Making Transitions Smoother for Every Student’s Learning Journey
School transitions from Reception to Key Stage 1, and later to Key Stage 2 are big moments in any child’s educational journey. But for pupils with visual impairments or neurodivergent support needs, these changes can trigger anxiety, disorientation, and dips in engagement or independence.
📊 1 in 5 pupils in UK schools require additional support to manage transitions yet many face barriers that go beyond the classroom and into the physical environment itself.
Unfamiliar layouts, louder environments, changing routines, and new peer groups can all compound challenges during transition.
Without the right support, these pupils risk falling behind not due to ability, but due to inaccessibility.
As educators, we have the power to ease these changes. With thoughtful planning, inclusive tools, and sensory-aware design, schools can help every child move through their learning journey with greater confidence and independence.
Why Transitions Pose Hidden Challenges
For visually impaired students, the move to new spaces means navigating unfamiliar physical environments. Classrooms may be larger, corridors more complex, and routines less predictable all requiring the relearning of orientation and mobility skills.
Neurodivergent pupils, including those with autism, ADHD, or sensory processing differences, may experience transitions as disruptive or overwhelming. New sensory input, changes in expectations, and social shifts can all trigger anxiety, behavioural responses, or a dip in confidence.
These aren’t behavioural issues they are signals of unmet sensory or cognitive needs during a vulnerable period of change.
What Helps Students During Transitions?
Schools that succeed in supporting students through transitions often embed both individual strategies and environmental adaptations. Here’s what makes a difference:
Personalised transition plans that involve SENCOs, families, and specialists early
Phased exposure to new classrooms, staff and routines—short visits that build familiarity
Environmental orientation using tactile maps, guided tours, or consistent landmarks
Routine consistency supported by visual schedules, auditory cues, or objects of reference
Staff and peer training that builds empathy and inclusive practice
Strong communication between home and school to maintain trust and continuity
These steps don’t just benefit the pupil—they reduce pressure on support staff, minimise disruption, and demonstrate inclusive practice during Ofsted inspections.
Assistive Tools That Reduce Cognitive Load
In addition to structured plans, many students benefit from assistive tools that support independence. For example:
Visually impaired pupils may use screen readers, braille displays, or magnifiers to access materials and navigate space.
Neurodivergent students may benefit from fidget tools, noise-cancelling headphones, or apps that support emotional regulation.
Tools that combine visual, auditory, and tactile inputs can engage different learning styles and help pupils manage transition-related stress.
How Tactile Markers Support Navigation & Confidence
One often overlooked solution is tactile wayfinding—wall-mounted or surface-level markers that students can touch to orient themselves.
For pupils with visual impairments, these tactile cues offer a consistent, non-visual method to identify locations such as classrooms, toilets, stairwells, or exits. For neurodivergent students, the sensory feedback from tactile markers can provide grounding, predictability, and a reassuring anchor point during change.
At Sensei, we’ve worked with schools to install tactile markers designed for real school environments. These symbols are intuitive, repeatable, and seamlessly integrated into the space—helping students move with greater independence and confidence as they transition between stages.
Designing for Belonging
Transitions are unavoidable. But disorientation doesn’t have to be.
By combining thoughtful planning, inclusive strategies, and sensory-aware tools like tactile markers, schools can reduce friction during key stage transitions—and empower students to move, learn, and connect more independently.
Creating accessible environments is about more than compliance. It’s about designing schools where every child feels they belong—even when everything else is changing.
👉 Want to Try It In Your School?
We’re offering a free tactile navigation starter pack to help schools trial our system during upcoming transitions.
Request your free pack here → SAMPLE BOX
Or book a quick 15-min call → HELLO@SENSEIFORALL.COM
Let’s work together to build schools that every child can navigate with confidence.
