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Helping young people learn - What you can do in secondary school

Parents’ engagement with young people’s learning and education is important in the secondary school years. It is related to their academic success, career aspirations and their wellbeing; however, research tells us that parents’ connection to the school and learning can drop off as they become teenagers.

The following tips and ideas are for families to help their young person’s learning throughout secondary school.

The following advice is also available as a download for printing (PDF 214KB).

Why it matters

“Family involvement in education – defined as parenting, home-school relationships, and responsibility for learning outcomes – is just as important for older youth as it is for younger children.” (Harvard Family Research Project, 2007)

The benefits of parents staying involved in their child’s secondary school education include:

• improved academic achievement
• higher completion rates
• young people with stronger aspirations for post-school learning and employment
• positive student attitudes and behaviour within school
• increased self-esteem and productive social relationships amongst adolescents
• fewer mental health issues
• improved attendance rates.

Why it’s challenging

There are many reasons why parents might be less involved in the secondary school years:

• Teenagers naturally become more autonomous, play a more active role in their education and begin to question their parents’ authority. For parents this means that the way they used to support their child’s learning may start to become more difficult.
• Secondary schools are set up differently from primary schools, with different structures and processes in place to communicate student progress. As a child grows older, parents may feel less confident about being involved in their child’s learning, particularly as the content of school work becomes more complex or they take on specific interests.
• In secondary school, the style of communication changes and parents may feel that there are fewer invitations to participate, both from students themselves, and from schools.

What matters most

Research shows that children’s development in secondary school is strongly influenced by the value families place on school, their expectations and aspirations for their young person’s future.

When parents and caregivers create an environment at home that encourages and supports learning, it influences how children learn, more than direct parental involvement with the subjects they are studying.

• Be sensitive to how teenagers want to be more independent, while giving them structure and support.
• Value education and show that you do.
• Discuss aspirations and expectations for your child’s education and future achievement.
• Aim to provide a stimulating and supportive home learning environment.
• Have conversations and participate, with them, in activities relevant to learning and the wider world.
• Keep connections and communication open with teachers and support staff in secondary school.
• Balance support for school expectations such as homework with the need adolescents have for independence and other parts of life such as sport or work .  

Professional Learning Program

Safety and Respect Online

This program includes three hours of professional learning through live webinar participation and the completion of a quiz.

All teachers, and related staff, who complete the program will receive a summative infographic containing key learnings and a participation certificate.

To participate in Safety and Respect Online, register to attend each of the webinar topics during 2018 listed below.

After participating in all three (50min) webinars, you will be able to access a 30 minute quiz to complete the three hours of activity. Please note participants must connect via the website or phone app to ensure their attendance is registered for completion and accreditation.

Please note that certificates of partial completion will not be provided, for example to teachers who have only participated in one of the three webinars, but personal records may be used to support the PD with any teacher association.

Course Contents

Respect and Online Relationships

By the end of the module teachers will be able to:

• discuss and identify relationships and behaviours that may lead to harm
• identify teaching strategies and policies to encourage respectful online relationships, including:
• personal and social capacity building and
• techniques to assist in managing emotions and building an understanding of online resilience.

To able to do this course visit eSafety Commisioner website by clicking on the following link to their website: https://www.esafety.gov.au/education-resources/outreach/teacher-professional-learning-program

Going to school is an exciting and important time in your child’s development. Supporting your child to make the transition to primary and then secondary school can require careful planning and extensive research to make sure the school will be the right fit for your child.

It’s best to start planning early and there are a range of supports in place to help, including your child’s dedicated Student Support Group and various government programs.

Developing a positive partnership with your child’s school

Developing a positive partnership with your child’s school is the basis for a positive and successful school experience for your child and family.  

Spending time to get to know the school, its facilities, routines, staff and students and sharing important information about your child will help to develop and maintain this ongoing relationship.  

