Well-planned and effective transition arrangements are fundamental to maintaining children’s and young people’s progression within Curriculum for Excellence. These include:

• pre-school to primary
• between stages
• primary to secondary
• from additional support for learning units and establishments to mainstream provision
• from the broad general education at the end of S3 into the senior phase
• beyond school to positive and sustained destinations such as employment and further and higher education

Learners also experience transitions when moving school, class, or programme and where their learning is planned across a range of contexts within and outwith education establishments. Taking stock of learners’ progress and achievements is particularly important at transitions.

An effective transition should promote continuity and progression in learning. All practitioners, staff, parents and support agencies need to work together to ensure this and to involve learners in the process. Such partnership approaches are particularly important to ensure children’s wellbeing and progress in the Curriculum for Excellence early level, which spans the pre-school into primary school transition. The secondary to post-school transition is another example where partnership working needs to be well planned to allow appropriate engagement and, if necessary, further assessment of needs by partner agencies.