To support ECEC services to manage this important change, the New South Wales Department of Education has issued the following practical tips on adapting standard transition practices to ensure they are consistent with best practice.
Transition networks primarily function so that early childhood educators, schools, outside school hours care (OSHC) services, and other interested parties can share information and support continuity of learning.
The Department has asked services to consider what networks and connections already exist and where the gaps are.
Useful activities to try:
Further resources to support:
COVID-19 will likely continue to impact how ECEC services are able to interact with families.
Here are some ideas to continue interacting with families when face-to-face contact is limited:
The following resources can be used to share with families:
Engaging families with children with additional learning and support needs
Early and careful transition planning is critical for ensuring that children with additional learning and support needs are prepared to start school. Best practice involves collaborative planning between services, families and the involvement of early intervention professionals. It also involves the gradual preparation of children and families and ongoing communication between staff from early childhood education and school settings.
Inclusive learning support hub
Families and carers who have children with disability or additional learning and support needs may like to access the new online Inclusive Learning Support Hub where they can easily find up-to-date information about how to access support.
It is important that ECEC educators and teachers complete a Transition to School Statement for every child transitioning to school to support continuity of learning.
Making the Transition to School statement more successful
In ‘Section 1: About the child’, ECEC services may want to:
In ‘Section 2: Feelings about school’, ECEC services may want to include:
In ‘Section 3: Child’s learning and development’, ECEC services may want to:
This may include:
What do high-quality transition practices look like?
Transition is the collective responsibility of families, ECEC services, schools and communities. High-quality practice involves strong relationships and collaborative planning between all stakeholders.
Early childhood teachers and educators play a key role in bringing everyone together to establish transition practices that best meet the needs of each individual child.
High-quality transitions incorporate the following key principles (adapted from Dockett, S. & Perry, B. (2014). Continuity of Learning: A resource to support effective transition to school and school age care . Canberra, ACT: Australian Government Department of Education):
Recognition of diversity at the individual child, family and community level underpins effective transitions. The COVID-19 pandemic has meant there have been significant changes in children’s lives. High-quality programs consider the different impacts and implications for children, and tailor practices to the child’s individual needs.
Early childhood professionals:
2 . Secure, respectful and reciprocal relationships
Relationships are the core of successful transitions. As children transition to school, relationships change and need to be supported.
Early childhood professionals:
Continuity of learning is providing children with the opportunity to build on, apply, transfer and adapt their learning in a new context.
Early childhood professionals:
All transition journeys are different, and this provides opportunities to learn from the perspectives and practices of others.
Early childhood professionals:
To access this information in its original form, please see here .
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