School Profile - Student Well-being

- Transition

PRIMARY SCHOOL LINKAGES AND ENRICHMENT PROGRAM AT DAVIDSON

With the formation of our Community of Schools Initiative, we are always striving to work and form relationships with our local primary schools. This also ensures the transition from primary to high school is a positive experience, with primary students having a connection with their local high school. Students will have the opportunity to become familiar with the facilities and get to know the teaching staff at Davidson, and finally to address middle schooling initiatives

Davidson High School has completed the planning of a primary enrichment program for term two and three, that will involve approximately 20 -24 students from a combination of our local primary schools. This is a ten week course across several key learning areas. Students will spend a full day each week at the school working in Maths, English, Science, Technology, Visual Arts, Languages and more. We will also visit the ICT Innovations centre at Macquarie University and the Coastal Environment Centre at Narrabeen. This course will provide students with an opportunity to develop and extend their skills in an environment that encourages creative thinking and independent learning.

So far this year Davidson has established a Food Technology and Science Program with Kambora Primary who in weeks 2, 4, 6 and 8 are participating in lessons in specialist classrooms that are not available in the primary school. Topics covered throughout term two include: muffin mania, forensic science, a taste of Italy and dissection day.

TRANSITION TO HIGH SCHOOL

The transition to high school is a process, not a single event. It happens at a time when students are also transitioning into adolescence. All students find the move to high school demanding. Orientation days, open nights and mentoring assist greatly in easing tensions. In addition to these strategies extra strategies are used to smooth the transition of students who find the changes more challenging. In previous years, this extra support has included:

• Liaison of high school and primary school and DET support teams for smooth transition. Good communication between the two tiers is crucial to the development of skills, knowledge and understanding needed to succeed at high school.

• Small groups make extra visits to Davidson before Orientation Day. The extra visits enable students to manage Orientation Day comfortably.

• A 'Get-to-Know-You' morning visit in a group. Students who are attending from primary schools without any other friends get to know some others.

• Small groups of selected students undertake a transition program for Terms 1 and/or 2 of Year 7. This program focuses on the specific skills and independence required in high school.

• From time to time small groups meet with the support teacher to efficiently address areas of need.

The research suggests that the transition is a work in progress from the middle of year 7 to the middle of Year 8.