Transition – Early Childhood to School

Transition Learning and Development Statements – information for schools

Transition Learning and Development Statements (TLDS) are provided by early childhood services and used by Foundation teachers, schools and outside school hours care (OSHC) services.

When your school will receive TLDS

Schools will start to receive TLDS from October. Your school should work with childhood services to agree on timelines that suit you both.

TLDS are typically written by early childhood teachers in the fourth term (October or November). They capture the most current learning and developmental information to share with the receiving teacher.

If completed earlier, the child’s level of learning and development is likely to have progressed and the information may not be as relevant and useful.

How your school will receive TLDS

TLDS can be received in a number of ways:

Insight assessment platform

Schools will receive the TLDS through the Insight assessment platform if:

• the school uses Insight, and
• the early childhood service has completed the ‘Online TLDS’.

The school Insight administrator can access TLDS for new prep students. Refer to the section on Access online transition statements for new prep students in this guidance.

Email or post

Schools will receive the TLDS through an email or post if:

• the school does not use Insight or
• the early childhood service has not completed the ‘Online TLDS’ – this is usually because the family has opted out of the service or not advised of the school their child is enrolled at.

Schools may seek a copy of the TLDS directly from the child's family if they have chosen to opt out of the early childhood service providing the information to the school.

Each family is provided a completed copy of the TLDS from their early childhood service.

OSHC services

The TLDS should also be shared with the OSHC service at your school to assist in getting to know the child and family and planning accordingly.

Purpose of the TLDS

A child's TLDS:

• summarises their abilities as they start school
• identifies their individual approaches to learning
• indicates how the child can be supported to continue learning.

The information in the TLDS helps Foundation teachers to get to know the children entering their classes and plan appropriate learning and teaching programs. The TLDS is not a report card.

Below are 7 ways that schools can effectively use the TLDS. The TLDS:

• provides individual child interests so you can select familiar or favourite picture books and activities to reassure new Foundation students at orientation sessions and in the first few weeks of the school year
• outlines the child’s level of learning (at section 1.1 of the TLDS) to assist you to plan accordingly to support progression along the Victorian Early Years Learning and Development Framework (VEYLDF) and Victoria Curriculum F-10 continuum
• includes an ‘intentional teaching strategies’ section (at section 1.1) that provides teaching strategies that work for each individual child in the new Foundation classroom
• can be used alongside the English Online Interview (EOI) data and even help determine which children should undertake the EOI first
• has a section describing how to support children with disability and/or developmental delay including which professionals are involved in supporting the child and any reports that are available to provide further information
• has a section completed by the child that helps school staff get to know each child quickly – this information can be used to initiate conversation with the child and display their drawings or photos to support their sense of belonging in the new classroom
• has a section completed by the child’s family to help school staff to initiate conversation and discussion to get to know the family and their expectations, wishes and hopes for their child beginning school.

To share other ways your school is successfully using transition statements, email the department’s Early Learning Practice and Participation Division at early.years.transition@education.vic.gov.au

Other mechanisms for information sharing to support a positive transition to school

There may be certain information regarding a child’s wellbeing or safety that educators deem not suitable to share in the TLDS, and where additional information sharing and service collaboration may be required to support the child’s transition to school. New Information Sharing Schemes enable authorised organisations, including Victorian government and non-government schools, kindergarten, long day care and before and after school hours care services, to share information with each other to promote the wellbeing or safety of children or to manage family violence risks.

Information sharing under the Schemes can support a smooth and positive transition experience for the child and help the receiving school provide early and appropriately targeted support. The schemes assist professionals and organisations to collaborate and better perform their roles and responsibilities.

Information sharing under the Schemes does not replace but can be used alongside the TLDS. More information and support about using the new Information Sharing Schemes is available at Child and Family Violence Information Sharing Schemes.

Schools not using Insight

If your school does not currently use the Insight assessment platform (i.e. non-government schools) but you want to find out more, contact insight@education.vic.gov.au

Find out more

Further information on transitions statements is available for early childhood professionals, visit: Transition Learning and Development Statements (TLDS).