2. Transition is effective means there is a collective
institutional strategy to support Service Pupils when
they transition in and out of a school.
May 19CONFIDENTIAL DRAFT
Our
approach is
clear
Transition
is effective
Achievement
is maximised
Well-being is
supported
Parents are
engaged
Staff are
well-
informed
Support is
responsive
The seven
principles of
effective support
for pupils of
Armed Forces
personnel
12. WHAT RESEARCH TELLS US
The quality and impact of partnership
provision in schools for children in
service families – Ofsted (May 2011)
Survey lead Jane Melbourne HMI
National Adviser for Parents and Carers
May 19CONFIDENTIAL DRAFT
13. ‘When highly specialised
community family workers (such
as Mobility or Family Support
Co-ordinators) build up the trust
of families, vulnerability can be
more easily identified and
support more appropriately
targeted. Working with families
as the route through to the work
with children was deemed to be
the most effective.’
Ofsted (May 2011)
May 19CONFIDENTIAL DRAFT
14. ‘KIN AND COUNTRY’ 2018
A small number of pupils’
first-hand experiences
‘The mobile lifestyle of
many military families
can be tough, with
children telling us that
multiple school moves
leave them feeling
unsettled and anxious
about achieving good
grades.’
May 19 CONFIDENTIAL DRAFT
15. “When I go into a new school I normally just stay
quiet and just bite my jumper because I, I don't
know why, it's just a habit.” (10 yr old girl)
“For me, when you’re older it’s not so much about
making new friends, it’s about the potential for
messing up your life…like … will I have to change
my [GCSE] options, will I get to go to the 6th form I
want?” (15 yr old boy)
May 19CONFIDENTIAL DRAFT
19. May 19CONFIDENTIAL DRAFT
An infants school’s Leaver’s Song
Now its time for you to leave,
We hope that you’ve had fun.
It is to (Cyprus, Colchester etc.) you must go,
You are the lucky one!
Please keep safe and do take care
Let us know when you get there.
We’ll miss you lots, good times we’ve shared
Goodbye to you our friend.
Sung to the tune of “Thankyou for our friends”
Words by Wendy Bisicker
20. May 19CONFIDENTIAL DRAFT
Schools should: ‘Improve the system for the
transfer of children and their records from one
school to another, ensuring that: all records
are cumulative; remain confidential; are of a
consistently high standard; and arrive in a
timely way at the receiving school and local
authority’
‘Children in Service families: The quality and impact of
partnership provision for children in Service families’
(Ofsted 2011)
25. SUMMARY: What schools can do
•Get pupils’ and parents’ views
•Have a named point of contact
•Have a systematic induction
process to include focus on
preparing for arrivals
•Chase records relentlessly
•Have a systematic departures
process to include preparing the
child and next school
May 19CONFIDENTIAL DRAFT
26. •Train all on the transition cycle
•Create opportunities for pupils to
talk about their experiences of
moving
•Look out for warning signs such as
separation anxiety
•Provide tailored support for Service
pupils (and their parents)
•Emphasise the positives of moving
schools
May 19CONFIDENTIAL DRAFT
27. May 19CONFIDENTIAL DRAFT
‘Service children don’t want to feel different but
they do want their circumstances to be understood.’
(OfSTED 2011)
28. May 19CONFIDENTIAL DRAFT
Piglet sidled up to Pooh from behind.
“Pooh,” he whispered.
“Yes, Piglet?”
“Nothing,” said Piglet, taking Pooh’s paw,
“I just wanted to be sure of you.”
A. A. Milne
The House at Pooh Corner
29. FURTHER READING AND SOURCES OF SUPPORT
• Pollock D & Van Reken, R.E. (1999): The Third
Culture Kid Experience, Intercultural Press
• Dobson J.M., Henthorne K. & Lynas Z (2000): Pupil
Mobility in Schools: Final Report Migration Research
Unit, University College London
• Children’s Commissioner (2018): Kin and Country:
Growing up as an Armed Forces child
• Ofsted (May 2011): The quality and impact of
partnership provision in schools for children in service
families
• www.scipalliance.org
May 19CONFIDENTIAL DRAFT
30. Matt Blyton, Education Adviser, North Yorkshire
County Council
Anne Wilson, former Senior Educational Psychologist
(Service Children’s Education), and her Information for
Staff who work with Service Children guidance
materials.
