The perspectives of students with autism spectrum disorder making the transition to secondary school in Scotland

The inclusion of students with additional support needs has been at the forefront of educational policy and practice in Scotland in recent years. National legislation imposes duties on local authorities to make provision for children and young people who may require additional help at various points in their education. This presentation will report on the experiences of a group of nine male students with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) who were aged 11-12 years at the start of the study. All the students were in the final year of mainstream primary school and were making the transition to secondary school. The transition to secondary school, which typically takes place at 11 to 12 years of age, is important for all students. For students with ASD, who have difficulties with changes in routine, it is especially important that this transition is carefully managed. In this study, following the transfer to secondary school, the students’ retrospective views of transition and of the utility of the transition programme were explored using group discussion activities and semi-structured interviews. The students reported anticipatory concerns about a number of aspects of secondary school life. The transition experience was associated with mixed feelings of anxiety and excitement. Overall, the students’ experiences were better than expected. Students valued the transition programme activities and the opportunity to meet other students with ASD, reporting that it had a positive impact on their experience of the transition. Finally, implications for policy and practice are considered.