Students with special educational needs: transitions from primary to secondary school
Abstract
This article looks at the experiences of young people with Statements of special educational needs prior to and following moves from primary to secondary school. Pam Maras and Emma‐Louise Aveling of the University of Greenwich, London, used interviews to develop six qualitative case studies focusing on the transition process. Findings from these case studies reveal that the young people varied in their expectations and needs during the transition to secondary school, and that schools differed in the quality and efficacy of the support systems they provide. Parents' and carers' responses suggest that additional support services were not necessarily the most beneficial way to provide for all of the young people. What did appear to be beneficial was continuity of support throughout the transition to a new school, and the provision of a dedicated space within the school, such as a special needs unit. Several of the young people adapted easily alongside their peers without special educational needs, while others required more structured support. Pam Maras and Emma‐Louise Aveling suggest that effective communication between support services, the young person, and their parents can facilitate successful transitions by allowing support to be tailored to individual students' needs.
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Children with special educational needs may need differentiated support for transition compared with children without special educational needs.
“However, Neal et al.'s (2016) findings are consistent with Maras and Aveling (2006) in suggesting that children with SEN may need differentiated support for transition than children without SEN.”
From What emotional‐centred challenges do children attending special schools face over primary–secondary school transition? (2021) · cites this paper as Maras and Aveling, 2006
This research gap may in part be subject to assuming SEN is a homogenous group, which can lead to an inconclusive picture on how to support specific SEN populations.
“This research gap may in part be subject to assuming SEN is a homogenous group, which can lead to an inconclusive picture on how to support specific SEN populations, as children with SEN face varying strengths and difficulties that can differentially shape primary-secondary school transition adjustment (Maras and Aveling, 2006).”
From What emotional‐centred challenges do children attending special schools face over primary–secondary school transition? (2021) · cites this paper as Maras and Aveling, 2006
Children with SEN face varying strengths and difficulties that can differentially shape primary-secondary school transition adjustment.
“This research gap may in part be subject to assuming SEN is a homogenous group, which can lead to an inconclusive picture on how to support specific SEN populations, as children with SEN face varying strengths and difficulties that can differentially shape primary-secondary school transition adjustment (Maras and Aveling, 2006).”
From What emotional‐centred challenges do children attending special schools face over primary–secondary school transition? (2021) · cites this paper as Maras and Aveling, 2006
Cited by
Sorted by citations
Fractured academic identities: dyslexia, secondary education, self-esteem and school experiences
Lithari, E. (2019) · International Journal of Inclusive Education · doi:10.1080/13603116.2018.1433242 · Cited by 51 · see citing works
“According to Maras and Aveling (2006), having Special Educational Needs (SEN) increases the impact of certain stressors.”
BackgroundNeal, S., Rice, F., Ng‐Knight, T., Riglin, L., & Frederickson, N. (2016) · Journal of Adolescence · doi:10.1016/j.adolescence.2016.04.003 · Cited by 49 · see citing works
Bagnall, C. L., Fox, C. L., & Skipper, Y. (2021) · Journal of Research in Special Educational Needs · doi:10.1111/1471-3802.12507 · Cited by 32 · see citing works
- Authors
- Maras, P., & Aveling, E.
- Corresponding author
- Maras, Pam
- Venue
- British Journal of Special Education
- Publisher
- Wiley
- Published
- 2006-11-02
- Volume
- 33
- Issue
- 4
- Pages
- 196-203
- ISSN
- 0952-3383 (ISSN-L)
- 1467-8578
- OpenAlex
- W2022586376
- Cited by
- 61
- References
- 0
- Citations by year
- 2026: 3 · 2025: 3 · 2024: 1 · 2023: 2 · 2021: 2 · 2020: 2 · 2019: 8 · 2018: 2 · 2017: 8 · 2016: 6 · 2015: 4 · 2014: 3 · 2013: 4 · 2012: 6
- FWCI
- 4.40
- Type
- journal article
- Language
- en
- Open access
- closed
- Locations
- British Journal of Special Education (publishedVersion)
- Greenwich Academic Literature Archive (University of Greenwich) (submittedVersion)
- Leicester Research Archive (University of Leicester) (submittedVersion)
- Topics
- Social Sciences › Education › Collaborative Teaching and Inclusion
- Social Sciences › Safety Research › Disability Education and Employment
- Health Sciences › Health Professions › Speech and Hearing › Adolescent and Pediatric Healthcare
- Keywords
- special educational needs, transition to secondary school, statements of special educational needs, continuity of support, parent and carer involvement
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