Wellbeing

Transitions

A school’s approach to Prep transition is critical to a child’s introduction to big school. A large body of evidence highlights the importance of the transition to school to children’s academic and social development. A successful transition should be a dynamic process, beginning well before a child starts school and continuing until children and families feel a sense of belonging.

 

During this challenging time when our Primary kids have been learning online, Suzanne Deefholts and I are presenting an online Transition Program to the newest members of our school community. We have hosted four sessions so far. Each session focuses on a different aspect of school, from fine motor skills and understanding our senses to play and gross motor skills. Through singing, storytelling, drawing, games and asking questions, we hope that by the time the children step foot into the classroom on their first day in 2022, they already feel an attachment with the school. We hope that they will be able to finish off this transition process at school; however, we are happy to offer this alternative.

 

 

Our Year 6 students are also preparing for their transition to secondary school at the other end of the school, using the START resource. The activities focus on preparing young people for the next part of their learning journey while celebrating primary school completion. 

 

We want to offer parents an online information session with our school psychologist, focusing on this crucial transition in the next few weeks. Reading some current research, I noted that a good transition program from primary to secondary school could be more difficult if children are also experiencing other changes at the same time. (i.e. interrupted learning due to Covid).

 

Replacing uncertainties with good coping strategies is critical, so it will be essential for you as parents to know how to answer any questions your children may have about secondary school.

 

The transition may be easy for us (or perhaps not as easy as we think, if we reflect on current times), or you may have an older child for whom the process was simple. Please remember, each of your children’s feelings may differ, and your child, a Year 6 student in 2021, is heading off to secondary school during a time of uncertainty.

 

We hope that this session will benefit you as parents, and we will let you know the date through Operoo.

 

Connie Drossaert

Student Wellbeing