Supporting transitions
Starting school, moving to a new class, or simply getting through a busy school day - transitions can be a big deal for all children including those with Down syndrome. With the right planning and support in place, they can go well. Really well.
We’ve brought together everything you need in one place: guidance for parents, practical tips for teachers, and free resources you can use straight away.
The learning profile associated with Down syndrome includes difficulties with speech, language and memory. This means that the usual way of sharing information about a new setting or routine – a verbal explanation, a quick chat with a new teacher – may not be enough on its own.
Children with Down syndrome need information presented in a way that works for them – visually, repeatedly, and with time to prepare. When that happens, transitions are likely to be more successful.
The three things that make the biggest difference are: planning, preparation, and visuals.
We’ll walk you through what each of those looks like in practice.
Tips to support transitions
Plan early - and plan together
Good transitions don’t happen the week before. Start thinking about what’s coming as early as you can, and make sure everyone involved is part of the plan – parents, the current setting, new staff, and the child or young person themselves.
Think about who needs to know what, and who is responsible for sharing it. A Pupil Passport (see resources below) is a great way to keep information about the child clear and consistent.
Prepare new staff
If new staff are going to be working with a pupil with Down syndrome, they need training before they begin – not after. This gives them the confidence and knowledge to set high expectations from day one and provide the right support that meets the child’s learning needs.
As part of DSUK’s Education Programmes, schools have access to accredited training for teachers and teaching assistants, as well as a shorter video to help any new member of staff get up to speed quickly.
Make it visual
Children and young people with Down syndrome are strong visual learners. Wherever possible, share information about upcoming changes through pictures, photos and written words rather than verbal explanation alone.
A transition book can be developed with the pupil, focusing on the key information about the transition. This will show them exactly who is important, where they are going and other key information e.g., what door to come in, what toilets to use in the new year group, what a locker looks like and is for etc. Similarly, a social story can be used to teach new situations and expectations e.g., what format the register takes, how to ask for help, what to do at the end of playtime. These books that are personal to the child, typically use real photos so the child can see exactly what the people, environment and resources look like. These books can then be read repeatedly to build familiarity and confidence; at school before visits, at home with their family. A now-and-next board or visual timetable can help with day-to-day transitions between activities as well as having a list of what to do on a visit to a new environment/situation.
Visit - and make visits count
Visits to a new setting can be really beneficial, but should be planned carefully. A visit is an opportunity for the child to experience what the new setting/situation is like, what the expectations are and start to learn more about a transition. Think carefully about what you want the child to learn – allowing the child to do things that won’t be part of their expected routine (e.g., not coming to sit on the carpet with the class) may actually be teaching them what you don’t want them to do.
Use visits to teach the real expectations of the new environment. What do I do when I arrive? Where do my things go? What to do if I need help? Pair visits with the visuals you’ve already been working on and let the child practise the routines they’ll need.
Where possible, new staff should also visit the current setting to see what’s working – how the child is included in group times, what differentiation looks like, which strategies help most.
Think about the in-between times
Sometimes the trickiest moments aren’t the big ones. The gaps between activities – when one thing has finished but the next hasn’t started – can catch pupils out. What does waiting look like? What do I do with my hands? How do I start a conversation with my friends?
These are worth planning for too. Small, clear signals that an activity has ended (packing things away, putting them out of sight) and visual prompts for what comes next can make a real difference.
Don't forget communication tools
Transitions are a good opportunity to review and refresh a pupil’s communication tools.
Ensure current supports are taken on visits. Does the child have ways to start conversations with new peers and staff? Going into a new class is a lot easier when you’ve got a few questions to hand and/or something to show people.
Free transition resources
All of the resources below are free to access. Some are part of our Early Years Development Programme (EYDP) and Primary Education Programme (PEP) – programmes we’ve been running for two years, and which we’ve recently made completely free. If you’d like to help us keep it that way, you can support us here.
Early years transition pack
This video, presented by Sarah Holton from Down Syndrome UK, is taken from our Early Years Development Programme (EYDP) and is available here for any early years practitioner to watch. It covers the factors that make transitions harder for children with Down syndrome, practical strategies for daily transitions in your setting, and how to prepare children well for the biggest transition of all: starting school.
The downloadable resources below accompany the video and are free to use in your setting.
DSUK's Education Programmes
If you’re a parent and would like us to email your school to let them know about our services, you can refer them here.
DSUK Education Programmes
Help us keep this free
These resources are free because we believe every child with Down syndrome deserves well-informed teachers and a confident start. Please consider supporting Down Syndrome UK so we can keep creating and sharing resources like these.