Moves from Abroad

Supporting the school transition for children and young people who have moved from abroad can be challenging for a number of reasons e.g. their educational records may not be available or may be delayed in transit. 

Children and young people who are often involved in moving to Scotland from abroad may do so because of their parent/carers profession e.g. Armed Services or perhaps due to immigration/refugee support. Although they will have experienced a different education system it is important to try and find out as soon as possible from the family and child/young person their educational levels – even informally. Beware that standardised assessments may not take account of cultural differences and may not provide reliable information. If the child or young person has attended an English speaking school such as military school abroad it would be helpful to contact the school as soon as possible to discuss their profile. This is particularly important if dyslexia is suspected/mentioned or there are literacy difficulties which may be due to a history of interrupted learning but the supports can be the same.

Home to Nursery

A great deal of support is now available to help children and their family transition into nursery school. Often home visits are made and provide opportunities for parents and carers to ask questions and share concerns.

Nursery to Primary 1

Nursery staff are well placed to build up a profile of a child through observation, consultation with parents and engaging the child in the experiences and outcomes which are planned for children years through active learning. This knowledge should support the transition into P1.