Jumping from Y6 to Y7 usually means a new school
Transitions can be a flashpoint: routines change, trusted adults shift, and vulnerable pupils can slip through gaps.
- What makes transitions risky (and for who)?
- How to share information safely between settings?
- Practical support for vulnerable children through change
- Summer-born children and confidence/needs
- SEND transitions and multi-agency planning; and
- How to maintain continuity of safeguarding support over the summer.
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Are your most vulnerable pupils getting the support they need during transition — or just paperwork?
The biggest risk in transition isn’t that nobody cares. It’s that we can easily assumes it's automatically covered. A strong transition plan is simple: the right information, to the right people, early enough to act.
1) Why transitions increase safeguarding risk
Transitions can trigger:
- Anxiety and dysregulation (behaviour changes, withdrawal)
- Increased peer influence and bullying risk, especially from new children
- Attendance dips and reduced engagement
- More online exposure and risky contact
- Reduced visibility of concerns (new staff don’t know baseline behaviour)
For some pupils, transition is a fresh start. For others, it’s a stress test.
2) Who needs the most support (think vulnerability, not labels)
Transition support should prioritise pupils who are:
- Known to safeguarding teams (current or historical concerns)
- Looked-after / previously looked-after
- Experiencing family stress, bereavement, domestic abuse, or housing instability
- At risk of exploitation (criminal/sexual), missing episodes, or online harm
- Neurodivergent or with SEND (especially where routines are protective)
- Socially isolated, bullied, or struggling with friendships
Practical point: vulnerability can change quickly in summer.
3) Information sharing between schools: make it usable
Information sharing isn’t about sending a folder. It’s about sending what helps staff protect a child.
What to share (the “need-to-know” set)
- Current safeguarding concerns and risk indicators
- What has worked (and what escalates things)
- Key trusted adults and protective factors
- Attendance patterns and known triggers
- Any active plans (Early Help, CIN, CP, TAC, etc.)
How to share it well
- Use a short, structured format (one-page summary + chronology if needed)
- Confirm who receives it (named safeguarding lead)
- Record what was shared, when, and why in digital safeguarding records
Top Tip: If there are multiple children consider a formal meeting to go through each child and highlight key support requirements
4) The summer gap: continuity when school isn’t in session
Safeguarding doesn’t pause for summer.
Practical continuity actions
- Identify pupils needing a summer check-in plan
- Confirm who holds responsibility during holidays (and how to contact)
- Share safe support routes with families (where appropriate)
- For activity providers: confirm escalation routes and reporting expectations
5) Year 6 to Year 7: the real-world risks
Secondary transition often increases:
- Peer pressure and risky social dynamics
- Travel independence (routes, strangers, online meet-ups)
- Exposure to new, older pupils and new environments
- Phone/social media use and group chats
Practical safeguarding supports
- Travel safety guidance and safe routes, test run them with the child
- Online safety refresh (privacy, reporting, grooming awareness)
- Named “go-to” adult in the new setting and introduce them as early as possible
- Early monitoring of attendance and behaviour changes
6) Summer-born children: confidence, maturity, and safeguarding
Summer-born pupils can be younger within the cohort, which may affect:
- Confidence in new environments
- Social resilience and boundary-setting
- Vulnerability to peer influence
Support isn’t about lowering expectations — it’s about increasing predictability and trusted support.
7) SEND transitions: plan earlier, plan more specifically
SEND transitions work best when they’re proactive.
What good SEND transition planning includes
- Visual supports and routine previews
- Gradual familiarisation (visits, photos, maps, staff introductions)
- Clear communication plan between settings
- Risk assessment for key moments (crowds, noise, unstructured time)
- Multi-agency input where needed
How safeguarding software supports transition planning
Transitions are information-heavy and time-sensitive.
Safeguarding software helps by:
- Keeping a clear chronology in digital safeguarding records
- Supporting consistent, structured handovers
- Reducing reliance on memory and informal conversations
- Creating an audit trail of what was shared and when
Q&A: common safeguarding questions about transitions
Q1: What’s the biggest safeguarding risk during transition?
Gaps in information and ownership — concerns not shared early enough, or not shared with the right people.
Q2: What information should we share with the receiving school?
The minimum needed to keep the child safe: current concerns, key risks, what works, and who to contact. Keep it structured and factual.
Q3: How do we support vulnerable pupils over the summer?
Create a simple continuity plan: who checks in, what support routes exist, and what to do if risk increases.
Q4: How can we reduce bullying risk during transition?
Early relationship-building, clear reporting routes, monitoring of hotspots (travel, online group chats), and quick intervention when patterns emerge.
Q5: What’s different about SEND transitions?
Predictability and routine are protective. Plan earlier, use gradual familiarisation, and share practical strategies that work for the pupil.
Q6: How do we evidence good safeguarding during transition?
Document what was shared, who received it, and what actions were agreed — supported by digital safeguarding records.
Quick checklist: safer transitions
- Identify pupils needing enhanced transition support
- Share structured safeguarding information early
- Confirm named contacts and ownership in both settings
- Plan for the summer gap (continuity and escalation)
- Add travel and online safety supports for Year 6→7
- Record handovers in digital safeguarding records