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Leading curriculum K–12

Transition guidance for school leaders and transition coordinators

Improve practices that support students' academic transition from primary to high school.

School Excellence Framework (SEF)

The School Excellence Framework (staff only) (version 3) supports all NSW public schools in their pursuit of equity and excellence by providing a clear description of the key elements of high-quality practice across the 3 domains of learning, teaching and leading. It is a key framework to support the Department of Education’s School Excellence cycle and the School Excellence Plan (SEP) for each school.

Continuity of learning can be supported through a systemic and collaborative approach that includes both primary and secondary schools. The SEF can support schools in their commitment to improving continuity of learning by providing a clear description of high-quality practice.

By mapping current transition practices to the SEF, your school can ensure transition programs reflect the needs of the school context, drive student improvement and support continuity of learning.

Focus on transition

The SEF highlights that an effective transition to high school across stages is essential to implementing high-quality practice in learning, teaching, and leading.

In the ‘learning culture’ element of the ‘learning’ domain, there is a direct reference to the theme ‘transitions and continuity of learning’.

The SEF emphasises the importance of implementing transition programs that support student learning and wellbeing. This practice involves schools using effective, consistent, and ongoing data collection processes to ensure student learning is relevant to the student’s needs. It encourages evidence-based programs that support a diverse range of students.

Consider the below domains, themes and elements of the SEF when evaluating current transition practices.

Learning domain elements and themes

  • Learning culture – Transitions and continuity of learning
  • Curriculum – Curriculum provision
  • Assessment – Whole school monitoring of student learning
Reflection questions

As part of your evaluation of current transition practices you may wish to consider the questions below.

  • How is continuity of learning prioritised in your current transition processes?
  • How are diverse learner needs considered in transition processes? For example
    • Aboriginal and/or Torres Strait Islander students
    • high potential and gifted (HPG) students
    • students learning English as an additional language or dialect (EAL/D)
    • students with disability.
  • What evidence of continuity of learning currently exists in your school’s transition processes?
  • How do staff engage the school community in student learning?
  • What evidence have you gathered from students, parents and the community to know if your transition processes are effective in supporting student learning from Stage 3 to Stage 4?
  • How can student voice be used to inform effective transition practices from primary to high school in your context?
  • How familiar are teachers with syllabuses that come before or after the stage they are teaching to inform lesson planning?
  • How do teachers use the Stage 3 and Stage 4 English and Mathematics syllabus content to support continuity of learning?
  • How is assessment data used systematically to evaluate student and cohort learning progress over time?

Teaching domain elements and themes

  • Effective classroom practice – Lesson planning
  • Data skills and use – Data literacy
Reflection questions

As part of your evaluation of current transition practices you may wish to consider the questions below.

  • How do teachers collaborate across stages to share curriculum knowledge?
  • How do teachers collaborate across stages to share effective pedagogies?
  • What student learning data is reviewed from primary to high school during the transition process?
  • How is student data from primary school used to inform lesson planning and teaching and learning practices in Stage 4?
  • How is student data analysed to identify interventions, modify teaching practice and plan for differentiation?
  • How do teachers incorporate students’ prior achievement, curriculum requirements and feedback into their lesson planning process?

Leading domain element and theme

Educational leadership – Leading, teaching and learning.

Reflection questions

As part of your evaluation of current transition practices you may wish to consider the questions below.

  • How are you leading a whole school approach to high-impact professional learning to support continuity of learning?
  • How are you building teacher capability in data literacy?
  • How is the leadership team ensuring distributed educational leadership to embed and sustain effective, evidence-informed transition practices?

Reflection resource

Target audience

  • School leaders
  • Transition coordinators

Purpose

This resource is designed for school leaders to evaluate current continuity of learning practices to aid in strategic planning for evidence-based improvement.

When and how to use

Schools can use this resource when evaluating their primary to high school transition initiatives. School leaders and transition coordinators should review this resource with key school staff and stakeholders within their school networks, including partner schools and Director Educational Leadership (DEL), to evaluate current transition practices and determine areas for improvement.

Evidence base

The transition of students from Year 6 into Year 7 has been researched extensively both locally and internationally in the last few decades. Evidence indicates that students in NSW public schools can experience difficulties transitioning from primary to high school.

