Identified earlier and resurfacing here, was the concern around the relationship between schools and prior to school settings. Three focus groups and one teleconference consultation with the prior to school sector raised the issue that they do not receive any indication from schools about how transition strategies are working and how children are impacted. Completing Transition Statements for prep teachers and not hearing from schools about whether this was helpful or not was a particular point of concern. comments around this finding Respondents’ included: no feedback from schools about the process, about statements or “There’s practices” (focus group prior to school Lilydale); is little conversational contact with schools once transition statements are “There (focus group prior to school Dandenong); delivered” genuinely evaluate without a connection with the “We can’t school” (teleconference combined Horsham & Mildura); one school out of at least 20 even acknowledged the completion of Transition “Only (focus group prior to school Moonee Valley); and Statements” only hear about transition to school if they have another child at the “We service” (teleconference combined Horsham & Mildura). This general lack of meaningful discussion between prior to school and school settings indicates that there may be processes and strategies that the Department can implement on a level that will strengthen the continuity of learning from ages zero to eight. Respondents in the online survey were asked how they know their transition strategies are impacting on transition to school. Responses from the sectors were similar to the children’s findings from the focus group and telephone interview consultations. Respondents from schools commented on a in-class behaviour and feedback. Signs of children settling child’s parents’ well, which included confidence and engagement, and comfortable parents were highly regarded. Reflecting this sentiment well is one response provided in the survey participant’s comment box, children are happy and content to start school. The parents question’s “The comment about how settled and happy their children are and parents and children are comfortable with our (online respondent - School principal, South East Victoria procedures” (regional).
Identified earlier and resurfacing here, was the concern around the relationship between schools and prior to school settings. Three focus groups and one teleconference consultation with the prior to school sector raised the issue that they do not receive any indication from schools about how transition strategies are working and how children are impacted. Completing Transition Statements for prep teachers and not hearing from schools about whether this was helpful or not was a particular point of concern. Respondents’ comments around this finding included: “There’s no feedback from schools about the process, about statements or practices” (focus group prior to school Lilydale); “There is little conversational contact with schools once transition statements are delivered” (focus group prior to school Dandenong); “We can’t genuinely evaluate without a connection with the school” (teleconference combined Horsham & Mildura); “Only one school out of at least 20 even acknowledged the completion of Transition Statements” (focus group prior to school Moonee Valley); and “We only hear about transition to school if they have another child at the service” (teleconference combined Horsham & Mildura). This general lack of meaningful discussion between prior to school and school settings indicates that there may be processes and strategies that the Department can implement on a level that will strengthen the continuity of learning from ages zero to eight. Respondents in the online survey were asked how they know their transition strategies are impacting on children’s transition to school. Responses from the sectors were similar to the findings from the focus group and telephone interview consultations. Respondents from schools commented on a child’s in-class behaviour and parents’ feedback. Signs of children settling well, which included confidence and engagement, and comfortable parents were highly regarded. Reflecting this sentiment well is one participant’s response provided in the survey question’s comment box, “The children are happy and content to start school. The parents comment about how settled and happy their children are and parents and children are comfortable with our procedures” (online respondent - School principal, South East Victoria (regional).
finalconstransition.docx