Transition resources
Staffordshire County Council’s Recovery Plan has been devised in the context of Covid-19. This plan incorporates a number of projects across SCC services including the Educational Psychology Service to support educational settings in the aftermath of emergency restrictions. The EPS has devised materials in a number of areas with the aim of providing educational settings with support that can be accessed immediately in the new academic year, without the need to refer into the service directly.
We are aiming to provide an overview of the resources and documents available to support transition to school for children and young people following school closures during the Covid-19 pandemic.
- BPS Guidance: ‘Talking to Children about Coronavirus’ - Advice for adults about talking to children about coronavirus.
- Suffolk Learning - A team of staff, including clinical psychologists, have put together a support package in collaboration with the West Suffolk secondary schools they are working in. The support pack includes support for primary schools to:
- Leadership Team briefing document
- Welcome back guideline for staff
- Back to school assembly for students
- Association of Educational Psychologists - Information and resources specific to transition signposting to resources produced by authorities and schools
- Star Stream Website - Range of Social Stories, Symbols, Worry Plans, transition guidance for schools and transition booklets for children to complete.
- Creative Education - Provides videos and guidance to support implementing a safe, return to school using the SWAN framework
- The Key – for school leaders - Top Tips for school leaders for talking to children about Covid-19
- NCSEM (National Centre for Sport and Exercise Medicine) - Resources, videos and practice guidelines (parent leaflets available too). Supporting early years professionals with physical activity guidance and resources to help them lay the foundations for the future health and wellbeing of children in the early years.
- Leicestershire LA - Questions which may support staff/educational professionals’ knowledge, understanding and relationships with children and families who are involved in transitions to school.
- British Association for Early Childhood Education - Blog discussing developmentally appropriate key stage 1 curriculum. However, many of the ideas are transferrable for any transition. Key points: talk, interaction and play, establishing relationships and friendships. Covers how the social distancing restrictions may have impacted on children’s physical development.
- Coram Life Education - Free toolkit and book suggestions for return to school, with a specific section on 4-5 year olds.
- Self-Care Tree for staff - Document that details ways to manage stress at work and home during Covid-19.
- The Special Needs Jungle - The special needs jungle website has compiled a range of resources that will be helpful for supporting children and young people with SEND. The page also contains a range of links to activities, resources and ideas relating to a range of topics including wellbeing, self-regulation, exercise, sensory and formal learning.
- ELSA: Supporting social and emotional learning - Offer free and purchasable resources for schools to help support social and emotional learning, transition resources available on website.
- CPD: Preparing Autistic and children with SEND for going back to school - Free online CPD course for teaching staff around considerations and planning for return to school for children with SEND following ‘lockdown’.
- Southend EPS - Southend EPS have collated an extensive range of links and resources, including information on talking to children and young people about Coronavirus, information about emotional wellbeing and mental health, activities for teaching staff and other professionals and activities for families to enjoy at home.
- Dr Karen Treisman- resources to support children and adults around anxiety, worry, stress, and fears; including resources specific to Covid-19 - Free videos, worksheets, tips, tools, podcasts, and resources
- World Health Organisation (WHO):Key messages and actions for Covid-19 and prevention and control in schools (March 2020) - Short booklet with guidance which provides key messages and considerations for engaging school administrators, teachers and staff, parents, caregivers and community members, as well as children themselves in promoting safe and healthy schools.
- Cognus Website (thinking about education) - See PowerPoint available for supporting pupils with Autism with transition following Covid-19.
- Barry Carpenter Education / Evidence for learning - Podcast and information on recovering curriculum for those transitioning back to school following Covid-19.
- Anna Freud Centre: Mentally Healthy Schools - Support and advice for primary schools, offering school staff information, advice and practical resources to better understand and promote pupils’ mental health and wellbeing. Transition focussed information available below:
- BPS: Back to school: using psychological perspectives to support re-engagement and recovery - Guidance from the British Psychological Society. This guidance complements the UK and national government advice on the return to school for pupils by offering a psychological perspective on the process of re-engaging children and young people with school.
- What you told us: Thoughts shared by children and young people about the current situation by Educational Psychology Reach-Out - Podcast that details research that explored the views of 700 primary, secondary, and college students around COVID-19 and returning to school/college. The research highlighted four key themes that children and young people discussed:
- Safety: Young people are worried about how they will be safe in school and what the rules will be. They want clear guidance in place and want to see measures are taken to ensure they are safe.
- Relationships: Peer, teacher and home relationships. Young people wanted time to reconnect with peers and teachers before going back to formal learning. They also spoke about missing home when they return to school.
- Missed new opportunities: Young people spoke about missed opportunities like Prom, SATs, and exams. They also discussed time to continue to pursue new opportunities like craft projects, being outdoors, and learning new games.
- Certainty: Young people wanted clarity about what was going to happen and wanted time to get ready to return to school. They wanted certainty around school expectations, classrooms, teachers for next year, and what exams in the future may look like.
- Staffordshire County Council Early Year’s Case Studies - Two case studies from Staffordshire Early Years settings showing how they have kept in touch with families and provided resources to support home learning.
- BPS Guidance: ‘Talking to Children about Coronavirus’ - Advice for adults around talking to children about coronavirus.
- Dr Karen Treisman - resources to support children and adults around anxiety, worry, stress, and fears; including those specific to Covid-19 - Free videos, worksheets, tips, tools, podcasts, and resources
- World Health Organisation (WHO): Key messages and actions for COVID-19 and prevention and control in schools (March 2020) - Short booklet with guidance which provides key messages and considerations for engaging school administrators, teachers and staff, parents, caregivers and community members, as well as children themselves in promoting safe and healthy schools.
