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Transition from school

How to prepare for the meeting

A lot of work goes on before the meeting to make sure that everyone who will be there knows about your child and can help to make the right decisions for your child's future.

The school will give your child a booklet explaining about the review.

You will receive a letter inviting you to the meeting.  This will tell you when and where the meeting will be; it's usually held at your child's school.

The school will also write to all the other people involved with your child's care and education to invite them to come to the meeting.  These letters will ask for written reports to be sent to the school so that these can be copied and sent out to everyone at least two weeks before the meeting.

It is important that you read all the reports, with your child, before the meeting.  You can then decide what each of you wants to talk about at the meeting.

The letter will also tell you the name of the person who is organising the meeting, and give you their telephone number so that you can call them if you need to.  This person is called the facilitator of the meeting.

You will also be contacted by the Special Educational Needs Team, or the Statement Support and Review Service.  A member of one of these teams will arrange to meet with you and your child before the meeting to discuss your child's education and what they want for their future.  They will also meet with your child's teachers, Careers/Connexions Service and any other people involved with your child's care and education, before the meeting.

This person will attend the meeting to put forward the views they have gathered.

Meeting preparation questions - example only

You may use the meeting preparation questions below to make a note of your thoughts before the meeting to make sure that all you and your child's concerns are covered in the meeting.  Your issues and concerns may be similar or quite different.

What are your child's achievements or successes?

Learning piano really well
Great sense of humour
Tries really hard at swimming
Always polite
Very sociable

What is important to your child now?

Family
Getting good grades
Access around the school buildings
Good support
Year 10 option choices
Piano lessons

What is important for your child's future?

Plans for post 16
Work experience
Independent travel
Independence skills
Learn value of money

What support does your child need to achieve their goals?

Advice/guidance choosing year 10 options
Access to exams
Continued support in maths
More help in technology
Help completing homework planner

What is working for your child?

Good group of friends
Supportive teachers
Being accepted as I am
Distance support in most lessons

What is not working for your child?

Not sat with friends in science
Doesn't like ICT
Homework
Home-school communication

Action plan - questions to answer/issues to resolve

Check access for exams
Planned support for work experience and year 10 options
Life skills programme to be introduced
Improve home-school communication systems
Discuss seating arrangements with science teacher
Monitor support in technology.

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