Transitioning from Primary to Secondary School

1 Transitioning from Primary to Secondary School Supporting students with additional or complex needs that arise from disability when moving from Primary to Secondary Published by the Student Inclusion and Engagement Division, Department of Education and Early Childhood Development,Melbourne, April 2014. State of Victoria (Department of Educationand Early Childhood Development) copyright in this document is owned by the State of Victoria (Department of Education and Early Childhood Development) or, in the case of some materials, by third parties (third party materials). No part may be reproduced by any process except in accordance with the provisions of the Copyright Act 1968, the National Education Access Licence for Schools (NEALS) (see below) or with permission.

2 An educational institution situated in Australia that is not conducted for profit, or a body responsible for administering such an institution, may copy and communicate the materials, other than third party materials, for the educational purposes of the institution. Authorised by the Department of Education and Early Childhood Development, 2 Treasury Place, East Melbourne, Victoria, 3002. This document is also available on the internet at : 978-0-7594-0758-9 Image: Courtesy Victorian Deaf Education InstituteContentsIntroduction 5 The importance of transition 5 This resource 6 transition Framework 7 Key elements of a successful transition process 7 Continuity of support 7 Communication and coordination of services 7 Student learning needs 8 Student Support Group involvement 8 Individual learning plans 8 School organisation 8 Key considerations of a successful transition process 9 Family engagement and liaison 9 The student 10 Communication between all parties.

3 Families and School 11 Transport 11 Building access 11 Equipment grants for students with visual impairments 12 Personal care support 12 Medical intervention support 12 Schoolcare Program 13 Student Support Service Officers including Visiting Teacher Service 13 Program for Students with Disabilities 13 Professional learning/training of staff 14 Orientation programs 14 transition programs 14 transition Planning 15 Section 2: Appendices 17 transition Planning Timeline 18 transition Planning Checklist Primary School 22 transition Planning Checklist Secondary School 23 Key people involved in the transition process 24 transition Statement template 25 transition Statement: Schedule 1 Privacy and transition Consent form for Parent/guardian/carer(s) and School staff 25 transition Statement: Schedule 2 Information for School staff 28 transition Statement: Schedule 3 304 transition Statement: Schedule 4 Student Snapshot template 35 transition Statement.

4 Schedule 5 Other attachments 40 Legislative requirements and transition 41 The Disability Standards for Education 2005 41 Anti-discrimination and equal opportunity 41 Human rights 41 Privacy: Personal and health information 42 Guide to Privacy and Transfer of Student Information between Victorian Government Schools and Schools Interstate 43 Definitions 47 Further Information: Contact details and links to organisations 51 Other resources relating to transitions 535 Transitioning from Primary to SecondaryTransition is defined as movement from one set of circumstances to another with changes to environments, relationships, behaviours, routines, roles and expectations.

5 IntroductionVictoria has a strong, vibrant educational system that celebrates diversity and ensures all students have access to an inclusive, high quality education. All schools must ensure that students with disabilities can access and participate in education on the same basis as students without disabilities. This includes providing adjustments and support where needed. For children and young people, the most significant transitions occur when they start School , move from Primary School to Secondary School , and from Secondary schooling to adult life. It is a process of change that for some students may require substantial preparation, planning, adjustment and resource is designed to assist schools to support students with additional or complex needs that arise from disability or difficulties in learning, to transition from Primary to Secondary School , so that their experience is a positive one.

6 The importance of transitionSupporting students with additional or complex needs to transition involves more than timing and monitoring the physical transfer from one educational setting to another; the endeavour is best described as building a strong, well-engineered bridge that the students can cross. The principles and desired outcomes that guide effective transition planning for children and young people living with a disability are the same as those for children and young people who are not. What may be different is the need for transitions to be clear, of longer duration and for schools to recognise the impact that such changes may have, not just on the student, but also on their parent/guardian/carer(s), their siblings, their peers and their teachers.

7 So, when initiating transitions for students with disabilities, issues to be considered are: the nature and severity of the students disabilities, the impact of a disability on the students access to, and participation in, the educational setting and the extent to which existing transition programs take account of the individual needs of the student, their family and the receiving practice programs that support students with additional or complex needs that arise from disability and difficulties in learning to transition from Primary to Secondary School have a number of things in common. They.

8 Begin well in advance of the point of transition , are person-centred and tailored to the individual needs of the student, are collaborative and involve parent/guardian/carer(s) as vital partners, provide the student and parent/guardian/carer(s) with information to make an informed choice about future educational settings/options, are adequately resourced and are facilitated by a transition coordinator who can communicate across sites, ensure that collaboration between the sites is effective and that all aspects of the transition planning process are addressed, and support the student and parent/guardian/carer(s).

9 This resourceSchools and communities, in consultation with parent/guardian/carer(s), are in the best position to make decisions about their students and the support they require. This resource provides information and advice for schools in supporting them to implement positive and effective transitions for students with disabilities. In this resource you will find: a framework for Transitioning students, a suggested timeline for key planning activities, templates that schools may use to strengthen their transition processes and links to additional schools have excellent transition processes and programs that promote positive transition experiences.

10 This resource has drawn upon existing practices of schools, as well as research by, and recommendations from, disability and educational experts. The processes and plans suggested are designed to align with existing practices in schools. The intention of this resource is to provide information and support documents in one accessible of the words additional or complex needs that arise from disability or difficulties in learning is deliberate. Disability exists on a continuum and young people with disabilities are not a single, easily identifiable group. As such, this resource has been designed to be sufficiently flexible for schools to adapt and augment to suit the needs of students with very different disabilities as needed.