Illawarra Transition to School Project

Knowledge base

Stay informed as you plan, design and implement transition programs in your early childhood service or school by keeping up to date with the latest research and learning from other transition programs. If you have suggestions for resources that you would like to see included or programs you would like to see profiled on this page, please contact us.

Research
Presentations
Early childhood services
Schools

For additional help, advice and support, please see our Support page for information and links to other services.

Support - Information and links to other services

Research [back to top]

Transition to School Position Statement - Charles Sturt University
Developed by a group of national and international transition to school researchers, this position statement is designed to guide the policies and practices of transition to school across Australia.

Voices of children in starting school - Bob Perry and Sue Dockett
Sue Dockett and Bob Perry's report is based on the Wollongong Transition to School network's Voices of Children project (2006-2007), which recognised the importance of listening to children's voices and perspectives in starting school. Children's perspectives remind us that living the experience of starting school is different from planning, implementing or reporting it. They also provide great insight into ways that starting school experiences can be enhanced.

Rethinking school readiness - Centre for Community Child Health
CCCH explores the nature of school readiness and pathways to it. It emphasises the importance of schools, services and communities in supporting children and families.

School readiness - Australian Research Alliance for Children and Youth
ARACY explores the meaning of school readiness, along with the factors associated with children's readiness for success in school. It looks at what can be done by parents, early childhood services, schools and the community in order to support a successful transition for children.

School readiness - NSW Centre for Parenting and Research
The NSW Centre for Parenting and Research examines the factors to consider in determining a child's readiness for school.

Starting school: effective transitions - Sue Dockett and Bob Perry
Sue Dockett and Bob Perry outline a framework of ten guidelines for effective transitions, developed through the Starting School Research Project.

Supported transition for children with special needs - Evelyn Howell
Evelyn Howell explains the different transition to school approaches needed for children with special needs.

Linking families and schools - Marcia Kraft-Sayre and Robert Pianta
Useful information on how schools can link with parents and children to form a working relationship for the healthy development for the child.

Presentations [back to top]

All I ever really needed to know I learned in kindergarten - Harold Cosier (Wollongong PS )
School principal Harold Cosier reflects on his own experiences of starting school.

Brain physiology and the abused and traumatised child - Andrew Munro (Caresouth)
Andrew Munro explores brain development in children who have been subject to abuse or trauma, and how this can impact on their experience of starting school.

Building integrated early childhood and family support services - Tim Moore (Centre for Community Child Health)
Tim Moore examines ways to integrate early childhood and family support services so as to achieve better outcomes for children, families and society.

Speech and language development - Desiree Ortato (The Children's Hospital at Westmead)
Desiree Ortato outlines normal speech development and basic concept development for children. She also provides practical tips for parents on how to encourage children's language development and suggestions for incorporating opportunities into daily routines.

Early childhood services [back to top]

Starting school - Illawarra Children's Services
This Illawarra Children's Services booklet includes hints and tips for school readiness activities and assessing whether a child is ready for school, as well as information on immunisation, healthy lunches, outside school hours care and more. A handy month-by-month checklist also outlines key dates for parents in the year before their child starts school.

Our trip to the Warrawong Big School Expo - Port Kembla Preschool
Children at Port Kembla Preschool reflect on their experiences at the Warrawong Big School Expo.

Our visit from Billy Backpack - Warilla Occasional Care
Children at Warilla Occasional Care reflect on their visit from Transition to School mascot, Billy Backpack.

Wollongong City Preschool
Wollongong City Preschool's transition to school program uses a range of educational tools to enable children to develop their skills and start school as confident, curious, independent and enthusiastic learners

Western Suburbs Child Care Centre
The transition to school program at Western Suburbs Child Care Centre incorporates school readiness skills with play-based learning in a way that is sensitive to each child's needs.

Keiraville Community Preschool
An overview of Keiraville Community Preschool's transition to school program for children starting school the following year, as well as transition to school activities that are incorporated into the normal preschool curriculum.

TTS for Koori Kids Pilot Project
The TTS for Koori Kids Pilot Project was run by Noogaleek Aboriginal Children's Service over one year, for children starting school in 2006. This simple program looks at a child's individual needs and abilities, and supports their needs through a network of agencies.

Link Up Child Profile - Goulburn
A sample template for tracking a child's developmental progress over time. The information gathered using this template can assist early childhood services to share information with schools.

Learning story - Based on Te Whāriki
This sample template is designed to encourage dialogue between educators, children and their parents on the topic of starting school through storytelling. It is based on the NZ early childhood curriculum framework, Te Whāriki.

Schools [back to top]

Warrawong Public School
An outline of Warrawong's transition program, which includes a particular emphasis on early intervention for children who exhibit potential developmental delay. A concise checklist and detailed child assessments across all areas of development are included in the supporting documents.

Week 1 Week 2

Week 3 Week 4

Week 5 Week 6

Week 9 Week 10

Kindergarten Enrolment Form Individual Kindergarten Development Check

Mount St Thomas Public School - Buddy program
The Mount St Thomas buddy program aims to reassure incoming children by offering a supportive environment, encouraging caring friendships and role-modelling day to day activities at a child's new school by learning from the example of older children.

Mount St Thomas Public School - New parents' mentoring program
Parent mentoring at Mount St Thomas is an innovative approach to ease parental anxiety as children commence big school by fostering friendships across the school community and encouraging school involvement.

Corrimal Public School
An overview of Corrimal Public School's Transition to School program