For autistic students, the transition from primary to secondary school can be particularly challenging due to new academic expectations, social dynamics, and sensory environments.
These changes can lead to heightened anxiety, stress, and difficulties in adjusting to the new setting. Secondary schools play a crucial role in supporting these students by focusing on key areas such as pre-transition planning, inclusive environments, staff training, clear communication, and social inclusion.
This article identifies critical focus areas for secondary schools during this transition period and provides practical strategies that promote an inclusive, supportive environment for autistic students.
By emphasising pre-transition planning, inclusive spaces, staff training, clear communication, and social inclusion, we can create a foundation of familiarity and security, ensuring a smoother transition and setting students up for success.
Pre-transition planning
Autistic students often rely on predictability and familiarity to feel secure. Transitioning to a new school can disrupt these routines, leading to increased stress. By collaborating with primary school staff and parents, secondary schools can gain valuable insights into individual student needs and develop tailored strategies to ease the transition.
- Liaise with primary school staff: Establish communication with primary school staff to discuss individual student needs, successful strategies, and potential challenges, fostering a shared understanding and well-informed support.
- Student passports: Create student passports outlining essential information about individual autistic students, such as strengths, interests, and accommodations, ensuring secondary school staff are well-prepared to support their needs.
- Student visits: Arrange visits for autistic students to tour the new school, meet key staff members, and ask questions, helping to alleviate potential anxiety and familiarise them with their new environment.
Inclusive environment
Autistic students may experience sensory sensitivities or difficulties with social interactions, making it challenging to feel comfortable in new environments. By focusing on sensory considerations and implementing helpful visual supports, secondary schools can create a more inclusive and supportive setting.
- Sensory spaces: Create calming sensory spaces, such as quiet rooms or designated areas within classrooms, for students to access when feeling overwhelmed or in need of a break, helping them regulate emotions and improve focus.
- Visual supports: Implement visual aids, such as maps, schedules, and rule reminders, to help students navigate their new environment with confidence and reduce potential stress, promoting independence and a sense of belonging.
- Accessible resources: Ensure students have access to necessary resources, such as assistive technology or adaptive materials, to promote independence, academic success, and an inclusive learning experience.
Staff training and awareness
A lack of understanding and awareness of autism among secondary school staff can lead to unmet needs and challenges for autistic students. By providing training and promoting empathy, schools can create a more supportive and inclusive environment.
- Autism training: Provide professional development opportunities for staff to learn about autism, its impact on learning, and effective support strategies, ensuring a well-informed and empathetic school community.
- Expert consultation: Collaborate with autism specialists or educational psychologists to ensure best practices are implemented throughout the school and that students receive appropriate support.
- Student ambassadors: Encourage neurodivergent student ambassadors to share their experiences and insights with staff, promoting empathy, understanding, and a school culture that values and supports neurodiversity.
Clear communication and expectations
Autistic students may struggle with interpreting social cues and adapting to new routines, making it essential for secondary schools to establish clear communication and expectations.
- Consistent communication: Use consistent and straightforward language when communicating expectations, ensuring students understand academic and behavioural requirements and feel confident in meeting them.
- Classroom routines: Develop structured routines within classrooms, helping students feel secure, organised, and focused on learning, promoting a sense of predictability, and reducing anxiety.
- Homework support: Provide clear guidelines and support for homework assignments, including visual aids and differentiated tasks, to promote success, reduce anxiety, and ensure students feel capable of completing work independently.
Peer support and social inclusion
Social interactions and forming new friendships can be challenging for autistic students. By fostering positive peer relationships and promoting understanding, secondary schools can create a more inclusive and welcoming environment.
- Circle of friends: Establish "circle of friends" groups, where students meet to participate in structured activities and develop connections with autistic peers, promoting empathy, understanding, and lasting friendships.
- Inclusive clubs and activities: Offer a range of inclusive extra-curricular activities that cater to diverse interests and abilities, promoting friendship, a sense of belonging, and opportunities for shared experiences.
- Peer education: Implement peer education programmes to increase understanding and acceptance of neurodiversity among the student body, fostering a supportive and inclusive school culture.
Final thoughts
Fostering a successful transition for autistic students requires a collective effort from staff, parents, and the students themselves.
By focusing on pre-transition planning, inclusive environments, staff training, clear communication, and social inclusion, secondary schools can empower autistic students to thrive academically, socially, and emotionally.
With commitment, empathy, and understanding, we can create a more inclusive and supportive educational experience for all students, regardless of their unique challenges and needs.
- Dr Pooky Knightsmith is a passionate ambassador for mental health, wellbeing and PSHE. Her work is backed up both by a PhD in child and adolescent mental health and her own lived experience of PTSD, anorexia, self-harm, anxiety, and depression. Follow her on X @PookyH and visit www.pookyknightsmith.com. Find her previous articles and podcast/webinar appearances for SecEd via www.sec-ed.co.uk/authors/dr-pooky-knightsmith