Managing Tricky Transitions & Behaviour In Schools
School transitions are major pressure points that can trigger anxiety and impact behaviour. This practical EdWell session translates DfE guidance into actionable strategies to support pupils during these vulnerable shifts.
Introducing Tricky Transitions and Behaviour
Transitions between year groups or new schools can be a major "pressure point," often triggering anxiety and challenging behaviour.
This EdWell session offers practical, DfE-aligned strategies to support pupils during these vulnerable moments. Discover how to build emotional security, implement proactive de-escalation techniques, and strengthen your school's behaviour culture. Includes the EdWell Transitions Toolkit to embed consistent practice across your setting.
Test your knowledge
Why is it important to understand the impact of transitions on pupils?
What is the recommended way to respond to "tricky behaviour" to strengthen consistent support?
What is a primary objective of improving transition planning and pupil support strategies?
To understand this topic in more depth, join our EdWell Session.
Understanding Tricky Transitions & Behaviour
The core concept for managing transitions is understanding the psychological impact of change on students and implementing systemic, supportive strategies to manage these shifts.
Transitions are defined as shifts between year groups, key stages, or entirely new school environments.
The most vulnerable periods in a child’s education, where the lack of familiarity can trigger significant emotional distress, often lead to:
Anxiety and Dysregulation: The stress of change can cause students to lose the ability to manage their emotions and impulses
Challenging Behaviour: Dysregulation often manifests as behaviour that disrupts learning and strains relationships
Reduced School Belonging: If transitions are handled poorly, a student's sense of connection to their school community can be damaged
A central theme is moving away from reactive measures toward proactive, consistent approaches:
Emotional Security: The primary goal of these strategies is to build a sense of safety for the pupil, which naturally reduces the likelihood of escalation
Relational Responses: When "tricky behaviour" does occur, staff are encouraged to respond in a calm, structured, and relational way. Maintaining the adult-student relationship is just as important as the disciplinary response.
Institutional Consistency: Strengthening the overall behaviour culture ensures that students encounter the same expectations and support regardless of which teacher or phase they are transitioning into.
The Educational Challenge:
Schools are reporting increasing complexity around behaviour, emotional regulation and pupil needs.
Many pupils are arriving in classrooms with:
increased anxiety and emotional needs
reduced ability to self-regulate
difficulties managing uncertainty and change
unmet SEND and SEMH needs
experiences of disrupted education and attendance challenges
Transitions can act as a trigger because they involve:
changes in expectations
changes in relationships
sensory overload
uncertainty and loss of control
separation from trusted adults or environments
For some pupils, behaviour is a communication of an unmet need rather than deliberate defiance.
Why this training matters
Transitions are a significant challenge for many children and young people. Whether this is moving between lessons, starting school, changing year groups, moving from primary to secondary, returning after absence, or transitioning through different emotional states during the school day, moments of change can increase anxiety, dysregulation and challenging behaviour.
Effective transition support is not simply about managing behaviour; it is about understanding why behaviour changes during periods of uncertainty and how schools can create predictable, relational environments where pupils feel safe, connected and ready to learn.
Ofsted: Behaviour and attitudes expectations
Ofsted highlights that schools should ensure pupils:
Understand expectations for behaviour
Develop positive attitudes towards learning
Experience consistency from adults.
Ofsted’s research into behaviour emphasises the importance of:
Clear routines
Strong relationships
Consistency
Staff confidence in managing behaviour
Training relevance:
Transitions are often where consistency breaks down.
Equipping staff with shared approaches strengthens whole-school behaviour culture.
Why Schools Need This Training
Schools need practical solutions to help staff answer:
“Why does behaviour often escalate during change?”
Because transitions can activate:
anxiety responses
uncertainty
sensory overwhelm
loss of predictability
feelings of disconnection
“How can we prevent behaviour incidents?”
By developing:
predictable routines
emotionally intelligent responses
consistent adult approaches
transition strategies
regulation support
stronger pupil relationships
Useful tools and resources to support
To support student wellbeing, schools can access a variety of external resources and mental health guidance tailored to help young people navigate transitions and emotional outcomes they produce.
Transition Toolkits for Secondary School
Purpose: provide accessible, stigma-free wellbeing support
Free anonymous online counselling, and a wellbeing community for young people.
Peer Mentoring for New Students
Purpose: provide accessible stigma-free wellbeing support
Free anonymous online counselling, and wellbeing community for young people.
Learning Materials for Student Transitions
Purpose: help students transition to a new school with KS2 PDMU learning materials.
Embracing Change Lesson Plan
Purpose: To help pupils in Year 2 and Year 6 identify feelings, opportunities, and challenges related to transitions, and support them with positive strategies for managing changes.
