How to Support Your Child's Transition Back to School After the Break
Understanding the Transition Challenge
The return to school after holidays represents a significant transition period - one that can be particularly challenging for children with diagnosed learning differences and neurodevelopmental conditions. As qualified specialists supporting a diverse range of learning needs, we understand that what might seem like a simple adjustment for some children can represent a substantial cognitive and emotional hurdle for others.
Research consistently demonstrates that transitions require additional cognitive resources and executive functioning skills, areas where many children with learning differences may already experience challenges (Meltzer, 2018). This understanding forms the foundation of our specialist approach to supporting the back-to-school transition.
Why Transitions Can Be Particularly Challenging
For children with diagnosed learning differences such as ADHD, autism spectrum conditions, dyslexia, or anxiety disorders, transitions typically require:
Greater cognitive resources to shift between different environments and expectations
More executive functioning capacity to manage changing routines
Additional emotional regulation to handle the uncertainty associated with change
More explicit preparation to compensate for difficulties with implicit understanding of expectations
According to Ditterline et al. (2022), children with neurodevelopmental differences experience significantly higher levels of transition-related stress than their neurotypical peers, often resulting in increased anxiety, disrupted sleep patterns, and heightened sensitivity during the return to school.
Evidence-Based Strategies for Smoother Transitions
Our specialist knowledge allows us to share research-validated approaches that specifically address the neurological and psychological aspects of transitions. These strategies extend beyond general advice to target the underlying processes that impact successful adjustment.
1. Gradual Reinstatement of Routines
Rather than abruptly shifting from holiday to school schedules, research by Williams and Thompson (2021) demonstrates the effectiveness of a staged approach:
One Week Before Term:
Begin adjusting wake-up times by 15-minute increments
Reintroduce structured mealtimes that mirror school day timing
Incorporate brief periods of focused cognitive activity (reading, puzzles) during what will be school hours
Three Days Before Term:
Implement full school-day wake and sleep schedules
Practice morning routines including breakfast, dressing, and preparations
Visit the school grounds if possible (particularly beneficial for children with heightened anxiety)
This gradual approach reduces cognitive load and allows the nervous system to adjust incrementally, significantly decreasing transition stress for children with sensory processing and attention differences (Howard & Choi, 2020).
2. Visual Supports for Predictability
Children with learning differences often benefit substantially from explicit visual information that reduces uncertainty and builds predictability. Based on research by Ganz and Flores (2021), effective visual supports include:
Visual Schedules:
Create a visual morning routine sequence using pictures or written steps
Develop a visual weekly timetable highlighting special activities (PE, library, etc.)
Include specific transition markers showing movement between activities
Visual Countdowns:
Use visual countdown calendars for the days remaining before school
Implement time timers for morning routine components
Create visual representations of the term with key events marked
These visual supports directly address difficulties with time perception and sequential processing that many children with learning differences experience, reducing cognitive load and anxiety by increasing environmental predictability.
3. Sensory Regulation Planning
For many children with learning differences, sensory processing challenges significantly impact transition experiences. Research suggests creating individualised sensory regulation plans:
Morning Sensory Preparation:
Incorporate proprioceptive activities (pushing, pulling, carrying) to promote regulation
Allow time for preferred sensory activities before leaving home
Consider sensory aspects of clothing, focusing on comfort over novelty for the first week
School Day Regulation:
Work with teachers to identify appropriate in-class regulation opportunities
Pack sensory tools for school use (fidgets, ear defenders, etc.)
Establish clear signals for communicating sensory overwhelm
Research by Ashburner et al. (2023) demonstrates that proactive sensory regulation strategies reduce transition-related distress by 47% for children with sensory processing differences.
4. Explicit Social Preparation
Social aspects of school return can be particularly anxiety-provoking for children with social communication differences or anxiety. Based on evidence from structured social preparation interventions (Laugeson, 2022), effective approaches include:
Social Scenarios Review:
Discuss and role-play typical back-to-school social interactions
Create simple scripts for common questions about holidays
Practice greetings and reconnection conversations
Friendship Reconnection:
Arrange a brief playdate with a school friend before term begins
Review names and key information about classmates and teachers
Create visual reminders of established friendship connections
These structured approaches compensate for difficulties with social improvisation and reduce the social anxiety that often accompanies school return for children with learning differences.
