Key Stages and Key Stage Transfers

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What is a Key Stage/ Key Stage Transfer?

All Local Authority maintained schools in England must follow the 'national curriculum'. The national curriculum sets out what children should study and the standards a school should help its students achieve at each stage of their education. The national curriculum is organised into blocks of years called 'key stages'.

Key stageChild's ageSchool year
Early years foundation stage (EYFS) 3 to 5 Nursery/ pre-school and Reception
Key Stage 1 5 to 7 Year 1 and Year 2
Key Stage 2 7 to 11 Year 3 to Year 6
Key Stage 3 11 to 14 Year 7 to Year 9
Key Stage 4 14 to 16 Year 10 and Year 11

A key stage transfer is when a child or young person moves between key stages of education. This includes starting school or moving from nursery or an Early Years setting into Reception, moving from an infant school to junior school or moving from primary school into secondary school.

Your child may not need to change school at the end of each stage, for example, if your child attends a primary school for students ages 4 to 11 years olds they can remain in the same school for Reception (EYFS), Key Stages 1 and Key Stage 2. Most children will also remain in the same secondary school for Key Stages 3 and 4.

Some specialist schools in Surrey are 'all through', meaning that pupils remain at the school for each stage of their education. Even if your child is attending an all-through specialist school, in the autumn term before a Key Stage Transfer is due to take place there will still be a discussion about whether the placement is still the best fit for your child.

If your child is due to change school within the next school year, it is a good idea to start preparing for the move as soon as possible. The deadline for applying for a school place depends on whether your child has an Education, Health and Care (EHC) plan. If your child does not have an EHC plan, you should use the mainstream admissions process, even if your child is currently undergoing EHC Needs Assessment.

Key Stage Transfers for children without an Education, Health and Care (EHC) plan

Parents of children without an EHC plan must use the mainstream admissions process to apply for a school place. If your child is currently undergoing EHC needs assessment, you should still apply for a school place via mainstream admissions:

Key stage transfers can be an anxious time for any child but may be especially so for children with additional needs and/ or disabilities. Parents/ carers can find suggestions for helping their child during this process on the Supporting your child during transitions page.

After a Key Stage Transfer or during the transfer process, a child may need additional support or a change in the way support is delivered. Parents may need to speak to their child's teacher or the school SENCo, to make sure that their child's needs are understood and supported.

The charity Contact has some general advice for parents/ carers about how to speak to your child's school about support, as well as some Top tips to help when your child changes schools.

You can also contact SEND Advice Surrey.

Key Stage Transfers for children with an Education, Health and Care (EHC) plan

Children and young people with EHC plans have a separate school admissions process for Key Stage Transfer. You can find out more about this process the School admissions guidance for children with an EHC Plan booklet.

By the end of the summer term the school year before the Key Stage Transfer is due to take place, the child or young person's Annual Review will include discussion of the Key Stage Transfer. Their EHC plan may be amended at this stage.

The Key Stage Transfer process for children with an EHC plan takes one year and begins the September before the transfer is due to take place. You can find the full timeline for this process on the Choosing a school place for a child with an EHC plan webpage.

Final EHC plans will be issued by 15 February for school age pupils. For current Year 11 pupils, final EHC plans will be issued by 31 March.

The plan will include either the confirmed placement (name of the school or setting) or the type of provision for the next September. Parents/ carers may find it helpful to read the Key Stage Transfers (frequently asked questions).

Once the final EHC plan has been issued, families can apply for Travel assistance.

Support with Key Stage Transfers

Parents/ carers can find suggestions for helping their child during this process on the Supporting your child during transitions page.

Family Voice Surrey runs a regular Transition to secondary school group, for parents who are thinking about how to prepare their child with additional needs for secondary school or whose children have support needs as they settle in at secondary school. The group meets online throughout the year, usually monthly.

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