My child is moving schools
How will their current school to help and what information will they provide to the new school?
When a child is moving school, their current school is always expected to provide information to the new school, whether they are looked after or not.
Usually, the child’s file will be transferred electronically from the current school to the new one.
All past Personal Education Plan Reviews will be included in the file.
When a child is looked after, it is the responsibility of the designated teachers in both schools to liaise so that all information about the child, especially that which may not be on their file, is transferred.
For example, if the child has been attending one school for a number of years, the school is likely to have developed specific strategies for dealing with aspects of the child’s social, emotional, and behavioural development.
It is vital that the designated teacher of the current school passes these on to the new school so that time is not wasted getting to know the child’s strengths and weaknesses before such strategies are put in place.
When a looked after child is making the transition from primary to secondary school
It is good practice for the designated teacher of the secondary school to attend the summer term year 6 Personal Education Plan meeting.
This will allow them to meet the child and their foster carer and to discuss the needs of the child and the support they will need with transition.
For the looked after children who are likely to find this change difficult
It is good practice that, in addition to the usual new intake day for all incoming pupils, for the secondary designated teacher to invite the child to visit the school. This will help them to:
- get to know the school and its geography, and
- meet some of the child’s new teachers.
Where secondary schools run summer camps for its new pupils, looked after children should be given priority.
