School transitions

What is a school transition?

A school transition is a period of time during which someone is going through a change in their school environment and needs to adjust to it.

These transitions are always important moments.
Most of the time, they are an opportunity for students to progress, regardless of their needs. They present them with beneficial development possibilities (excitement linked to new beginnings, opportunity to make new friends, positive opportunities to learn new things, etc.).

However, these transitions can generate fear, confusion and anxiety in certain students, bringing their school path to a halt, or sometimes even regress.
(Doudin, Curchod and Lafortune, 2012)

How to support a successful transition?

A successful transition is one that is harmonious between the different levels, and the variety of school paths, for the student and the people in their life: family, friends, school staff (teachers, professionals, direction, etc.), community organizations, childcare services, health services and social services, etc. It requires a mutual adjustment from the concerned environments to promote some continuity in the student’s progress, all while fully taking advantage of what the transition means in terms of discovery and novelty.

A successful transition also considers the various factors in play on the school, individual, family, social and cultural spheres (mother tongue, gender, ethnic minority, first nation, rural or urban setting, etc.). It has a real impact on the motivation and engagement of students and, by extension, on their perseverance and school success (MEES, 2012).

Winning conditions for a successful transition

• Putting in place regular, varied, well planned and well-structured transition practices
• Proper collaboration between the different actors, including the parents, through the whole process
• Educational continuity
• Practices adjusted to the child’s and environment’s needs, individualized when necessary
• Taking the time necessary in collaboration (meetings, discussions, knowledge sharing, etc.)

Expected benefits of a successful transition

Here are some of the most important advantages or benefits we can expect from a successful school transition:

• Better prepared parents and students, who feel safer and more confident about school
• Better prepared institutions and parents who are more willing to get involved
• Stimulating intersectoral work experiences for counselors
• Better continuity between the students’ living environments