Get support for starting or moving school (transition support)

Changing or starting school can be a difficult time for children with autism and their families.  

Get more support with autism 

Transitioning to primary school 

Having open communication between parents and staff will help make transitions smoother for children. 

A good way to prepare some children for the move to a new school or class is by using visual resources. 

These could be using homemade books made up of pictures you can take with your child when visiting their new school. 

Find social stories and transition books

These are some books you can buy to explore changes at school:  

• See You Later, Mum – Jennifer Northway
• The First Day of School – Toby Forward
• Going to School – Usborne First Experiences
• Maisy Goes to Nursery – Lucy Cousins
• Come to School Too, Blue Kangaroo! – Emma Chichester Chalk
• Starting School – Janet and Allan Ahlberg
• Lulu Loves Nursery – Camilla Reid
• I Am Too Absolutely Small for School – Lauren Child
• Billy and the Big New School – Catherine and Laurence Anholt
• My First Day at Nursery School – Becky Edwards
• Splat the Cat – Rob Scotton
• I’m Going to School! – Nikki Saunders  

Transitioning to secondary school 

Most autistic children will be able to get the support they need at a mainstream secondary school. All schools have different expertise or levels of support so it’s important to start thinking about which school is best for your child as early as possible.  

You can also use the following resources: 

If your child does not have an EHCP 

You must choose a school in October when your child is in Year 6.   

You can attend open days during the autumn term to help you decide which schools may be right for your child. Open days can be overwhelming so it may be better to bring your child separately once you have narrowed down your choices.  

If your child has an EHCP 

You will need to choose up to 3 schools during the summer term when your child is in Year 5.   

We will contact you at the beginning of Year 5 with a list of schools and open days.  

You can attend open days during the autumn term or make an appointment separately with the school. Open days can be overwhelming so it may be better to bring your child separately once you have narrowed down your choices.  

Some schools have designated specialist provisions (DSPs) that offer more support. These are also known as Local Authority Resourced Provisions (LARPs). Find out about schools with specialist support for autism 

Contact your child’s primary school SENCo to see if your child’s needs meet the criteria. We have limited specialist places so it is important that you consider if mainstream schools are a good fit for your child. 

If you need advice on the transition process for your autistic child, you can contact us.