Resources for the Year 6 to 7 transition process
Supporting a positive transition to secondary school in 2023
The department has developed more detailed guidance to help primary and secondary schools to support an effective transition to secondary school for Year 6 students moving to secondary school in 2023, in the context of the disruption to schooling over the past few years. Refer to Supporting a positive transition to secondary school in 2024 . This resource should be read in conjunction with the information contained in the Transition Year 6-7 Guidance and Resources tabs.
Year 6 to Year 7 placement information packs and the placement timeline for 2022 to 2023 has been moved to Year 6 to 7 placement.
Planning and preparation for transition
A toolkit for transition clusters: primary to secondary has been developed to support clusters of schools to collaborate in the development of a comprehensive and shared primary to secondary school transition strategy. It describes a process that was used to assist five Victorian government school clusters to develop or review their cluster strategic plans for transition and provides examples of the tools that aided this process. The tools from the toolkit are also provided as individual documents below.
- Tool 1: Sample baseline opinion survey
- Tool 2: Transition strategy framework
- Tool 3: Transition practices audit tool
- Tool 4: A transition data analysis tool
- Tool 5: Transition importance and implementation gap analysis survey
- Tool 6: Transition importance and implementation survey results
- Tool 7: A matrix to help with establishing transition priorities
- Tool 8: A compendium of cluster transition strategies
- Tool 9: A f ramework for documenting transition plans
Transition for students with a disability
The following guidelines provide information and advice to support and implement positive and effective transitions for students with a disability and additional needs.
The guidelines include:
- an overview of the transition planning process including key elements and considerations
- suggested timeline and checklists for transition planning activities
- Transition Statement templates that schools may use to strengthen their transition processes
- information on student support and targeted programs
- contact details and links to resources and additional information.
Schools may use these steps with consideration to the unique needs of the student and their educational settings. The student’s parent/carers are also involved in the transition process.
Vulnerable students
Resources and case studies below.
- School transitions for vulnerable young people
- Case study — Transitioning at risk students
- Case study — Resources from Newport Lakes Primary School
- Case study — Whole family support to decrease transition anxiety
- Case study — Resources from Roxburgh college
Student involvement
There is increasing attention placed on listening to the voices of students about transition, and schools should continue to explore how students can be involved appropriately in their own transition planning process.
The VicSRC Transitions Project Report identifies 6 recommended area around which the Year 6 to 7 transition can better be supported.
Teaching frameworks
Framework for Improving Student Outcomes (FISO)
- excellence in teaching and – focusing on student voice and building student confidence
- positive climate for – developing partnerships with parents/carers and other schools
- community engagement in – looking at targeted teaching strategies and the use of assessment
Applying the FISO Improvement Cycle to Year 6 to 7 transitions
The Improvement cycle is a holistic approach that can:
- help develop and implement identified improvement initiatives
- be used at a number of levels, whether at whole school, class or individual levels (including being used for initiatives targeted at a specific year level, such as transitioning Year 7 students).
Four key components of the Improvement Cycle can be applied specifically to transitions, refer to:
- evaluate and – for evaluation of students' performance successes and challenges regarding transition into Year 7, including their achievement and wellbeing, engagement and productivity
- prioritise and set – for improvement strategies and initiatives that have the greatest impact on transitioning students’ learning
- develop and – for improvement strategies and initiatives to improve transitions
- implement and – to implement selected improvement strategies and initiatives for transitioning students and the impact these have on student learning.
Additional resources
- The Victorian Curriculum: sets out what every student should learn during their first 11 years of schooling. The curriculum is the common set of knowledge and skills required by students for life-long learning, social development and active and informed citizenship.
- Interactive self-assessment tool — by curriculum
Addressing the gender differences in Years 6 to 7 literacy and numeracy outcomes
A summary of past research and research findings from investigating practices in English and mathematics classes in Victorian secondary schools. To view these in full, see:
Student data transfer
A range of additional support materials have been developed to provide schools information and assistance with the student data transfer process.
- Support Services Tab: Quick Guide provides a summary of the information schools are required to enter in each field.
- CASES21 Restrictions/Risks Tab: Quick Guide provides a summary of student information schools are required to check and update in the Restrictions/Risks Tab prior to transferring to a school.
- Transferring 'foreseeable risk' Information Sheet provides information relating to identifying and, where appropriate, sharing and transferring information about foreseeable risks for students transferring to a new school.
For CASES21 support queries contact Service Desk on 1800 641 943.
Student wellbeing
Student Transition and Resilience Training (START)
START incorporates:
- the latest evidence on adolescent learning and development
- key predictors of positive resilience in young people
- students’ learning and wellbeing needs during the Year 6 to Year 7 transition period
- strategies to enhance students’ learning and resilience during their transition from primary to secondary school.
START features a teacher resource and a student workbook, handouts and portfolio, which form a set of activities that can be tailored to students in either Year 6 or Year 7.
The activities are intended to support students' ongoing reflection and personal development throughout their transition period, including students who may not have used the resource in Year 6.
- Student Transition and Resilience Training full resource
- Student Transition and Resilience Training full resource
- Teacher resource
- Teacher resource
- Student workbook
- Student workbook
- Student handouts
- Student portfolio
- Student portfolio
Additional social and emotional learning resources
For further information on creating and maintaining safe, supportive and inclusive learning environments, refer to:
Reviewed 02 November 2023