Take notice of transition timings
Transition [tran-zish-uhn]
The word has its origins in the Latin word trānsitiō meaning “a going across”. It means a movement, passage, or change from one position, state, stage, subject, concept, etc., to another.
The Red Admiral butterfly undergoes a huge transition. When the larvae hatch, a week after the egg is laid, the young larva at once crawls to the base of the young nettle leaf on which the egg was laid, and starts spinning a web. This gradually draws together the sides to form a tent and therein lives the larva securely, emerging only to feed. As it grows it spins larger webs, until, 3 or 4 weeks after hatching it spins a web pulling together several leaves, where it hangs upside down for between 2 and 3 weeks as a pupa.
During this time the pupa undergoes a significant colour change, before its cocoon is finally broken open and the butterfly inside emerges. The nettle doesn’t offer food for the Red Admiral butterfly, it prefers to feed on other plants including bramble, privet and thistles.
In many ways, our children with SEND are very like the Red Admiral butterfly. When they are young and at primary school, they are often carefully protected in their own tent. If they have an EHCP it is entirely possible it was written when they were struggling the most. As they grow, and they build themselves new tents, larger each time, we see them preparing to make the transition to secondary school.
However, if the EHCP isn’t properly reviewed and amended in preparation for the secondary transition, the picture it paints might be inappropriate. If the butterfly emerges and there are only nettles upon which to feed, based on the evidence of the larva’s behaviour, the butterfly will suffer and may die.
February 15 is the key date for finalising EHCPs for transition. The plan must be reviewed and amended by this date in the child’s year of transition.
However, parents want to take notice of this transition far before then. The timescales are accelerated considerably for children with EHCPs, with a requirement to express a preference on schools in July at the end of Year 5.
Schools you or the LA with to consult will be sent your child’s paperwork from September of Year 6, with a view to finalising the plan by February 15.
The really important date for parents to consider is the date of the Annual Review in Year 5. This is the paperwork that will be shared with schools and upon which they will make decisions about the most appropriate setting.
Allow plenty of time for the review to happen, and the changes to be made. Some Local Authorities are notoriously bad at this – I recently heard from a parent who is now on the 3rd Annual Review, and none of the previous changes has yet been incorporated. The Year 5 annual review needs to be well before Easter of Year 5. It may need redrafting to reflect any significant changes your child has experienced, which might affect their needs and the appropriate provision in Secondary School.
To confidently name your preferred school in July of Year 5, you may want to start looking at schools in Year 4 and at the very least by the beginning of Year 5. Seeing a school multiple times over an extended period will give you the best possible opportunity to get a feel for whether it might suit your child.
And if you don’t yet have an EHCP and might need one to access your choice of secondary school, start the process in Year 4. With a 20 week timeframe (minimum) and up to a 56-week timeframe if you have to appeal multiple times, you need plenty of time to get it right.
