Once your child is enrolled, the transition process will begin. Careful planning and thinking will help to ensure a smooth transition for your child.

Some tips to help this process may be:

•       visit the school and become familiar with the look and feel of the playground, class set up etc
•       meet teachers in the early primary years at the school
•       consider access to all areas of the school
•       practice the morning routine and travel to school in the holidays, consider travel buddies
•       gather ideas about the transition to school from friends, family and if currently in preschool talk with preschool staff
•       visit the transition to school website  developed by Early Childhood Intervention Australia 

High school years

Inclusion does not stop in the primary years; many students with disability, including students with significant support needs, attend mainstream high schools across the state.

Revisit the vision for your child’s future to help determine the best setting and school.

Things to consider: Choosing a High School

Moving into the high school years can offer many benefits as students begin to select subjects of more interest and have a range of teachers, some of whom may be more supportive. As with starting primary school families have found it helpful to do some research to determine which school will be best for their child.

Asking questions such as:

•       What supports are there in the school environment?
•       Which schools naturally flow on from the primary school?
•       Does the principal seem welcoming?
•       What is the transition process at the high school, is there a teacher in a transition to Year 7 role?

As with transitioning to primary school forward planning and consideration of your child’s needs will assist with a smooth transition process. Some extra tips for for transitioning to high school may be:

•       Visit the high schools you are interested in for a school tour
•       Attend the open day and orientation day
•       Talk with the transition coordinator at high school to find out what the usual process is. Consider how this could be modified to suit your child.
•       Perhaps extra visits to the high school with your child’s friends that will also be attending that school.

What you should expect from the curriculum at high school

The New South Wales Education Standards Authority (NESA) is responsible for school curriculum assessment, teaching and regulatory standards in NSW schools. You can find out more about the curriculum for students with additional learning needs on the NESA Special Education webpage.

Further resources on this topic can be found below:

• Preparing your child for high school Dr Bob Jackson
• Surviving transition to high school Read some tips and ideas and follow Emily’s story as Emily and her family prepare her for high school.
• View Jacob’s Story for one student’s experience of an inclusive high school education.