Student Transitions & Pathways

Kew High School provides an inclusive and diverse curriculum that caters for students of wide ranging cultural and educational backgrounds.  Students have access to a wide range of educational and vocational pathways.  Programs at the school enable:

• Enhancement of transition into, through and beyond school
• Enhancement of student connectedness and self esteem through the CONNECT program
• Strengthening of induction processes for new students and their families

The school supports the transition process so students experience a smooth progression from primary to secondary school and from secondary school to further education or employment.  
A range of initiatives and programs have been implemented by the school to keep young people engaged in education.  These initiatives include Managed Individual Pathways (MIPS).  MIPS ensures that all students who are 15 years and older, in government schools, have current individual pathway plans.
A Managed Individual Pathway plan is established at the Year 10 level with the assistance of a transition broker.  Students also receive counselling from the Careers Counsellor after undergoing Vocational Guidance.

Career pathways for students in Years 11 and 12 are revisited in individual sessions with the Careers Counsellor.  Students are tracked after leaving school.

Year 7 Transition

The beginning of secondary school is a critical time for students. It involves a variety of emotions, behaviours and concerns for both students and their parents or other caregivers. For many it is considered a major stepping stone on the way to becoming an adult.

Transition to secondary school is marked by several changes in educational expectations and practices as students are introduced to the culture and expectations of their new school. In most primary schools, students are taught mainly in single classrooms, with a familiar set of classmates, by one to three teachers.  However, once students reach secondary school, they interact with many more students, in different classrooms, with more teachers, and often with different expectations for both performance and responsibility.

Kew High School’s transition program enables students to maintain the strong sense of belonging that they felt in primary school.  This is considered important if students are to continue to enjoy and succeed in academic tasks.

Students in grade 6 are supported on entry to the school through a comprehensive transition program.  Connections between the primary and the secondary school are maintained prior to entry usually beginning in Year 5, or even earlier, to create an environment that promotes a confident transition from the primary school classroom to the secondary school classroom. A high level of direct interaction between primary school students and secondary students occurs on a regular basis prior to entry:

• Subject specific links between primary and secondary students such as email activities in Year 7 English
• Visits to Kew High school for events such as school productions and specially devised activity days such as Maths days for primary school students
• Information sessions provided by Year 7 students visiting their past primary school
• LOTE (Languages other than English) familiarisation sessions conducted by secondary school staff and students, at the primary school/s.

In addition, there is valuable sharing of significant academic and other information between primary school staff and secondary school staff to facilitate the transition process and the placement of each student into the school. 

Upon entry into Year 7, a variety of programs are provided to orientate students to the expectations and operation of the school. Programs also provide support for learning and the social and personal aspects of transition. The Peer Support program is one such program which assists year 7 students in settling into secondary school by developing their self esteem through a buddy system.