Making sure there is good communication between you and the school will mean you are always up to date with your child’s progress. This communication can be formal (through regular Student Support Group meetings and parent–teacher interviews) or informal (quick catch-ups with teachers, email and phone communication as needed). To communicate regularly with your child’s school, you could use your child’s school diary or planner, or even use a ‘communication book’ that travels between home and school in your child’s bag. 

Student Support Groups

Student Support Groups support individual students with additional learning needs. The group that comes together to support your child will include:

• you (and your child’s other parent or guardian, if appropriate)  
• your child’s class or homeroom teacher
• the school principal (or a nominee)
• a parent advocate (if you request one)
• your child (if appropriate)
• other people who could support your child’s learning such as their therapist or other consultants.

The Student Support Group’s role is to:

• identify your child’s needs
• consider any adjustments to the curriculum
• regularly review and evaluate your child’s needs (for example, once a term)
• let the principal know about your child’s additional education needs and the resources required to meet those needs
• develop an Individual Learning Plan, discuss it with teachers and help to implement the plan.

Individual Learning Plans

One of the first tasks of the Student Support Group is to develop an Individual Learning Plan for your child. The plan should not only focus on the academic needs of your child but also their safety, behavioural, medical and personal care needs. The Individual Learning Plan should be flexible enough to allow for changes.

Individual Learning Plans are only developed for those areas of the curriculum where your child will need extra education support. This may only be for certain parts of the curriculum or it may be for the whole curriculum.

Program for Students with Disabilities

Government schools that enrol students with a moderate to severe disability are eligible for funding to support those students under the Program for Students with Disabilities. Applications for this education support funding are made through the child’s Student Support Group.

Funds from the Program for Students with Disabilities can be used to provide:

• specialist staff
• professional development
• education support staff
• specialist equipment.

The school can also apply to the Department of Education and Training for building modifications such as ramps and toilet facilities. It is up to the Student Support Group to plan how to use funds and to make recommendations for the principal’s approval.

Choosing a school

There are many things to consider when choosing the right school for your child, including their strengths and interests, school facilities and the needs of your family. Every child and family is different and the school you choose should meet your child’s needs.

Planning for primary school should ideally begin when your child is in kindergarten. Speaking with the kindergarten teacher is a good place to start. For more information about making the transition from kindergarten to primary school see the Starting school for children with disabilities page. 

It is a good idea to start planning for secondary school when your child is in grade four or five. This will allow plenty of time to explore and consider your options.

When considering your choices, think about:

• your child’s strengths and interests – they might be academically minded or more interested in the arts or sports
• your child’s wishes – they might feel more comfortable at one school than another
• your own instincts – do not undervalue your gut reaction to a school.

To help make your decision:

• Attend school open days, information evenings and join school tours to give you a feel for the school, its facilities, its focus, values and approach to learning.
• Meet with the principal – you will get a good sense of the school from the principal’s responses to your questions and the attitude of other staff when you visit.
• Physical environment – if you can foresee access issues for your child, speak with the principal early about what modifications could be made to accommodate your child’s needs.
• Program and curriculum – students with disability can access and participate in education on the same basis as other students.
• Schools must abide by the Disability Standards for Education 2005. See the fact sheet Disability rights, discrimination and the law
• Care needs – ask how the school can help meet your child’s medical or personal care needs.  
• Social issues – ask how the school creates social interaction and find out about its anti-bullying policy.
• Distance and travel – how will your child get to and from school? Some transport support is available from the Department of Education and Training for eligible students with additional needs attending specialist schools. There is also the Conveyance Allowance, which is available to some students in rural and regional Victoria.

Government schools in Victoria are zoned, meaning that they can restrict entry to children who live within a certain geographical area close to the school. However, if the school has space, it can enrol children who live outside the zone. 

Government specialist schools

There are more than 80 government specialist schools in Victoria. Each specialist school is, by definition, more accessible than mainstream schools in terms of the environment and curriculum. However, this may mean that the subjects on offer are more limited than in a mainstream school. Class sizes at specialist schools are smaller than mainstream schools and many also have therapists on staff.