Project schools: NCOP-SCiP Alliance research and
organisational framework project (2018)
May 19CONFIDENTIAL DRAFT
WITH THANKS TO:
Editor's Notes
In this presentation, we will review the elements of effective school to school transition and explore some of the ‘top tips’ that successful schools do to support pupils and their families when they join and leave schools, especially at non-standard times of the year.
This presentation will cover the following three areas:
Firstly, it will briefing introduce a helpful model for thinking about effective transition support
It will then explore in detail what is meant by the stages of transition before linking the implications of this to recent research
It will then consider a variety of recommended ways schools can help Service families, especially children.
In this model, it is important to consider all three of these aspects to ensure smooth transitions: how well supported affected pupils AND their families are, along with how well the school is prepared to manage the transition process.
Ultimately the aim is to minimise the disruption for both incoming and outgoing pupils as much as possible so that learning continuity is maximised. For mobile Service children, each move has the potential to impact them negatively, so schools need to do all in their powers not to drop the ‘learning baton’.
In the summary animation to this module, reference was made to the Transition Cycle or Transition Experience. This model can be applied to any transition but is particularly useful when considering school moves by Armed Forces children. A geographical move will be accompanied by a period of psychological adjustment to the associated changes.
It is helpful to remember Maslow’s Hierarchy of Needs and that needs in the domains of ‘belonging’ and ‘self esteem’ will have been created during any transition process, and that these come before cognitive needs. It is therefore crucial for schools to try to ensure that needs in these areas are addressed as quickly as possible before and after a pupil moves, since children who feel accepted, valued and confident will be better prepared for learning. Schools ignore this PASTORAL SUPPORT at their peril.
Before a family knows about a move or new posting, they will be settled in their present location. Family members will have a good knowledge of the area, know how to get around, and where to access facilities and activities. They will have friends and people will know them in terms of their skills and abilities and the contribution that they can make to group activities. There will usually be some sense of closeness to others around them in the community. Each member of the family will usually have a strong sense of identity.
As soon as a family is told that they will be moving, members will begin a period of disconnecting from their current situation. This will be characterised by individuals spending more time and energy thinking about where they are going to, rather than where they currently are. It is likely that energy will be expended on planning ahead rather than trying to adjust to and live in their present environment. Whilst for some family members there may be a great sense of excitement and anticipation about the future, for others there may be great feelings of sadness about leaving everything that is familiar.
Some children will begin to develop negative feelings about where they currently are and will break friendships because it is easier to think about leaving something that you don’t feel positive about. In addition, a child who is moving may inadvertently be excluded by peers because of that move (for example, not being asked to be part of a football team because they will leave before the end of the season). This period of disconnecting may begin as early as 3 – 6 months prior to the planned departure date.
At the time of the actual move there will often be a sense of complete and utter disruption and chaos as almost everything familiar in an individual’s life changes. This period of disruption can be prolonged for a Service family as they may have to leave their quarter to move in to temporary accommodation before getting their overseas passage. They may then possibly move in to temporary accommodation in their new area before finally being allocated a new quarter.
There will usually be a long period without personal possessions as these have been packed up and sent ahead or packed up so that the quarter can be cleaned ready for a military 'march out'. This means that during the transition, particularly during the actual days of the move, many familiar routines will be disrupted and this will often be unsettling for children.
During the days around the move the whole family will experience a range of emotions, both positive and negative. There will be feelings of excitement and anticipation about what lies ahead as well as sadness about what has been left behind. In an environment where everything is unfamiliar, even simple tasks can seem much harder to achieve and this may lead to a temporary loss of confidence and a sense of uncertainty.
