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Transition to School

Starting school is a major life transition for children and their families. It is a period of change that can be both challenging and exciting, in which children and families adjust to new roles, identities and expectations, new interactions and new relationships.

Transition to school is not a point-in-time event--it is an experience that starts well before, and extends far beyond, the first day of school.

Many children will start school after having attended kindergarten, others will have attended child care and some may not have attended any formal prior-to-school service. Nonetheless, all children will have developed a range of skills and abilities that form the basis of positive school experiences.

Strength-based approach: A guide to writing Transition Learning and Development Statements

The Strength-based approach: A guide to writing Transition Learning and Development Statements aims to further early childhood and school educator understanding of the strength-based approach and its application to writing and interpreting Transition Learning and Development Statements. Use this resource to learn more about the strength-based approach and to assist you with writing and interpreting Transition Learning and Development Statements.

This guide was developed in consultation with early childhood and school educators, professionals, academics and stakeholders. It aims to further early childhood and school educator understanding of the strength-based approach and its application to writing and interpreting Transition Learning and Development Statements and we invite you to share this resource with early childhood and school educators.

For more information, see: Strength-based approach: A guide to writing Transition Learning and Development Statements (PDF - 454Kb)

2011 Follow-up Evaluation of the Transition: A Positive Start to School Initiative

The Department recently conducted a follow-up evaluation to determine how specific groups—early childhood professionals, prep teachers and outside school hours care (OSHC) services—are engaging with the Transition: A Positive Start to School Initiative in its second year. Highlight results show that:

Almost all prep teachers (96%) read the Transition Learning and Development Statements
The vast majority of prep teachers (up to 91%) considered all sections of the Transition Learning and Development Statements as valuable and that they help support a positive start to school for children
Early childhood professionals reported that the time spent writing Transition Learning and Development Statements was an improvement on the previous year
Not all OSHC services are aware of the Transition Learning and Development Statements and fewer actually receive them, even though many OSHC services are located on school grounds and are involved in transition to school programs and activities.

Other interesting findings pointed to stronger relationships between early childhood and school professionals and that early childhood professionals value acknowledgement and feedback as a way of improving the quality of information provided to prep teachers.