Starting primary, high school and college

Primary to High School Transitions Film

Duration of video 4 minutes and 44 seconds

Jude Barlow, Ngunnawal woman (sitting in front of imagery):
“Hi there, my name is Jude Barlow and I am a Ngunnawal woman. Ngunnawal people have lived, roamed and raised their families on County for thousands of years. As part of this very long existence we have taught our children to be curious, so that their futures are bright, healthy and sustainable. To do well our young people need to be skilled in managing change. For those who explore, see more of the world, than those who stay in the same place, so welcome to learning on Ngunnawal country.”

Images of students reading books, gardening and school band.

Moving from Primary to High School

Wendy Cave, Principal - Macquarie Primary School (sitting at her desk):
“For some parents, carers and students, the transition from primary to high school can be a daunting prospect, but it doesn’t have to be.”

Students playing sport and applying makeup and students dancing.

Denis Dickinson Principal - Education Directorate (sitting in a corridor with images in the background):
“Transitions can occur at many different times throughout our lives, and moving from primary school to high school is a transition that is both a time of excitement and uncertainty for most young people. Its daunting to go from being a leader in the school to the youngest in another, but remember that high school is a really exciting time, it will bring new friends, new surroundings and above all...new possibilities.”

Science teacher, students kicking the ball, students cooking

Mark Nicholson Deputy Principal – Evatt Primary:
“It’s important to remember transition doesn’t occur at a single point in time, the foundations are put in place early and without knowing it, our young people are well prepared for all aspects of change. From day one, they are encouraged to become confident, to ask questions, seek out answers and make new friends. We work with students, parents, carers and the wider community to develop a partnership which is essential to your child’s success.”

Classroom images with students and teachers, school band and school drama performance.

Question: What’s the best thing about high school?

Student 1 (sitting outside): “I like that there is a lot of different people and that means a lot of different friends that you can have.” Student 2 (sitting outside) “I like that you aren’t stuck with the same old boring teachers for 6 hours a day, you’ve got a lot of variety”

Student 2 (sitting outside) “I like that you aren’t stuck with the same old boring teachers for 6 hours a day, you’ve got a lot of variety”

Bruce McCourt, Principal – Calwell High School:
“Our schools have many transition programs and services to ensure effective transitioning. Students are encouraged to get involved in mentoring and buddy programs. The more involved in the school community your child can be, the more they will enjoy being there and that will make their education a greater success in the long term.”

School performance images, class watching film, students on computers completing their Pathways Plans with mentor, map up, Japanese class. Class completing a science experiment.

Question: What opportunities exist at high school?

Students kicking ball in school courtyard

Bruce McCourt, Principal – Calwell High School:
“A great feature of ACT public schools is the student pathways planning, which they develop from year 5 and that stays with them throughout their duration of their secondary education. These plans are really valuable for students and are supported strongly in all ACT Government Schools.”

Students on computers doing their Pathways Plans with teachers supporting them.

Question: How has Pathways helped you?

Student 4 (sitting outside): “Doing my Pathway Plan helped me work out I am interested in becoming a Police Officer when I grow up.”

Lalita Deo, Teacher Calwell High School:
“In our primary school we have dedicated teams of staff who are prepare students for their move into high school. We have dedicated student services team, youth workers, year advisors and the school councillors, all of the staff work hard to ensure that students transition successfully and enjoy their time at high school.”

Students in a classroom completing work and students on devices doing Pathways.

Shelley Jacobs, Parent (sitting in staff room):
“One of the things that I did to help my child was I met with all of his teachers early on in the high school process and with the year coordinator, so I had that meeting to make sure that we are all on the same page, to make sure that we were all communicating the best way for all of us, to make sure that things came across.”

Students doing work in a woodwork class and playing soccer.

Question: Who can you go to for help?
Student 5 (sitting outside): “If someone was lost there will always be year 10’s or someone around to help you.”

Students in a classroom environment and teachers and students writing on a board.

Wendy Cave Principal - Macquarie Primary School (sitting in office):
“Transition programs in our schools are designed to ensure all students feel safe, happy and supported and are treated as a respected individual within our wider school community. I see firsthand the many ways in which our teachers, parents, carers and students work together to achieve this outcome. We wish you and your child a happy and successful journey through high school and beyond.”

End screen: We are Canberra Public Schools and CBR logo and ACT Government logo.

Southside college transitions video – Moving from high school to college

Introduction

Two previous teachers standing outside a Southside college

Erin and Jason (College teachers) standing out the front of their school.

Erin: “Hi I’m Erin and this is Jason. Not only are we both teachers at one of your Southside colleges.”

Jason: “But one of us is actually a graduate from one of these very same schools.”

Erin: “The years you are in can be pretty daunting. It is a big time in your life, some of you will be starting part-time work”

Jason: “And also perhaps learning how to drive and of course big decisions about your future.”

Erin: “Picking a college can be downright terrifying, trust me we know. When you think about it, it doesn’t need to be.”

Jason: “And to prove it, we’ve chatted to some current year 11 and 12 students about their college experience.”

Moving pictures of year 11 and 12 students in their college environment.

Students being interviewed

What's the best part of college?

Ashley is sitting in the school theatre room.

Ashley: “The best thing about college I think is probably the people.”

Lachlan is sitting in the science class room

Lachlan: “It’s definitely the people; everyone is a lot more welcoming and you can just go and talk to anyone who you want to and they are happy to see you.”

