Transition to Year 7

Transition Program

Our aim is to ensure that every Year 7 student feels happy, secure and confident to ensure a smooth start and solid foundation to their secondary education.  Our curriculum and pastoral care programs are designed to allow student needs to be met.

Year 7 Transition

The term “transition” can be defined as the changing from one form to the other…”a crossing over”.  With this in mind, the transition program at Mooroolbark College endeavours to help students make positive choices about their secondary education journey and to assist them to change from the primary system into the next level of their education.

The Beginning of the Journey:

Grade 6 students begin their transition a year before they arrive and are placed into Year 7 classes.  We believe it is essential that students choose the right college, because every student is an individual.  They must feel at ease with this big step from primary to secondary, have any fear or anxiety alleviated, realise that there are friendly points of contact and that the college offers relevant and interesting programs.

To this end students are brought up on orientation visits, where they are taken on a tour of the grounds, meet the transition coordinator, principal and teachers and have all questions answered.

They then are led through sample year seven classes, based on proper year seven curriculum offerings, practical and academic, such as ceramics, woodwork and so on to english, history, drama, and science and others.

They have lunch provided and may explore the college grounds, ably assisted by college student friendship ambassadors.

The Journey Continues:

Students are further encouraged to attend the college exploration evening in early May and to arrange day-time individual tours to see the college in action, and to further interact with our students, teachers and principal class team.

The Decision

Students and their parents/guardians then decide to enrol with Mooroolbark College and in doing so commit to a long lasting relationship which begins with them being sent our first enrolment package, whereby each family is welcomed.  This package contains information outlining our major policies, expectations and enrolment forms.

Enrolment package two, which will be sent in early November, will contain information about books, voluntary charges, computer use and contract, uniform requirements and details of orientation day.

The Hand Over:

As early as September, the transition coordinator will visit primary schools to meet students again, answer any final questions and to speak to teachers to gain further information about any concern or individual educational needs eg. gifted program/assisted learning program/leadership and so on.

Also, a special pre-orientation day is held by which single or two to three students from distant or out-of-neighbourhood schools may meet like students. They may also meet teachers and forge new friendships so that on entry into a larger college they will recognise a friendly face and not feel so alone or anxious.

Orientation:

The transition into fully-fledged year sevens begins with orientation day in early December, when new year sevens are placed in class groups, meet some of their teachers, do exercises from a special orientation day booklet and participate in several mini-lessons on offer.

The Adventure Begins:

In the new year, our year sevens are the first to arrive at the college.   On day one only year sevens, year 11 and year 12 students attend.  They meet their home group teacher and fellow students and begin an induction session to help them identify with college rules, organisation and procedure, so that they would feel connected to our college from the very first moment.

This session is then followed up by further home group sessions or with class teachers, working through a year seven ON TARGET booklet, which has topics including understanding the timetable and how to use the college planner, until teachers consider that our students feel safe and comfortable with being part of the college.

The Adventure Continues:

As the year progresses, the class of year seven is offered other opportunities to connect with the college, namely a Year 7 camp, involvement in the peer support program, homework clinic, plus continuing support from myself, home group teachers and house leaders as mentors to help them with social, organisational an academic issues.

Finally our class of year seven, after having settled in very well, looks forward to being the next set of friendship ambassadors to help welcome and induct the next year seven intake and so the circle continues and a new journey begins.