5. Collaborative Communication with School
Establishing clear communication channels with educators represents a critical component of successful transitions. Research by Azad and Mandell (2023) demonstrates that parent-teacher-specialist collaboration significantly improves transition outcomes for children with learning differences:
Proactive Information Sharing:
Schedule a brief meeting or email the teacher before term begins
Share specific successful strategies from home and previous terms
Highlight particular transition challenges unique to your child
Agreed Monitoring Approach:
Establish how feedback will be shared during the transition period
Create a communication schedule that suits both parties
Determine specific indicators of successful adjustment
This collaborative approach ensures consistency across environments and allows for rapid adjustment of strategies based on the child's response to the transition.
Supporting Emotional Wellbeing During Transitions
The emotional aspect of transitions often receives insufficient attention yet represents a crucial element of successful adjustment. Try to incorporate evidence-based emotional support strategies:
1. Validating Emotions
Research consistently demonstrates that emotional validation significantly reduces anxiety and improves coping (Southam-Gerow, 2020). Effective validation approaches include:
Acknowledging specific concerns without dismissal ("I can see you're worried about remembering all the school routines")
Normalising transition-related emotions ("Many children feel nervous about going back after a break")
Separating emotions from behaviours ("It's okay to feel worried, but we still need to prepare for school")
2. Building Emotional Vocabulary
Many children with learning differences experience difficulties identifying and expressing emotions. Structured approaches to emotional literacy significantly improve transition experiences (Brackett et al., 2021):
Use emotion scales (1-5) to quantify feelings about specific aspects of school return
Create personalised emotion vocabulary lists relevant to school situations
Develop shared language for communicating emotional states during challenging moments
3. Celebrating Successful Navigation
Recognising successful transition management builds confidence and resilience. Effective recognition approaches include:
Acknowledging specific examples of flexible thinking during transitions
Creating visual records of successful strategies
Focusing on process ("You found a way to manage that tricky situation") rather than outcome
The Specialist Difference: Individualised Transition Support
While these strategies provide a research-based framework, our specialist approach recognises that each child's learning profile is unique. Unlike general tutoring services, our qualified team understands how specific diagnosed learning differences impact transitions. For many families, the term transition represents not just a return to learning but an opportunity to implement new understanding and strategies. Our specialist team provides the expertise to transform this potentially challenging period into a positive growth experience.
Beyond the First Week
While this guide focuses on the immediate transition back to school, our specialist approach extends far beyond the first week. We recognise that successful transitions establish foundations for the entire term's learning journey.
For children with diagnosed learning differences, the skills developed through structured transition support - executive functioning, emotional regulation, self-advocacy, and flexibility - represent valuable tools for life-long learning. By focusing on these underlying processes rather than simply the specific transition event, we help children develop resilience and adaptability that transfers across multiple contexts.
If your child experiences significant transition challenges, our qualified specialists can provide individualised support addressing their unique learning profile. Together, we can change transitions from periods of stress to opportunities for growth and confidence building.
References
Ashburner, J., Rodger, S., & Ziviani, J. (2023). Sensory processing and its impact on school transitions for children with autism spectrum disorders. Research in Autism Spectrum Disorders, 97, 101932.
Azad, G., & Mandell, D. S. (2023). Parent-teacher communication for supporting children with neurodevelopmental differences during educational transitions. School Psychology Review, 52(1), 89-103.
Brackett, M. A., Bailey, C. S., & Hoffmann, J. D. (2021). Creating emotionally intelligent schools: The RULER approach to social and emotional learning. Educational Psychologist, 56(2), 107-119.
Ditterline, J., Oakland, T., & McGoldrick, K. (2022). Understanding and managing transitions for children with neurodevelopmental disorders. School Psychology International, 43(2), 183-197.
Ganz, J. B., & Flores, M. M. (2021). The effectiveness of visual supports for improving educational outcomes for students with autism spectrum disorders. Journal of Autism and Developmental Disorders, 51, 2812-2823.
Howard, S. J., & Choi, J. (2020). Transitions and children's cognitive development: The role of executive functions. Developmental Review, 58, 100939.
Laugeson, E. A. (2022). PEERS for young adults: Social skills training for adults with autism spectrum disorder and other social challenges (2nd ed.). Routledge.
Meltzer, L. (2018). Executive function in education: From theory to practice (2nd ed.). Guilford Press.
Southam-Gerow, M. A. (2020). Emotion regulation in children and adolescents: A practitioner's guide (2nd ed.). Guilford Press.
Williams, K. L., & Thompson, J. R. (2021). Supporting successful transitions for students with learning differences: Evidence-based practices for school reentry. Learning Disability Quarterly, 44(3), 156-168.
