Key Stages and Key Stage Transfers

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What is a Key Stage/ Key Stage Transfer?

Education in England is organised into blocks of years called 'Key Stages'. Each key stage focuses on different stages and ages during a child's education, as set out in the table below.

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.

Key stage

Child's age

School 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

  • Primary education is for children from the ages of 5 to 11.
  • Secondary education is for children from the ages of 11 to 16.
  • Some secondary schools also have sixth forms to educate pupils from 16 to 18. Other post 16 options are sixth form colleges and colleges of further education.
  • All-through schools combine at least two stages of a child's education -usually infant and junior, or junior and secondary – in one establishment.
  • If your child is currently in year 2 in an all-through primary mainstream or maintained specialist school, then the process outlined above does not apply. Your child will remain at their current school unless a change of placement has been agreed following their transition review.
  • If your child is in year 6 and in an all-through maintained specialist school, your child will remain at their current school unless a change of placement has been agreed at their transition review.
  • There are a few areas of the country which have primary schools for ages 5 to 9, middle schools for ages 9 to 13 and high schools for ages 13 to 16.

What is the Local Authority's role?

Most children with additional needs and disabilities (AND) are educated within a mainstream school. Schools are given funding to support learners with additional needs and must do everything they can to make sure children with AND get the support they need to fulfil their potential. This is in line with the Preparing for Adulthood pathway which for the majority of our AND pupils leads to employment. This is best supported wherever possible and appropriate by accessing a mainstream school rather than a specialist curriculum.

  • The Local Authority aim to make decisions related to your child's Key Stage Transfer as early as possible. Final Education, Health and Care plans (EHCP) will be issued by 15 February for school age pupils. For Year 11 pupils, final EHC plans will be issued by 31 March. These are legal deadlines. The final EHCP will include either the confirmed placement (name of the school or setting) or the type of provision for the next September.
  • Before the 15 February, for school age pupils, we aim for the majority of children and their families to receive a finalised EHCP with a named school but in some circumstances, we may have to name "type" of provision. The reasons for this are varied and dependent on the individual's circumstances. The SEND Support Hub team or your SEND Case Officer will keep you updated with the reasons why and the timeline for naming a school.

Children with a new Education, Health and Care Plan issued after the key stage transfer deadline

For children where the EHCP is issued after the key stage transfer deadline, they do not fall within the statutory key stage transfer process and the 15th February deadline does not apply. However, identifying a school place is still a priority and the Local Authority will continue work on identifying places for all children with an EHCP. We aim for the majority of children to have a confirmed place with plenty of time to plan for the transition for the start of the academic year.

When will the Transition Review take place?

The transition review should take place in the summer term prior to your child's key stage transfer year. This means the transition review should be completed in the year before a child is due to start school, year 1, year 5 and year 10.

  • All annual and transition reviews will be arranged by the school, and they will invite you and your child's Case Officer to attend.
  • Case Officers will prioritise attendance at your child's transition review meeting.
  • The timing of the transition review is really important. The outcome of this review and the information gathered will inform the decision on the next school or placement and allows for sufficient time to plan for the transition.
  • It is really important for you as parent carers to highlight any professionals who are involved with your child and to provide any new relevant information such as a medical report or diagnosis so that this can be documented at both transition and annual reviews.

What to expect at different Transition reviews

The transition review held in Year -1 (Early Years Foundation Stage) should consider the following:

  • Current strengths and areas of need (taking into account that a review of an EHCP should be held every 6 months when a child is in Early Years (0- 5, if they are in receipt of an EHCP).
  • Evidence of progress which is key in planning the next phase.
  • Information and guidance for you about the local area schools (including dates of open evenings/open events/tours of primary schools).
  • Discussion around your parental preference for the new school and a record of this in the review paperwork. You may like to refer to the School admissions guidance for children with an Education, Health and Care Plan.
  • Support with the transition from nursery to a school and what this should look like for your child (including support available from involved professionals e.g. Early Years SEND Advisor/Reception Inclusion Pathway Planning Lead/Specialist Early Education Service).
  • Travel assistance for eligible children will ordinarily only be available from the first term after a child's fifth birthday, i.e. when they reach the compulsory school age. There is no legal requirement for the Council to make special arrangements for children under the age of 5 to travel between home and school. Further details can be found in the Home to School Travel Assistance Policy for under 16 year olds and Parent guide to travel assistance.

Your child's current school should hold the transition review in the summer term of Year 1.

The transition review held in Year 1 should consider the following:

Your child's current school should hold the transition review in the summer term of Year 5.

The transition review held in Year 5 should consider the following:

From the year 9 annual review, preparation for adulthood plans are discussed.

The Transition Review held in Year 10 should be a continuation of the preparation work from Year 9:

  • This review is critical for considering the amendments that may be required to prepare the young person for their Post 16 Pathway. Your child can legally leave school at the end of the school year in which they turn 16 (normally the end of year 11). However, all young people must be in some form of education or training until the age of 18. Whilst there are many pathways for young people after school age, generally, most young people will follow a pathway that ultimately leads to employment, however this may not always be appropriate. The Next Steps and Preparing for Adulthood guides have detailed information on other pathways.
  • Collaborative working to prepare the young person to plan and make decisions for their Post 16 pathway and future beyond this. Including employment, independent living and life skills.
  • Your Case Officer and school will highlight open/information evenings the family and young person can attend to inform their decisions.
  • Discussion as to whether a referral to the Transition Team is appropriate, if there has been a change in the young person's circumstances that indicates this may be required or if this wasn't considered during the Year 9 annual review.
  • The Transition Team are an Adult Social Care Team in Surrey and can support young people If they have an Education, Health and Social Care Plan and have a diagnosed disability (learning, physical, sensory impairment or autism (ASD). They may be able to support in in preparing for adult life.
  • If a young person is not eligible for funded support, the Transition Team can still help to:
  1. Identify Friends, Family and Community support​
  2. Provide Advice and guidance ​
  3. Make Referrals to more relevant community agencies
  • For a small cohort of young people, Children and Family Health Surrey provide specialist support and care for children and young people who fulfil the criteria for NHS funded children and young people's continuing care.
  • Consider future next steps such as courses/placements and record any further aspirations/interests. This information alongside, additional thoughts of the young person and family should be recorded within the review documentation. PfA-Outcomes-Framework.pdf.
  • Please be aware that once a young person enters post-16 education, there is no longer a legal duty for a council to provide free or subsidised travel assistance.
  • Please do read the Travel Assistance Policy for learners aged 16 to 25 - Surrey County Council Surrey's Travel Assistance department's information and guidance for transport for learners over 16.

Further details of the reviews that take place can be found on our Annual Review and Transition Review web pages.

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:

Support with Key Stage Transfers

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.

Post 16

  • The National Development Team for Inclusion (NDTi) offer independent and comprehensive advice on the transition to adulthood for those with SEND. This includes guides of each pathway, the process of moving into Adulthood with an EHCP and further information.
  • When your child turns 16, if they have ongoing health needs, they may qualify for Continuing healthcare.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

Find further information on our Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ) page. For parents and carers of school aged children and young people who are 16+.

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