🪺 Fledglings is a TLC transition pathway specifically designed for learners in year 5 and 6 that may need additional support surrounding the move to high school.
Many of the learners accessing this pathway may not have a formal diagnosis or identified Additional Learning Needs within school, despite experiencing significant anxiety surrounding learning, confidence, friendships, independence or the transition itself. Some children may have been declined IDP support, while others may simply struggle quietly within busy classroom environments without fully meeting thresholds for formal intervention.
Within Fledglings, learners continue to work towards wider targets identified across their individual TLC pathways, whether linked to wellbeing, confidence, literacy, numeracy or wider learning needs, while also receiving gentle support to prepare for the emotional and academic changes that come with the transition to secondary school.
Children are carefully matched into small focus groups designed to create calm, confidence-building learning environments where they feel safe to ask questions, develop independence and build positive relationships with peers approaching similar transitions.
The pathway places strong emphasis on:
✨ building confidence and resilience
✨ reducing anxiety surrounding high school
✨ developing independence within learning
✨ strengthening communication and self-advocacy skills
✨ supporting emotional readiness for larger environments and changing expectations
As with all TLC pathways, support within Fledglings is flexible and highly personalised, ensuring sessions continue to reflect the individual strengths, needs and goals of the learners within the group.
Learners enrolled on our Fledglings pathways all receive a bespoke plan based on individual targets set by the learners and families. These could be closing academic gaps, improving skills, or primarily well-being alone.
Through carefully matched small groups our fledglings work collaboratively towards their individual and shared goals. For example, our numeracy nest fledglings are supported to:
✨ revisit and strengthen mathematical gaps
✨ develop confidence with written methods
✨ practise how to approach and “unpick” maths questions
✨ build resilience when faced with challenge
✨ develop a more positive mindset surrounding mistakes and learning
✨ feel calmer and more prepared for the expectations of Year 7
Alongside support from TLC staff, some sessions may also be supported by older student volunteers completing leadership, Duke of Edinburgh or work experience placements linked to education and additional learning needs. In fact, some of our older learners have made themselves so at home at The Learning Canopy they stay after their own sessions have finished to support the younger children.
These students provide younger learners with valuable insight into the transition to high school, including homework routines, organisation, maths confidence and practical “tips and tricks” that help make the jump to secondary school feel less overwhelming and more achievable.