- Children’s Mental Health Campaign - Resources for parents and children to support mental health, emotional wellbeing and awareness of coronavirus.
- The Special Needs Jungle - The special needs jungle website has compiled a range of resources that will be helpful for supporting children and young people with SEND. The page also contains a range of links to activities, resources and ideas relating to a range of topics including wellbeing, self-regulation, exercise, sensory and formal learning.
- Anna Freud Centre for families - Support and guidance for families to help manage coronavirus outbreak.
- Zero to Three - Have an excellent range of resources for families with young children and toddlers. The resources include age-appropriate responses to common questions, a guide to self-care, and activities for young children experiencing social distancing.
- Staffordshire County Council: New Family Hubs - The eight Family Hubs are virtual spaces where local people can find information, advice and guidance, as well as connect with others in their area. The hubs will answer questions, help families find support and share ideas for coping with the changes coronavirus is making to our lives. Please like and share the Facebook pages to help families know we are here to help.
- Public Health England - Guidance for parents and carers on supporting children and young people’s mental health and well-being during the COVID-19 pandemic.
- Sue Cowley: Managing children’s behaviour while at home - Support for parents regarding managing behaviour at home.
- Early Years Alliance: Talking to children about Coronavirus - Support for parents around talking to early years children about Coronavirus.
- Early Years: Supporting Home Schooling - Case studies focussing on supporting children’s learning at home and book sharing at home. Also 12 resources available to support learning at home.
- Maudsley Charity: Supporting Behaviour - Website to support families with children’s emotions and behaviour.
- Greater Manchester Health and Social Care Partnership - A range of resources aimed at children and families including services available, how to talk about Coronavirus and bereavement, see the dedicated area on their mental health and wellbeing hub.
- Star Stream Website - Range of Social Stories, Symbols, Worry Plans, transition guidance for schools and transition booklets for children to complete.
- Dr Karen Treisman - resources to support children and adults around anxiety, worry, stress, and fears; including specific Covid-19 info - Free videos, worksheets, tips, tools, podcasts, and resources.
- The Autism Educator - A coronavirus social story from The Autism Educator referencing social distancing and why we are unable to visit favourite places.
- Anderson Press: Staying at home downloadable story book - Book showing a family of racoons who are unable to attend nursery and have to stay at home
- European Space Agency - The European Space Agency (ESA) has launched Expedition: Home where parents and kids can access plenty of space-based activities and keep learning from home.
- Dave the Dog, a storybook - Dave the Dog is worried about Coronavirus written by Molly Watts, a registered children’s nurse.
- The Children’s Commissioner - A simple presentation about the virus from the Children’s Commissioner.
- Communication Friendly Environments - Blogs and tools (e.g. social stories) that are communication friendly focussing on topics such as social distancing and wearing masks.
- Hope Clouds Activity - Planning activity for young people and teachers about their hopes when returning to school.
- Headspace App - Guide to daily mindfulness activities.
- Coronavirus Book by Manuela Molina - Illustrated book about Coronavirus for children.
- NHS Self-Care Kit for Children - Document for children that explores managing their feelings and worries, and ways to relax.
- Mindheart - Storybooks talking to children about coronavirus. Available in many different languages
- Think Resilient - What Can I Control document - 20-minute activity for young people to identify ways to look positively at challenges and minimise the negative effects of them.
- Cosmic Kids Yoga - Yoga, Mindfulness and relaxation for Kids aged 3+..
- Nottinghamshire EPS: Therapeutic Story - Therapeutic story to support primary-age children in exploring strong emotions linked to the coronavirus pandemic.
- Greater Manchester Health and Social Care Partnership - A range of resources aimed at children and families including services available, how to talk about Coronavirus and bereavement, see the dedicated area on their mental health and wellbeing hub.
- Place2Be - Place2Be is a children’s mental health charity that provides counselling and mental health support and training in UK schools. They have a dedicated area on their site with information on Covid-19.
- 42nd Street charity - 42nd Street is an innovative Greater Manchester young people’s mental health charity providing free and confidential services to young people who are experiencing difficulties with their mental health and emotional wellbeing.
- NSW education department (Australia basResources for parents and children to support mental health, emotional wellbeing and awareness of coronavirus.ed but still has some useful resources for return to school) - Daisy’s first day: a children’s book about Daisy the koala on her first day at primary school.
- Children’s mental health campaign - Resources for parents and children to support mental health, emotional wellbeing and awareness of coronavirus.
- Hungry Little Minds. Activities to help support parents when supporting their children whilst at home - All activities divided into ages 0-5. Supported by DfE. Primarily focussed on communication, speech and language. There is also a section signposting and offering links to other websites and recommendations of apps for early years.
- BBC Activities to support parents to support their children whilst at home - All activities divided into ages 0-5. Primarily focussed on support for communication, speech and language. Lots of great video clips and no expensive materials to buy.
- Staffordshire County Council - Lots of activities to support children’s learning at home - Virtual support set up to enable parents to engage in home learning virtually via the Children’s Centre pages with bedtime stories, singing sessions etc that support people to maintain these activities within the home.
- Booktrust and BBC Audio Books - Range of audio books available that include songs and simple movements.
- National Autistic Society - The NAS has compiled a range of information and resources to help those with autism and other communication difficulties during the pandemic.