At Chifley College Mount Druitt Campus, we understand that the transition from primary school to high school is a significant adjustment for students and often overwhelming.
To aid in ensuring a successful transition we have a number of programs running, such as primary visits and the star program.
Primary visits
To aid in ensuring a successful transition, Teaching and Learning staff from Mount Druitt Campus start to develop the relationships between Year 6 students and their teachers early in Term 3.
Learning and support teachers (LaST) and English as an additional language or dialect (EAL/D) teachers arrange two visits to the feeder primary schools to get know students and run mini lessons.
An ex student from the primary school also attends the visits to share some of their high school experiences and ease students' anxiety about starting high school.
The primary visits are designed to:
- Provide work samples for Year 7 teachers
- Enable staff to begin programming for the year and create lessons that are well suited to the strengths and weaknesses of their future students
- Assist in the creation of well-balanced classes
- Help identify those students who may require specialist teacher support.
Mount Druitt Stars Program
Mount Druitt Stars is a program aimed at Year 6 students who will be attending Chifley College Mount Druitt Campus in Year 7. The students involved are hand picked by their primary teachers to receive extra support in the transition process.
The program is designed to reduce feelings of anxiety or stress associated with starting high school. The aim of the program is to help provide students with the best start possible for high school.
Students experience two full days during Term 4 and have the opportunity to address the following concerns:
- The school environment – location of library, toilets and front office.
- Teaching staff especially – who to go to for help?
- School procedures and routines – bell times, assemblies, packing a school bag and classes.
The visits allow students to develop confidence with the school environment, procedures and assist them in developing new relationships with high school staff and students with similar concerns from other primary schools.
A small group of Year 8 or Year 9 students also work with the Year 6 students as 'mentors' to build connections for the following year.
For more information on preparing for school, visit the pages below: