High School years (11 to 16 years)

Between 11 and 16 young people will go through a lot of change, which can be particularly difficult for some young people with SEND. They will be starting (and in some cases, finishing) high school during this time, so we’ve included information about Transition. You may also want to take another look at the Graduated Response, to see the sort of interventions schools can be doing to support young people.

Exams are coming up for some of our young people during this time, so we’ve included information about the support on offer for SEND young people when they are taking exams.

From the day they are born we are preparing our children for life as an adult, supporting them to be as independent as they can be, and this age group is when Preparing for Adulthood (PfA) comes into sharp focus. If the young person has an Education, health and care plan (EHCP), the year 9 review will incorporate looking at future steps and what they will need to prepare for adulthood.

Young people will be looking towards the future and starting to think about what they want to do after they finish school, it is a time of decision making and change. It can be a scary time for our SEND young people and their families, and so in this section we’ve included information about the different post 16 options available, to help support informed choices. A full-time college place is not for everyone, so we’ve also got information about apprenticeships, internships, etc.

Physically young people will be going through puberty, so we’ve included information about where to go to for advice and support, both for parents and carers and young people themselves. You will also find information about the Annual Health Check, which young people aged 14 and over on the Learning Disability register at their doctor’s surgery are entitled to.

As your young person gets closer to 16, you may want to start thinking ahead and look at the ‘What Next?’ section, so you can start to prepare for what’s coming up.