Transition to and from alternative settings

This page will guide you through the key transition focuses when moving from primary education to secondary education, and how to prepare for adulthood at this stage

Transitions for young people in alternative settings

There are alternative settings and provisions that those young people with additional needs can attend if they present needs that cannot be met within a mainstream or specialist setting, or if parents request for their children to be educated out of the 'educational system'. In these cases, the transition process should be the same as any other setting with the values and principles being the same. Alternative provision should be an alternative educational provision and as such should be using the SEND Thresholds and exchanging information in line with any other provision. Services from health and social care should be involved in the next stage of planning support. This applies to young people who are going into hospital and/or receiving home tuition. Those parents who have elected to educate their children at home will need to discuss with the various services their child's needs as some services may not be available.

Some children and young people have been or are out of any schooling. It is so important for these children and young people to contact the Local Authority on 0191 433 8745. There are children and young people with additional needs who have been educated and/ or have lived and placed outside Gateshead. Effective transition for those young people is pivotal to their next stage. Multi-disciplinary teams need to put in timely wrap around support for these young people to ensure that they 'move on' in the way that they would wish, and plans are in place to support them.

The Virtual School supports young people and their education who are in care. They support all transitions and are a key point of contact for families and young people alike.

Transitions for young people who are permanently excluded

All Secondary young people that are permanently excluded are registered into River Tyne Academy or provided with an education directly by the Local Authority and placed on our educated other than at school (EOTAS) register until such time a placement at River Tyne Academy or a different mainstream school becomes available.

Each of the pupils has a referral document completed by the excluding school which also includes additional information such as attendance. If admitted into River Tyne Academy, they would initially meet with the parent(s) and young person and carry out assessments to formulate a package of support and a plan for integration. If the young person is offered education directly by Gateshead Local Authority until a placement at River Tyne Academy becomes available, then Education Support would meet the parent and young person to discuss their educational needs, supported by the referral completed by the school and any additional information, and would formulate an educational package. The Education Support Service would share pertinent information with all allocated providers or tutors. The Education Support Service would then attend the admission meeting into any alternative provision with the parent and young person or meet with the parent, young person and any allocated tutor. Once a place becomes available at River Tyne Academy, The Education Support Service would discuss the young person with the provision and discuss their admission to River Tyne Academy with the parent and young person. River Tyne Academy would then implement their admission protocols.

All Primary children that are permanently excluded are admitted into Eslington School. The Education Support Service would speak directly with the excluding school and share pertinent information with Eslington School. Eslington School would then contact parent(s)/carers to make arrangements for their child/young person to be admitted into the school with an appropriate integration plan.

Transitions for young people in out of authority placements

Transition should be the same whether the child/young person is within or outside the Local Authority so this guidance is appropriate. However, as distance and access to professionals may be an issue, it is important to ensure the following are in place:

• if the placement is in a residential special school, the young person will have an Education, Health and Care plan. It is important that this plan states from the earliest opportunity the processes of moving back home and to the local community. The school should put in arrangements from the beginning that this is an expectation and liaise with the relevant professionals to make this happen. The SEND Case Worker will be pivotal in all these discussions and the transition should be a key area in all the subsequent Annual Reviews. The Preparation for Adulthood should be an integral part of any plan along with vocational profiles, one page support plans and employment plans if appropriate
• if the placement is for residence only, the above still applies. If the young person is attending a day school out of the authority as a result of the residential placement, then the above also applies
• the key is that all relevant agencies are involved in partnership with the family and young person to make the transition back to Gateshead as smooth and effective as possible.