How can we help ds adjust to new school year and new teacher?

[Catsu]

ds is nearly 7 and just started yr 2.
He goes to a wonderful school who have always bent over backwards to offer him any additional support he needs (he has aspergers)
For the first 2 years at school he had the same teacher who he loved and this year is his first time he's had to cope with a new teacher and new ta's.
He went back to school on wed, so has done 3 days. He has said it's 'fine' when asked, but can't remember anything he has done or even any of the teachers names yet. (he blanks things out when over whelmed) On Friday evening he started with a bad migraine, which usually come on through stress, plus he has started up his throat clearing noise, which is a tic that comes back infrequently when he's stressed. He will do it constantly now for a few weeks from past experience.

I want to go talk to hos new teacher on Monday and chat to her about ways of helping ds cope with the change and how to make it easier for him. Im sure she will be open to suggestions but I'm not sure what to suggest!

Any thoughts on things that may help?

Does he have TA help? Funding?
They could make a social story about the routine of his day. They could take photos of different areas of the school ( the class , room, his tray, his peg) and his teachers and TA 's faces with their names underneath . They could make a book out of this which he could look at at home to get him more visually aware of the new things he is dealing with.
They could use a picture timetable of his day.
They could make sure they repeat things 1 to 1 when they are changing activities .
Tbh... A lot of schools do these things before the summer hols to prepare a child for moving up ... Perhaps your boy has already got these things in place?
One of my boy's main anxiety triggers was always not knowing what was going to happen... I'm guessing that if they can give your boy enough warning of the changes then he will find things a lot easier
Either way... He sounds like he's not coping as well as he could... And they need to stick a TA to him a bit more ATM perhaps.

Catsu

Troutpout's suggestions are good and I hope you get somewhere with school tomorrow because your son's needs there since the start of the new term are not currently being fully met. It seems that his school did not prepare him enough or properly to meet the start of Y2.

Is the SENCO any good, I would be talking to the SENCO as well as his class teacher and TA.

On a wider level I would apply for a statement of special needs for your son now if you have not already done so. This is because Y3 entails Juniors and a whole different set of unwritten social cues.

He had a lot of help starting reception but I think due to how well he has coped since and the fact that there have not been any big changes in 2 years, I think we've all got a little bit laid about it maybe.
Some good ideas there. Knowing what is happening next is a big thing for ds so will emphasise that. And photos with names of all staff he deals with is a brilliant idea that we can look at together at home.

He doesn't have funding or a statement. His diagnosis is fairly mild aspergers and the school are very good at giving help without finding that we've never needed to push for it. For example he has 2 teachers and 2 ta's in a class of 30 and he was given 1 to 1 daily speech therapy and social skills work for the whole of reception

I have had this problem with Dd3, she is able to hide the fact that she is stressy at school but I can tell as soon as I look at her. Your Ds's school have slipped up here and they should have done a proper transition for him. Having said that Dd3 has only had a proper transition this year, every other year we have felt that the first term has been wasted due to her difficulties with settling.

It will probably be up to you to be on the ball so this doesnt happen again next year, even though you know the school is good, they can slip up. Our SENCO is amazing but is extremely busy and does forget things. Ask for a transition meeting with the SENCO at the beginning of June so that he can spend time in his new classroom and make a photobook to look at over the summer hols.

For this year I would go with trouts suggestions and just add extra cuddles if he will let you.

Good luck