This course is written primarily for the Year 6 to Year 7 move from primary to secondary school, the single most common and best-evidenced transition pupils face, and the one the research below is grounded in. The same five-week structure also works for a mid-year move to a different school, or for moving up to the next key stage within the same school; in either case, agree with the pupil in Week 1 which specific move this course is supporting, then treat every mention of 'the new setting' as shorthand for that move. It responds to research showing around 45% of parents report visible stress in their child during the primary-to-secondary transition specifically, with the effect often more pronounced for neurodivergent and otherwise vulnerable pupils. It supports Ofsted's expectation that schools actively prepare pupils for key transition points as part of Personal Development, an area DfE and the Department of Health and Social Care have noted remains underdeveloped in policy and practice.
Objective: Pupil can name the specific transition this course is supporting, at least two specific worries, and two things the pupil is looking forward to about it.
Check-in: Open, warm question: 'How are you feeling about the move at the moment, excited, worried, a bit of both?'
Input: Start by naming the specific move this course is supporting: moving from primary to secondary school (Year 6 to Year 7), moving to a different school mid-year, or moving up to the next key stage within the same school. Agree this with the pupil so 'the move' and 'the new setting' have a concrete meaning for the rest of the course. Then explain that feeling mixed about a big change is completely normal, and that naming specific worries, rather than a vague sense of dread, makes them much easier to plan for.
Activity: Pupil completes a simple 'worries and hopes' chart, sorting specific thoughts about the move into two columns.
Reflect: Which worry feels biggest right now? Agree to bring this to next week's session to work on directly.
Watch for: Vague, general anxiety ('I just don't want to go') is common and can be hard to work with directly, gently help the pupil break it into specific, addressable worries over the five weeks.
Parent/carer take-home: Ask what the pupil is most looking forward to about the move, as well as what worries the pupil, balancing both sides helps keep the conversation from feeling one-sided.
Objective: Pupil can describe the practical layout, routine or route for the pupil's new setting.
Check-in: Review the biggest worry named last week.
Input: Introduce the idea that unfamiliarity is one of the biggest drivers of transition anxiety, and that building practical familiarity, routes, timetables, what to bring, reduces uncertainty directly.
Activity: Using a map, timetable, or photos of the new setting (where available), pupil walks through a typical day: getting there, key locations, and what's needed for the first day.
Reflect: What's one practical thing that would make day one feel easier? Agree to prepare it together before the move.
Watch for: For particularly anxious pupils, a planned pre-visit to the new setting, even briefly, can make a significant difference, flag this as a recommendation to relevant staff or family if not already arranged.
Parent/carer take-home: If possible, visit the route to the new setting together before the move, even just once, this small step of familiarity can meaningfully reduce first-day anxiety.
Objective: Pupil can rehearse at least one practical way to start a conversation or join a group in a new setting.
Check-in: Check how preparing the practical first-day item went.
Input: Introduce simple, low-pressure ways to start conversations and join groups (a shared interest question, sitting near others at lunch, joining a club early on) rather than expecting instant close friendships.
Activity: Role-play starting a conversation with a new peer, using an opening line the pupil chooses.
Reflect: Which opening felt most natural? Agree to try starting one small conversation in the first weeks at the new setting.
Watch for: Reassure the pupil that friendships often take weeks, not days, to form in a new setting, this is normal, not a sign that something's wrong.
Parent/carer take-home: If the new setting offers early clubs, taster days, or induction events, encourage attending at least one, shared activities make starting conversations much easier.
Objective: Pupil can name and try at least one coping strategy for moments of uncertainty during the move.
Check-in: Review how the social rehearsal from last week felt.
Input: Introduce simple coping tools for uncertainty: slow breathing, a comforting object or reminder from home, and a plan for who to find if something feels overwhelming on a given day.
Activity: Practise one calming technique together, and agree on a 'go-to' person or place at the new setting for the first few weeks.
Reflect: Which strategy felt most useful? Agree to keep it in mind for the first day.
Watch for: Some pupils cope by over-preparing to the point of exhaustion, balance practical preparation with reassurance that it's fine not to have everything figured out in advance.
Parent/carer take-home: Practise the chosen calming technique together at a quiet moment this week, so it's familiar rather than new on a stressful day.
Objective: Pupil has a personalised transition plan and knows who to go to in the new setting if things feel hard.
Check-in: Review the five weeks using the Week 1 worries and hopes chart as a comparison point.
Input: Summarise what's been covered: naming specific worries, practical familiarity, social strategies, and coping tools for uncertainty.
Activity: Co-create a one-page transition plan: the biggest worry and how to manage it, the go-to coping strategy, and the name of a trusted adult in the new setting.
Reflect: What's one thing you feel more confident about now? What still feels a bit uncertain?
Watch for: Agree a review point a few weeks into the new setting, since transition difficulties often only fully surface once the move has actually happened, not before.
Parent/carer take-home: Check in gently a few weeks after the move to see how things are settling, since some transition worries only appear once the pupil is actually in the new routine.