Wellbeing News - Transition
Dear families,
As we begin to creep towards the end of the year, our attention moves to transition and preparation for a successful start to 2024. At OLHC, we believe that supporting students through transition from one year level to another is an important aspect of our whole school wellbeing strategy.
Prep Transition: For students transitioning from kindergarten to Prep, our focus is on creating a sense of safety and belonging, achieved through transition sessions and the buddy program. In addition to this, teachers begin to develop an understanding of student needs through visitation of students at kindergartens and beginning to form relationships with families.
Year 1-6 Transition: For students transitioning from Prep through to Year 6, our focus is on supporting students to feel prepared, safe and supported through ensuring that they have the opportunity to experience their new classroom, meet their teacher(s) and know the students who will be in their class.
Secondary Transition: For students transitioning from Year 6 to secondary school, our focus is on celebrating the milestone of completing primary school as well as their achievements. In addition to this, we support transition through liaising with secondary schools, sharing experiences about orientation at their high schools and building confidence in students’ readiness for secondary school.
As a school team, we have set aside a number of sessions where students will have the opportunity to see the learning spaces, meet their teachers and classmates to begin to build relationships and a sense of confidence and positivity about the changes they will experience.
Individuals: For some students, we recognise that transition may be more complex and challenging. For these students, we provide support through an Individualised Transition Plan outlining the potential challenges for the child and specific strategies and actions to support the child through transition. This plan may include additional sessions meeting with teachers, exploring the spaces including play areas or learning more about the routines in the year group they will be moving into.
To support transition planning, Program Support Group (PSG) meetings will be held a little later than normal this Term, in Weeks 8 and 9. This will give the PSG members an opportunity to discuss transition plans and goals that will support the students in Term 1 of 2024.
As always, please have a chat with your child’s classroom teacher or myself if you would like to discuss transition further.
Regards,
Norah