SEN Transition Planning Pack - Free SEN Resource

The SEN Transition Planning Pack is a complete, statutory-aligned resource designed to support children and young people with Special Educational Needs through every key school transition — from nursery to primary, primary to secondary, and post-16 and beyond. Aligned to the SEND Code of Practice 2015, the Children and Families Act 2014, and the Preparing for Adulthood framework from NDTI, it provides a structured, person-centered toolkit that covers the full transition journey from initial planning through to post-start review. The pack contains six core sections: a 12-Month Transition Timeline with milestone planner, a Child Profile Handover Form, separate action checklists for both sending and receiving schools, a ready-to-use Parent Communication Letter Template, a structured Transition Review Meeting Agenda with action log, and a dedicated guidance section on supporting anxious and autistic students through change. A child voice worksheet and a reference guide to key UK frameworks and organisations are also included. The document spans 31 pages.

This pack is written for anyone involved in planning or supporting a SEN transition, including SENCOs, class teachers, form tutors, teaching assistants, and family workers in both sending and receiving schools. It is equally relevant for parents and carers of children with EHCPs, SEN Support plans, autism diagnoses, anxiety, or complex and overlapping needs who want to understand what good transition planning looks like and how to be meaningfully involved. Local authority SEND teams, educational psychologists, and post-16 providers will also find the timeline, handover form, and meeting agenda directly applicable to their role in the transition process.

Each section of this pack can be used independently or as a complete transition portfolio, depending on the complexity of the child's needs and the stage of the transition process. Planning should begin at least 12 months in advance for children with EHCPs, using the Milestone Planner to map key actions, deadlines, and named leads across both schools. The Child Profile Handover Form should be completed collaboratively with the family and, wherever possible, with the child themselves, using strengths-based language before being shared with the receiving school with written parental consent. The sending and receiving school checklists should each be worked through independently, with completed copies retained by both settings. The Parent Communication Letter should be sent four to five months before transition, always followed by a meeting or call. The Meeting Agenda provides a 85-minute structured format that places the child's strengths and the family's questions at its center, ensuring the process feels collaborative rather than procedural. The anxiety and autism guidance section should be shared with all staff involved in the child's reception, and the child voice prompts used by a keyworker or trusted adult at the earliest appropriate opportunity.