Talking about School Transition (TaST)

Talking about School Transition (TaST) is the first emotional-centred intervention that exclusively focuses on supporting children’s short- and long-term emotional well-being over primary-secondary school transition. TaST is a five-week universal, teacher-led intervention, that focuses on improving children’s emotional wellbeing, by scaffolding children’s coping skills and ability to draw on social support from parents/guardians, teachers and classmates. TaST is theoretically underpinned by Resilience Theory, in addition to Bagnall et al.’s (2020, 2021a, 2021b) preliminary qualitative case study and focus group research conducted in the UK (Bagnall et al., 2020) and USA (Bagnall et al., 2021a), in mainstream and special schools (Bagnall et al., 2021b) obtaining insight from multiple stakeholders (see Figure 1). For further information pertaining to the design, delivery and content of TaST see: Bagnall, C. L. (2020). Talking about School Transition (TaST): an emotional-centred emotional-centred intervention to support children over primary- school transition. 10.1080/02643944.2020.1713870

The evaluation of TaST consisted of a longitudinal questionnaire-based design investigating the efficacy of TaST in improving 143 Year 6 (aged 10 and 11 year old) children’s coping efficacy and emotional adjustment over primary-secondary school transition. It was assessed using the outcome variables: Emotional Symptoms, Peer Problems, Coping Efficacy and Transition Worries, in addition to a qualitative process evaluation. The outcome evaluation found that TaST had immediate positive implications for participating children who showed a significantly greater reduction in Transition Worries once at secondary school, compared to comparison group children. Within the process evaluation, children and teachers discussed the emotional-centred foci of TaST being particularly useful, in helping children to understand their emotions towards secondary school; in addition to providing exposure into what secondary school would be like helping to develop children’s confidence and coping skills. For further information pertaining to the evaluation of TaST see: Bagnall, C.L., Fox, C.L., Skipper, Y. & Oldfield, J. (2021c). A universal emotional-centred intervention to improve children's emotional well-being over primary-secondary school transition. DOI: 10.25082/AERE.2021.01.003

Figure 1. An outline of the design and delivery of TaST