There may also be a loss of sense of identity because you do not know anyone beyond the family and your sense of belonging is "suspended". There will often be a lowering of self-esteem during this time.
When the family arrives in their new location, members will be busy meeting new acquaintances and colleagues and finding out about the area. There will often be a great sense of excitement and, possibly, a feeling of being on holiday. However, these euphoric feelings may soon disappear with individuals feeling overwhelmed by the differences and changes that they are experiencing.
Children may find it difficult to join in with their new peer groups, because their interests and hobbies were very different in their previous location. This is even more likely at times of a "trickle posting" when an individual family has moved, perhaps as part of a parent’s promotion or career path, and will need to integrate yet not know any one! For such trickle postings, it is even more important for schools to quickly embrace the child and family into the life of school.
Everybody varies in the amount of time that it will take them to begin to feel fully involved in their new location but it will usually take at least six months for most people to feel fully settled, however for others it may take even longer. The length of time it takes to feel connected will depend on the number of factors that have changed and it may be that those children who move as part of a regimental change can adapt and adjust more quickly because they already have relationships with others who have moved.
It can be seen from the transition cycle that if a unit moves on a regular two year basis, then personnel’s children may never begin to feel fully involved because they know there will be another move coming up in the near future. It is possible that after frequent moves, some young people will invest very little in a new location because of the feeling of a lack of permanence.
Service families experience frequent transitions as a consequence of their own moves or as a result of others around them moving. This leads to frequent experiences of loss and separation.
Schools should also remember the impact on those who stay behind but who see their friends coming and going on a regular basis. This can be particularly difficult for civilian children in schools with predominantly Service children on roll.
There is a good deal of literature about mobility and its impact on children, especially from the United States. However, in the last decade, a number of important studies have been undertaken in the UK.
For instance, an Ofsted report in 2011, based on visits to over 40 schools covering most types as well evidence from a range of stakeholders, reported the following two key findings:
High mobility has a huge impact on children’s friendship groups; and
Children’s emotional stability was found to be more significant than their academic work, but emotional stability often leads to greater academic success.
Tailored support, coordinated by a key named person, was found to be particularly effective in providing effective support to mobile Service children. Successful schools often run evidence-based programmes that support children and parents’ emotional health and wellbeing.
Anne Longfield’s 2018 report ‘Kin and Country’ attempted to improve our understanding of the lives of children who are grow up in an Armed Forces family. It explored three key areas: mobility, deployment and support.
In relation to mobility, the researchers researched the impact frequently moving home and school has on a child’s life: how does it affect their friendships, their family relationships and their school work?
First-hand views from the sample of children interviewed are helpfully included.
In the report, the following is written:
‘Moving to a new house or moving to a different country was an experience that many of the service
children we spoke to found challenging…However, it was the process of moving school that most significantly affected the lives of the children we spoke to. For younger children, the difficulty manifested itself through anxiety about leaving friends behind and getting to know new classmates. For many, building new relationships in a new environment was scary and a sense of uncertainty and insecurity typified younger children’s emotional responses.’
This section of the presentation covers a range of ways schools can help mobile Service families, especially their children.
For example, as soon as you find out that a child will be leaving your school to move to a new area, you should help them to find out about their new location and their new school. Establishing an electronic link, such as e-mail, with a pupil in their new school will enable the child to begin to make at least one friendship prior to the move. This will also allow him or her to find out about the new school environment that they will move to.
You should try and involve current pupils in preparing an 'Induction Pack' for new pupils to explain the important things they need to know about the school from a pupil’s point of view. Ideally, this induction pack should be updated and developed by each new arrival. Having a welcome document produced by Service children already in the school is particularly good practice as it demonstrates to parents that the school welcomes children from Service families.
Current pupils should be invited to be 'mentors' or buddies for new arrivals, fulfilling certain tasks such as showing the newcomers around, making sure that they follow the school’s routines and that they have someone to talk to at break-times.
Teachers should also provide information about their daily classroom routine for both pupils and parents who are new to the school. This will avoid problems such as children not having the correct kit on the right days.
