Early Childhood Learning

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Research

Periodically there will be opportunities for early childhood services and schools to participate in research projects to support a positive start to school.

Information about these research projects are made available here.

Outcomes and Indicators of a Positive Start to School: Development of Framework and Tools

This world-leading research provides the first evidence to support an understanding of how to measure the outcomes and indicators of a positive transition to school.

Building on recommendations from the 2009 project, this research aimed to develop and test tools for measuring the outcomes and indicators of a positive transition to school for children, parents/families, early childhood educators and school teachers in Victoria.

The project was undertaken by the Centre for Community Child Health (Murdoch Childrens Research Institute and the Royal Children’s Hospital) in partnership with Victoria University (authors of the ‘Outcomes and Indicators of a Positive Start to School’) and the Clinical Epidemiological and Biostatistics Unit (CEBU) of the Royal Children’s Hospital (RCH).

Outcomes and Indicators of a Positive Start to School

Victoria University undertook research to identify the outcomes of a positive transition to school for children, their families and educators and to establish indicators to measure these outcomes.

Outcomes and Indicators of a Positive Start to School (PDF - 416Kb), Victoria University, 2009

Transition to School - Position Statement

On 8 August 2011, Professor Alan Hayes, Director of the Australian Institute of Family Studies at Charles Sturt University Albury-Wodonga Campus, launched the Transition to School-Position Statement; a valuable document for policy makers, practitioners and researchers alike to both promote and support a positive transition to school for all children.

To view or download the statement, see: Transition to School Position Statement

Evaluation of the Transition: A Positive Start to School Initiative

An evaluation of the Transition: A Positive Start to School initiative was conducted in 2010.  The intention of the evaluation was to assess the effectiveness and sustainability of what has been designed to date and to inform refinements and further improvements to the initiative.  The final evaluation report is now available.

The report contains 13 recommendations directed at the Department and three recommendations for professionals in the early childhood and schooling sectors, which aim to enhance the future implementation of the initiative.

Evaluation of Transition: A Positive Start to School Initiative (PDF - 1.2Mb), Success Works Pty Ltd, 2010

Transition pilot evaluation

To inform government policy and expand the local evidence base on what works in supporting children’s transition to school, 30 pilots were funded though the Transition: A Positive Start to School Initiative. The pilots trialled, or extended, a range of transition approaches in a diverse range of Victorian communities. The pilots ran from October 2008 to May 2009.

The University of Melbourne’s Centre for Program Evaluation (CPE) was commissioned to conduct an independent evaluation of the 30 transition to school pilots. A theory-based evaluation approach was used to inform the collection of a range of data on the perceptions and experience of implementing the pilots.

Evaluation of Transition: A Positive Start to School Pilots (PDF - 240Kb)

Transition literature review

The University of Melbourne's Centre for Equity and Innovation in Early Childhood (CEIEC) undertook a review of international literature concerning young children's transition to school.

The review addressed the question:

What are the key findings and issues for improving transition into prep for children, their families, local communities and early childhood education and care professionals in Victoria?

Transition: A Positive Start to School Literature Review (PDF - 540Kb)

Linking Schools and Early Years (LSEY)

The Linking Schools and Early Years project is a partnership between:

  • The R.E. Ross Trust
  • Department of Education and Early Childhood Development
  • Centre for Community Child Health, and the
  • Murdoch Children’s Research Institute at the Royal Children’s Hospital Melbourne.

LSEY is a six year project (2006-2012) that seeks to inform policy development, build research evidence and provide a model of practical, effective, low-cost, place-based strategies that enable schools, early years services, families and the community to work collaboratively to overcome barriers to children’s learning and development and for children to arrive at school ready to engage and be successful at school.

The LSEY project is a complement to the Transition: A Positive Start to School initiative.

For more information, see: Linking Schools & Early Years