School Transitions, Participation and Belonging: Reflections on the STEPS Report Through a PEAR TREE™ Lens

At ASI Wise & Sensory Project, we were delighted to read the recently published STEPS (School Transition Experiences for Pupils with SEND) report from researchers at York St John University and Lancaster University. It links so neatly to our current School Series and in particular, our #5 webinar in the series: 05. Supporting Transitions Through a Sensory Integration Lens 

The report offers an important and timely contribution to our understanding of school transitions for children and young people with SEND, particularly autistic and multiply neurodiverse young people. Most importantly, it places the voices of young people and families at the heart of the conversation.

For many years, discussions about transition have focused on practical preparation:

• School visits
• Maps
• Timetables
• Uniforms
• Information sharing

These things matter.

However, the STEPS report reminds us that transition is about much more than moving from one building to another.

Transition is about navigating change in relationships, identity, expectations, routines, environments, sensory experiences and belonging. It is a deeply human experience.

The report highlights that successful transitions occur when young people feel safe, understood, included and connected. Conversely, difficulties often emerge when young people experience uncertainty, sensory overwhelm, social challenges, misunderstanding or a lack of support.

For us, these findings resonate strongly with the journey since 1999 that has led to the development of Sensory Ladders®, Sensory Spiders™, Sensory Grids™ and, more recently, the PEAR TREE™ Lens.

A Journey That Started Long Before PEAR TREE™

The PEAR TREE™ Lens was formally launched at the Occupational Therapy Show in November 2025.

However, its roots extend much further back.

For more than two decades, we have been exploring how people make sense of their own experiences, particularly when those experiences are difficult to explain, invisible to others or misunderstood.

The earliest versions of Sensory Ladders® emerged from work in adult mental health and learning disability services, where people often struggled to describe what was happening inside their bodies and minds. Traditional approaches frequently focused on behaviour, diagnosis or risk, while overlooking the person’s own lived experience.

Sensory Ladders® offered a different conversation.

Instead of asking: “What is wrong?” we began asking:

• “What is happening for you?”
• “What helps?”
• “What gets in the way?”
• “What do you need right now?”

Over time, Sensory Spiders™ and Sensory Grids™ were developed to help individuals, families, educators and therapists better understand sensory integration and processing patterns and how these influence participation in everyday life.

Together, these tools created opportunities for co-production, self-understanding and shared problem solving.

The PEAR TREE™ Lens brings these approaches together within a broader participation framework.

What the STEPS Report Tells Us

One of the most powerful messages from the STEPS report is that transition is not an event.

It is a process.

Many of the young people interviewed described a “Year 7 honeymoon” period followed by increasing challenges during Year 7 and Year 8 as initial support reduced and demands increased.

This finding is important.

Too often, support is concentrated around the weeks immediately before and after transition.

Yet the report suggests that many young people are still adapting long after adults assume transition is complete.

Through a PEAR TREE™ Lens, this makes sense.

Participation develops over time.

Relationships develop over time.

Trust develops over time.

Belonging develops over time.

Why should transition be any different?

The Hidden Effort of Participation

Perhaps one of the most striking aspects of the report is the extent to which young people described carrying an emotional burden that often remained invisible to others.

Young people spoke about:

• Time pressure
• Unexpected changes
• Crowded corridors
• Sensory stressors
• Friendship challenges
• Fear of making mistakes
• Worry about breaking rules
• The effort involved in appearing to cope

Many described spending enormous amounts of energy managing the school day.
This aligns closely with our understanding of participation.

Difficulties are not always caused by a lack of ability.

Sometimes they emerge because the cost of participation becomes too high.

A young person may be succeeding academically while simultaneously experiencing exhaustion, anxiety and overwhelm.

Without opportunities to understand and communicate these experiences, young people can easily “fly under the radar”, a theme repeatedly highlighted throughout the STEPS report.

Why Relationships Matter

Another powerful theme throughout the report was the importance of relationships.

Families consistently described the value of a trusted adult who knew the young person, listened to them and helped them navigate challenges.

Not a policy.

Not a pathway.

A person.

This aligns perfectly with the “R” within PEAR and the emphasis on Intentional Relationships within TREE.

We know from both research and practice that meaningful participation rarely happens in isolation.

Relationships provide safety.

Relationships create trust.

Relationships allow young people to take risks, ask for help and develop confidence.

In many situations, the relationship becomes the intervention.

Helping Young People Find Their Voice

One of the most encouraging findings from the STEPS report was the recognition that self advocacy can be protective.

Young people who were beginning to understand their own needs and communicate what helped appeared better able to navigate the complexities of secondary school.

This mirrors our experience across schools, health services and community settings.

Finding a voice is not simply about communication.

• It is about agency.
• It is about participation.
• It is about recognising that your experiences matter.

Sensory Ladders®, Sensory Spiders™ and Sensory Grids™ were all developed to support these conversations.

• Not to label people.
• Not to categorise people.
• But to help people understand themselves and communicate what supports meaningful participation.

From Reactive Support to Anticipatory Support

The STEPS report also highlights the frustration many families experience when support is only offered after difficulties have escalated.

Attendance falls. Anxiety increases. Distress becomes visible. Only then does support appear.

The PEAR TREE™ Lens encourages a different approach.

Triage asks us:

“What might this young person need before difficulties emerge?”

Embodied Evaluation asks:

“What signs are we noticing now?”

Ethical Choice asks:

“Have we genuinely listened to the young person and their family?”

This shift from reactive to anticipatory support may be one of the most important lessons from the STEPS findings.

Looking Forward

The STEPS report provides robust evidence for something many young people, families and practitioners have known for years.

Successful transitions are not built solely through timetables, policies or information sharing.

• They are built through understanding.
• They are built through relationships.
• They are built through participation.
• They are built through belonging.

As the PEAR TREE™ Lens continues to evolve following its launch in November 2025, we are encouraged to see growing research that aligns with these values.

The findings from the STEPS project reinforce again the importance of co-produced, relational, sensory-informed and participation-focused approaches that help young people understand themselves, communicate their needs and actively shape the support they receive.

Because ultimately, a successful transition is not about helping young people get through school.

It is about helping them participate in school, in relationships, in learning and in life.

When young people are understood, supported and included, they do not simply survive transitions.

They grow through them.

Reference

Hamilton, L.G., Lewis, K., & Vincent, J. (2026). Improving School Transitions for Children with Special Educational Needs and Disabilities: Final Project Report. York St John University.