Amel is sitting in the library

Amel: “I think the best part of college for me is the whole independence aspect of it and it’s the idea that it is up to you to either excel or to sometimes fail.”

Moving pictures of two boys playing handball on their break, then moving onto more moving pictures of students walking to and from classes in the corridor with school lockers and a school notice board on the left hand side of the corridor. Students in the science lab mixing chemicals and liquids with the science tools and taking notes on the science practical activities they are doing.

How did you go about making new friends?

Georgie is seated on the second floor walk way, behind her are flags from all over the world.

Georgie: “Making new friends I was really worried about because I haven’t had to do that in a very long time”

Karl is seated in the schools computer lab

Karl: “I didn’t find it difficult to make friends but I did find it a bit overwhelming coming into school with so many people I didn’t know but the best thing was to sit down in class and get involved in the class activities and friends just come your way and it was natural.”

Indi is sitting on the side of the Lake

Indi: “When you turn up to school everyone is just as nervous as you are and like you’re not the only one who is nervous and people actually do want to talk to you because they want to make new friends and so it was easier than I was expecting.”

Moving pictures of a dance class rehearsing their dance and then moving on to moving pictures of the woodwork class being shown how to use some of the machinery.

Is there anything you would have done differently?

Ashley is back again and still sitting in the school theatre

Ashley: “I would have gone to careers if I had a second chance at college, they know a lot and they also know how to get you where you want to go.”

Angus is located in the school multipurpose room/Library

Angus: “I would have paid more attention to how valuable the assessment tasks were for the first term of Year 11, because they are the same value of assessment of the last week of Year 12, so don’t take it so lightly and focus 110% on that.”

Moving pictures of students participating in playing basket ball, more moving pictures of students rehearsing their dance and the last moving pictures are of a student playing guitar in music class.

How did you choose your classes?

Maxim is located in the arts class room

Maxim: “So the classes I am currently studying are ones I am doing because they interest me and I have a back ground on them.”

Laura is seated in one of the school class rooms

Laura: “I chose what I am good at as well as what I wanted so it was a combination of do I really want to do exactly what I need or do I want to be a free bird or do I want to be smart about it and I feel that I have part of both so it was good for me.”

Lachlan is now seated in a different part of the science lab with two computers behind him

Lachlan: “If you are planning to do a subject at university, you need to take into account the prerequisites and so of course the subjects you choose are based on that but they tend to be the subjects you enjoy anyway.”

Moving pictures of hospitality students baking biscuits, then moving on to students engaging in a maths class. Student is now drawing a portrait in visual arts class and editing photographs.

Who can you go to for help at college?

Georgie is seated on the second floor walk way behind her are flags from all over the world.

Georgie: “There are lots of people who can support you, with class work I would go to a class teacher who has relevant knowledge in that area.”

Ashley is back again and still sitting in the school theatre

Ashley: “I found the environment just very supportive and if you are having trouble there will be someone around the corner to help you like the student services and like we are a community and communities help each other out.”

Karl is seated in the school computer lab

Karl: “If you ask any teacher they will direct you to the right person anyway so it is not as daunting as it seems.”

Students are now engaging in class activities and writing down notes. Students are now experimenting in science with chemicals and power sources. Images of students participating in drama productions.

ATAR, AST, WEX, SWL & other acronyms

Lachlan is now seated in a different part of the science lab with two computers behind him

Lachlan: “The important thing to remember about ATAR and ASTs they are useful tools but they are not everything and once you get into university you can change a lot.”

Daliya is seated in the school’s meeting area/library

Daliya: “Work experience is definitely a good program, it is a great program in fact because it has you know about the workplace you want to go into and also how to get into that workforce you would be dealing with people who are actually from that work place.”

Amel is sitting in the library

Amel: “I don’t think any of the acronyms you need to be afraid of, and if they are relevant then you’ll figure them out and find them out, they will tell you about them, and if you don’t get to know them, you won’t just like me.”

Moving pictures of a student painting their sculpture, students are now seated in a class lecture room.

What is the biggest difference compared to high school?

Ashley is back again and still sitting in the school theatre

Ashley: “The biggest difference that I noticed was the way the teachers treat you. I feel like I am treated more as an adult now then I was in High School.”

Karl is seated in the schools computer lab

Karl: “You have to be more self motivated to organise your time really well.”

Indi is sitting on the side of the Lake

Indi: “I was expecting teachers on your back about things, they are but they support you heaps but you really need to make sure that you are self motivated and that you are pushing yourself because otherwise some of the time you can easily forget about something and be like ‘Ahh I’ll do that later on’ and then the week before you freak out.”

Ashley is back again and still sitting in the school theatre

Ashley: “I really like all my classes here and I find it a lot easier to go to school now because I am choosing what I want to learn rather than having it forced upon me.”

Colleges:

Drone footage which flies above each of the colleges:

• Lake Tuggeranong College
• Erindale College
• Canberra College
• Narrabundah College

Credits to the students who appeared on the film:

• Jasmine Ellis
• Ron Leapai
• Laurel Trinh
• Jack Overton
• Rhys Coles
• Andres Macmillan
• Maxim Korolev
• Alex Sanderson

Photographs of each of the students who contributed to the making of this film:

• Laura Rose
• Indi Burnet
• Karl Ilpola
• Amel Saeed
• Lachlan Watson
• Maxim Korolev
• Georgie Evans
• Ashley Knight
• Angus Shaw
• Daliya Ignatius

Film created and directed by Jordan Wallace.