Assistant Principal  -Curriculum

Subject: From Primary Pockets to High School Horizons: Navigating the Year 6 to 7 Journey!

Imagine stepping from being the 'big fish' in a familiar pond to suddenly being the youngest in a much larger ocean! That's often how the leap from Year 6 to Year 7 can feel for our students. At O'Connor, we deeply understand the significance of this transition, and it's why it's a key focus for us. This week, our halls were buzzing with excitement as we welcomed approximately 120 bright-eyed Year 6 students for our latest STEP Day!

Photos from the Agriculture session at this weeks STEP Day

The Science activity at STEP Day

The Technology activity at STEP Day: Laser Cutting

Change, even positive change, can bring its share of nerves. Our incoming Year 7s move from primary schools, often their home for seven years, to a bustling high school environment. There's also the new adventure of daily travel for many. We acknowledge these shifts and are dedicated to smoothing the path, ensuring their landing at O'Connor is as soft and welcoming as possible.

Our secret weapon? The Secondary Transition Enrichment Program (STEP) Days! These fantastic termly events invite Year 6 students from across our community to get a genuine taste of high school life. This Tuesday, the air was electric as students and their teachers plunged into hands-on learning in Agriculture (led by Miss Phillips and Mr Tout), fascinating Science experiments (Mr Fittler), energetic Physical Education (Ms Mellowship), and innovative Technology sessions (Mr Hawthorne). A special shout-out to our Year 11 Lasallian Youth Leaders, whose assistance was invaluable and whose leadership skills truly shone!

Students, present and future, mixing together at our STEP Day

Beyond the exciting taster days, our enrollment interviews are another cornerstone of our welcoming process. Conducted primarily by Mr Gibney, with support from Mrs Bell, myself, and other leadership team members, these aren't just formal meetings. They're an opportunity for us to connect, to ensure each student and their family knows that O'Connor is a place where every individual is known by name and genuinely welcomed into our community. This personal touch is a vital part of helping them feel secure and ready.

From a curriculum perspective, I'm thrilled to share how broad efforts support this journey. The consistent Australian Curriculum provides a seamless learning framework from K-12 nationwide. Here in NSW, the government is rolling out a new K-12 curriculum to further enhance learning continuity (NSW Department of Education, 2024). Locally, our 24 schools within the Diocese of Armidale work in close harmony, ensuring our Catholic primary school students find familiar structures and a sense of belonging when they arrive at O'Connor (ACS, n.d.).

Ultimately, our commitment to our students, both current and future, is unwavering. We strive to cultivate an environment where every child, including those soon to join us in Year 7, feels profoundly safe, valued, respected, and truly cared for. It's a mission we embrace with immense pride here at O'Connor.

Mr. Stephen Chapman

Assistant Principal - Curriculum

Never stop learning; for when we stop learning, we stop growing  - Jack Lewman

References

Armidale Catholic Schools Website, (n.d.), Armidale Catholic Schools (ACS), Retrieved from https://arm.catholic.edu.au/

Transition from primary to high school, (2024), NSW Department of Education.

Retrieved from https://education.nsw.gov.au/teaching-and-learning/curriculum/leading-curriculum-k-12/transition-from-primary-to-high-school