New pupils should be encouraged to talk about where they have been. Similarly, pupils who are due to leave should be given opportunities to talk about where they are going to. This can really help them emotionally.
It is helpful to create opportunities for pupils to talk about their experiences of moving with others so that they can learn from each others successes
It helps to have farewell rituals for departing children. Often the pupils themselves will have good ideas about the best way of celebrating farewells.
Similarly, there should be welcome rituals for new arrivals. Creating a welcoming ethos for military communities creates confidence amongst parents: effective schools celebrate their military links, including through their websites: their ‘front windows’.
Records about all aspects of a pupil’s progress, as well as their current targets, should be kept up to date and transferred promptly so that work can be set at an appropriate level in the next school.
The Common Transfer File (or CTF) in England is a statutory expectation for schools. There is equivalent legislation for Wales. One change to the CTF from September 2018 is that schools are requested to use it to transfer extra information about Service children to help address their particular needs.
Passing on comprehensive transfer records speedily to a pupil’s new school is crucial to a successful transition and continuity of education provision. As a general rule, schools should pass on what they would like to receive.
In 2014, the MoD developed a comprehensive Pupil Information Profile; not specific to any one country’s educational system, this is cited as good practice by the Department for Education and referred to in the current SEND Code of Practice.
In American literature, professionals talk about providing a pupil with a RAFT:
Reconcile conflicts before leaving.
Affirm relationships and achievements.
Plan farewells.
Think about the future.
As mentioned earlier, young people often create conflict to make the moving easier so it is important not only that they resolve these conflicts but that they develop conflict resolution skills, since children who move frequently may try and avoid doing this.
It is also important to help a child leave with a clear sense of who they are, who their friends are and what they have achieved. This will help them to move with a greater sense of identity and a higher level of self esteem. Schools should help pupils think about their future. This will prevent them dwelling on what may be sad times and allow them to think constructively about what the future will hold.
It is recommended that all adults working with a child, including the parents, are aware of the transition process and the challenges that this may present to young people at its different stages. Pupils also need to be aware of the transition process in an age-appropriate way, as it might help them understand things such as creating conflict in order to ease the pain of separation.
Good schools offer strong emotional literacy support.
Education practitioners should remember that it is likely to take several months for a pupil to feel fully settled in their new environment.
In addition, the child may have unresolved grief about some of the separation they have experienced. You should be aware of the indicators of stress and separation anxiety, seeking advice should these persist. These may include:
More complaints of aches and pains, especially in the head and tummy, without apparent physical cause;
More irritability and lack of concentration;
Generally more problems at school.
In summary, transition is effective when pupils, their parents and schools are well prepared.
Service children and their parents views should be sought.
A named point of contact can help forge positive relationships between school and new parents / pupils, coordinating personal support and focussing on the positive side of transition.
Most schools successful at this have a detailed ‘mobility procedure’, overseen by a named member of staff who ensures that policy is followed rigorously. These procedures should be repeatable and include relentlessly chasing any gaps in record-keeping from a transferring school.
Such systematic processes may include checklists of key dates when certain things are done, such as a meeting with the child and parents a couple of weeks after arrival to check on how well they are settling, and whether additional support might be beneficial.
Dedicated CPD for staff, emotional literacy support and awareness of warning signs all contribute to effective transitions for all pupils, but especially Service children.
By planning these, pupils will be helped to settle quickly and the potentially positive aspects of a mobile lifestyle will be realised, such as developing the life skills of coping with change, being adaptable and developing resilience.
Whilst Service children aren’t the only pupils who regularly have to move schools, their circumstances are quite unique. For education professionals working with them, Service children regularly say that it helps them hugely if they feel their ‘culture’ is understood.
It is therefore strongly recommended that those who work with them should read the 1999 book by David Pollock and Ruth Van Reken: “The Third Culture Kid Experience”. A Third Culture Kid is defined as 'a person who has spent a significant part of his or her development years living outside the parent culture’.
Most importantly, sometimes children and their parents just need to know that there is someone who is always there, understands and cares.