  1. Anderson LW, Jacobs J, Schramm S and Splittgerber F (2000) ‘School transitions: beginning of the end or a new beginning?’, International Journal Of Educational Research, 33(4):325–339, accessed 17 April 2024.
  2. Galton M and McLellan R (2017) ‘A transition Odyssey: pupils’ experiences of transfer to secondary school across five decades’, Research Papers in Education, 33(2):1–23, accessed 17 April 2024.
  3. Martin AJ, Collie RJ, Stephan M, Flesken A, Halcrow F and McCourt B (2024) ‘The role of teaching support in assisting students’ transition to high school’, Learning and Individual Differences, 109(102382), accessed 17 April 2024.
  4. Martin AJ, Collie RJ, Stephan M, Flesken A, Halcrow F and McCourt B (2024) ‘What is the role of teaching support in students’ motivation and engagement trajectories during adolescence? A four-year latent growth modelling study’, Learning and Instruction, 92(101910), accessed 17 April 2024.
  5. Sniedze S, Felgate R, O’Grady E, Buckley S and Lietz P (2021) ‘What Australian students say about transition to secondary school. Final report’, Australian Council for Educational Research, accessed 17 April 2024.
  6. Symonds JE and Galton M (2014) ‘Moving to the next school at age 10–14 years: An international review of psychological development at school transition’, Review of Education, 2(1):1–27, accessed 17 April 2024.
  7. van Rens M, Haelermans C, Groot W and van den Brink HM (2018) ‘Facilitating a Successful Transition to Secondary School: (How) Does it Work? A Systematic Literature Review’, Adolescent Research Review, 3:43–56, accessed 17 April 2024.

Alignment to system priorities and needs

This resource is aligned to the following focus areas and actions within the NSW Plan for Public Education:

  • advance equitable outcomes, opportunities, and experiences
    • develop targeted, differentiated, evidence-informed initiatives and supports
  • deliver outstanding leadership, teaching, and learning
    • support schools to deliver school excellence through continuous improvement
    • improve how data is used to inform teaching
  • strengthen student wellbeing and development
    • improve support for students at all transitions through school.

Alignment to School Excellence Framework

The key themes that align to the School Excellence Framework (staff only) (version 3) include:

  • Transitions and continuity of learning
  • Curriculum provision
  • Whole school monitoring of student learning
  • Lesson planning
  • Data literacy
  • Leading, teaching and learning

Alignment to Australian Professional Standards for Teachers

This resource aligns to the following Australian Professional Standards for Teachers:

  • 5.4.3 Work with colleagues to use data from internal and external student assessments for evaluating learning and teaching, identifying interventions, and modifying teaching practice.
  • 5.4.4 Coordinate student performance and program evaluation using internal and external student assessment data to improve teaching practice.
  • 6.3.3 Initiate and engage in professional discussions with colleagues in a range of forums to evaluate practice directed at improving professional knowledge and practice, and the educational outcomes of students.
  • 6.3.4 Implement professional dialogue within the school or professional learning network(s) that is informed by feedback, analysis of current research and practice to improve the educational outcomes of students.

Feedback

Email questions, comments and feedback about this resource to contactcurriculumreform@det.nsw.edu.au using the subject line ‘Support for school leaders and transition coordinators'.

Next steps

If your reflections highlight a need to build upon and strengthen transition practices, your school should consider embedding a focus on transition in your SEP initiatives.

The SEF Improvement Model supports the School Excellence cycle in determining focus areas for improvement. The model visualizes the SEF and shows how the elements and domains are related and interconnected.

Consider the SEF elements in the model below as enablers in planning your next steps to support whole-school improvement in transition practices.

To strengthen transition practices, consider an implementation and progress monitoring (IPM) activity focused on:

  • ensuring best practice lesson observations between primary school and high school teachers within your local network
  • partnering with primary and high schools to share KLA-specific programs and scope and sequences to build on students' prior learning and support their continuity of learning
  • analysing Year 6 student learning data with primary schools to inform class placement, individualised learning plans, teaching and learning activities and differentiation strategies
  • strengthening processes to gather feedback from students, parents, and carers to inform the ongoing improvement of transition practices.

Consider what professional learning might be needed to build primary or secondary teachers’ capability in understanding and implementing continuity of learning from Stage 3 to Stage 4.

SEF Improvement model The model provides a visual of the SEF and shows how the elements and domains are related and interconnected. SEF Improvement model The model provides a visual of the SEF and shows how the elements and domains are related and interconnected.
Image: Figure 1 SEF Improvement Model.

Additional resources

Review the below materials to see how one network of schools have embedded continuity of learning and transition practices into their School Excellence Plan, as well as other relevant information and updates.

Effective transitions for students from primary to high school

Examples of effective transition practices to support continuity of learning from primary to high school.

NSW Curriculum Reform

The NSW Government is reforming the curriculum from Kindergarten to Year 12.

Enhancing the transition to high school for students

The transition to high school is a critical time for many students. Learn why, and discover resources and strategies to make their transition more successful.

Supporting transition to Year 7

Information supporting department schools to understand incoming Year 7 students’ reading and numeracy skills.

Transition from primary to high school

Advice and resources to support schools in facilitating an effective transition through curriculum.

Getting ready for high school

Our guide to starting high school including advice about transition, school timetables, learning, study and wellbeing.

School Excellence

School Excellence is at the core of all work across NSW public schools for continuous school improvement.

Category:

  • Teaching and learning

Business Unit:

  • Curriculum and Reform
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