo of the new academy and in many cases a transition meeting can also be organised for you to discuss your child with them too.
• Additional visits to the new academy can be arranged and supported by familiar staff. We will also arrange for key staff from the new academy to visit your child in this academy where possible.
• Social stories can be written with your child; perhaps using photographs that your child has taken on their visit to the new academy and/or questions that your child may have about their new academy.
• If your child transfers to a new academy at any point, we will always contact the new academy to speak to the SENDCo, organise visits if timely and ensure that records and information are sent to the key members of staff.
• If your child has an Education Health Care Plan, an Annual Review will be held in the summer term of Year 5 to discuss your parental preferences for secondary placements. Key members of staff, including the SENDCo, from the new academy will also be invited to the Annual Review in Year 6 and we hope that you and your child will take this opportunity to share your questions and thoughts about the move to the new academy with them. We can then plan to ensure as smooth a transition as possible.