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Kindergarten Transition to school program

At Harbord Public School, we recognise that a successful transition to school begins long before a child's first day of Kindergarten. Over the past 12-18 months, we have strengthened and expanded our transition processes to create a comprehensive, child-centred and community-focused approach that supports children, families and early childhood educators throughout the transition journey.

Building Strong Partnerships with Early Childhood Services

A key priority has been developing strong relationships with our local early childhood services. Through regular communication, site visits and collaborative planning, we have worked closely with preschool educators to ensure continuity of learning and support for children transitioning to school.

Initiatives have included:

• Meeting with Early Childhood Centre Directors to discuss transition processes and strengthen partnerships.
• Collaborating with educators to identify students who may require additional support prior to commencing school.
• Encouraging early sharing of speech pathology, occupational therapy, paediatrician and other specialist reports to support effective planning.
• Discussing emerging trends in student wellbeing and learning needs, including anxiety, speech and language development, behaviour support and neurodivergence.
• Sharing current research and best-practice approaches to transition and school readiness.
• Maintaining ongoing communication with local feeder services throughout the year.

To further strengthen collaboration across settings, Harbord Public School established an Early Childhood and School Network.

This initiative brought together early childhood educators and school staff to:

• Build professional relationships.
• Share expertise and perspectives.
• Discuss school readiness and transition practices.
• Explore transition to school statements.
• Strengthen understanding of learning support and early intervention pathways.
• Promote continuity of learning between preschool and school settings.
• Develop a shared commitment to supporting children's successful transition to school.

The network has created valuable opportunities for professional dialogue and collaboration across the local community.

Preschool Familiarisation Tours

To help children become familiar with the school environment, Harbord Public School hosted a series of preschool visits and familiarisation tours for local early childhood services.

More than 100 preschool children participated across multiple visits, providing opportunities to:

• Explore the school grounds.
• Participate in guided school tours.
• Engage in storytime sessions led by the Kindergarten Assistant Principal.
• Experience playground and outdoor learning spaces.
• Meet school staff in a relaxed and welcoming environment.
• Develop confidence and familiarity with school routines.

These visits helped children form positive first impressions of school and reduce anxiety about starting Kindergarten.

Student Leadership and Preschool Engagement

Recognising the importance of peer connections, Harbord Public School created opportunities for preschool children to interact with current students through structured leadership activities.

Year 5 students led sports and movement rotations for children from key feeder preschools, providing:

• Positive interactions between future and current students.
• Authentic leadership opportunities for senior students.
• Fun and engaging experiences for preschool children.
• Opportunities to build confidence and familiarity within the school setting.
• A stronger sense of belonging to the school community before enrolment.

Family Engagement and Community Connections

Harbord Public School has significantly increased opportunities for families to connect with the school and engage in the transition process.

These opportunities have included:

• School tours.
• Parent information sessions.
• Kindergarten playgroups sessions once per term.
• Orientation activities increased to 3 sessions.
• Transition resources and communication.
• Ongoing support for prospective families.

These initiatives provide multiple opportunities for families to ask questions, develop confidence and establish positive relationships with school staff before their child commences Kindergarten.

Supporting Individual Student Needs

We recognise that every child transitions to school differently. To support individual needs, we have strengthened our processes for early identification and personalised transition planning.

This has included:

• Collaboration with preschool educators and families regarding additional learning and support needs.
• Early identification of students requiring learning support.
• Additional transition opportunities for students with identified needs.
• Development of personalised transition pathways where required.
• Creation of social stories and visual supports to assist children in becoming familiar with school routines, expectations and environments.
• Supporting families to access and share relevant intervention information to ensure continuity of support.

These practices help ensure students begin school feeling safe, supported and ready to learn.

Using Feedback to Improve Practice

A commitment to continuous improvement has been central to the development of our transition program.

Harbord Public School has:

• Surveyed parents regarding their transition experiences.
• Sought feedback on existing transition initiatives.
• Analysed responses to identify strengths and areas for improvement.
• Refined programs and processes based on community feedback.
• Continued to evaluate and strengthen transition practices to meet the changing needs of children and families.

A Year-Round Approach to Transition

Rather than viewing transition as a single event, Harbord Public School has developed a year-round transition framework that begins well before Kindergarten and continues through multiple opportunities for engagement.

Through strong partnerships with early childhood services, meaningful family engagement, personalised student support, preschool visits, leadership opportunities and ongoing evaluation, we are creating a transition experience that fosters confidence, belonging and success for every child.

Our goal is simple: for every child and family to feel known, welcomed and connected to the Harbord Public School community before their first day of Kindergarten.