Moving from nursery to KG with additional needs — a transition checklist

The jump from nursery to KG is bigger than it looks from the outside — more structure, bigger class sizes, and a lot less one-to-one attention. For a child with additional needs, a bit of extra planning in the months beforehand makes a real difference to how smoothly it goes.

Start the conversation early

Reach out to the new school's admissions or inclusion team well before the summer break ends, not in the final weeks. Share what you already have — assessment reports, therapy summaries, or notes from nursery on what's worked — so the school isn't starting from scratch on day one.

Ask the right questions of the new school

Find out what inclusion support the KG actually offers: whether one-to-one classroom support such as an LSA or shadow teacher is available if needed, and how they handle sensory or communication differences day to day. It's also worth understanding how the school is regulated — KHDA in Dubai, ADEK in Abu Dhabi, SPEA in Sharjah, the Department of Knowledge in Ras Al Khaimah, or the Ministry of Education in the other emirates — since this shapes what inclusion support they're expected to provide.

Prepare your child, concretely

Where possible, visit the new classroom and meet the teacher before the first day, and use photos or a simple visual schedule to make the new routine familiar in advance. Small, concrete previews — the walk to the classroom, where the bag goes, what drop-off actually looks like — tend to matter more than general reassurance that 'it'll be fine'.

Keep existing support running

If your child already has therapy, an LSA, or coaching in place, try not to pause it over the transition — continuity through a change like this matters more than convenience. It's far easier to adjust a support plan that's already running than to build one from scratch after problems have appeared.

A quick checklist

• Assessment reports and nursery notes shared with the new school in advance
• Inclusion and support questions asked directly, ideally in writing
• A classroom visit or teacher meeting booked before day one
• Existing therapy, LSA, or coaching support kept running through the move
• A simple, calm way to talk your child through what's changing

If one-to-one classroom support looks like part of the plan, our LSA and shadow teacher page walks through how that works across UAE schools, or get in touch to talk through your child's specific move.