Improving the Transition to Higher Education | 2024 Internal Improving Transition Support "They've got used to the safety net of home and school, and they don't want to lose it – especially those with mental health issues and anxiety. Not having support is a real fear. They also have concerns about their social wellbeing. They 1 want a community and to feel like they belong.= Secondary school teacher Insight collected through the roundtables suggested that the UK higher education sector has not yet fully responded to the rapid changes in learning, social, and independence skills among school leavers. There is still a tendency to concentrate on the first few weeks of the first year when considering transition activities and support. Development of academic skills, social integration, and the challenges of independent living are too often addressed in silos, leading to a complex offer for students to navigate, potentially overwhelming them such that they do not absorb key aspects. This complexity can be particularly challenging for disabled students.24 Indeed, increasing student diversity, more complex support needs, and widening gaps in terms of disadvantage are not always fully considered when planning transition support. It may be that for many students the initial induction period should focus not on intensive information giving but on building affiliation between the student and the higher education provider; creating a sense of belonging may be central here. Schools and college can support these efforts by preparing students for higher education, but this will only be fully effective if they are up to date with higher education practices and, in particular, student support approaches. Recommendations Develop better understanding between the sectors and more standardised approaches in higher education: Greater standardisation within each sector, and more collaboration between sectors, would help to underpin better transition support by making it easier for all parties to co-ordinate their approach. In practice this may involve: higher education providers offering regular briefings to local schools and colleges; sharing insights and practices in both directions through national organisations; and extending the remit of widening access partnerships to focus more strongly on the transition to university. Sector-wide agreement on best practices - and terminology - in supporting the transition to university should also be considered. This would help schools and colleges to work more closely with higher education on transition activities and would offer enhanced clarity for new students. 19