Like all schools, students must meet the specialist school’s enrolment criteria. Contact the principal or the Department of Education and Training for more information. If you live within the specialist school’s designated transport area your child may be eligible for travel support to school (usually a school bus).

For a list of specialist schools, visit the Department of Education and Training website. 

Independent and Catholic schools

If you are interested in exploring independent or Catholic school options for your child, you will need to contact individual schools to ask about their enrolment criteria. Independent and Catholic schools are eligible for disability funding but it is different from the funding available in government schools. 

Other schools

Other options for educating your child include:

• dual enrolment, where your child is enrolled in both a specialist and mainstream school
• satellite units, where students with disabilities can access a special needs teacher, learning areas and facilities within a mainstream school
• community schools, which are government-run schools offering an alternative to mainstream schooling
• distance education if they meet the eligibility criteria in one of four categories: distance, medical, school referral or traveller
• home schooling, where you can educate your child yourself at home (in this case you must also register your child with the Victorian Registration and Qualifications Authority).

Preparing for secondary school

Preparing for your child’s move into secondary school can start as early in your child’s life as you like – waiting lists for some independent schools mean that a child’s name has to be added to a waiting list virtually from birth.

By the time your child is in grade five, it is a good idea to be thinking seriously about secondary school. Start talking to friends, neighbours and other networks about recommendations. Visit school websites and begin attending school information evenings, open days, tours and having meetings with principals.

By the beginning of grade six, it will help to have prepared a shortlist of secondary school options. Some of the things you could be doing during your child’s last year of primary school include:

Term 1

• Revisit the schools you are interested in, meeting with principals again if necessary.
• Take your child to visit your preferred school(s) and make a final decision about where to apply.
• Find out if any specialist appointments or special needs assessments need to be arranged to meet Program for Students with Disabilities requirements (these are usually required for the Year 6–7 Review).
• Start talking about the move to secondary school at your Student Support Group meetings.

Term 2

• If your preferred school is a mainstream government school, fill in the preference form provided by your child’s primary school.
• Your school may submit a Year 6-7 Review application to the Program for Students with Disabilities.

Term 3

Government schools will let you know in Term 3 if your child has been offered a place.

Expect a Student Support Group meeting to take place with relevant staff from the secondary school (this should be organised by your child’s primary school).

Term 4

• Complete the enrolment process for your child’s secondary school.
• Ask the school about organising an extended orientation for your child.
• Request a Student Support Group meeting for Term 1 of Year 7.
• Ask if your child can visit the school on the day before other students begin so they can locate their locker and orient themselves with where the bathroom and other facilities are located. This would be a good opportunity to meet with their teachers as well.
• Spend some time with your child to familiarise them with their timetable or class schedule and talk about their expectations and concerns.
• If your child will be taking public transport to school, practise the route they will take during the school holidays. 

 This article is republished from Better Health go visit their website for more or copy and paste the following link: https://www.betterhealth.vic.gov.au/health/ServicesAndSupport/school-support-for-children-with-special-needs

The term “learning difficulties” is the hand grenade of education. Throw the terminology around and teachers, students, parents and school community members react widely and, at times, wildly. Some individuals ponder the term, others run frantically for a book to elicit a “definition” or “diagnostic term”, some consult with colleagues and professionals, yet others hide their heads in their hands or behind a desk.

What is a ‘learning difficulty’?

Does “learning difficulty” mean the same thing as “learning disability”? Is it different from the language of “differences” or “lack of ability”? The term “learning difficulties” refers to students who can experience difficulty with learning. The acts of reading, comprehending, inferring, questioning, memorising and recalling knowledge can be laden with difficulties.

Students can experience difficulties with learning for many different reasons. These include, for example, hearing and visual impairments; physical impairments; emotional, social or behavioural difficulties; prior education experiences; experiences at home; attention and concentration issues; and cognitive or intellectual difficulties. The impact of such difficulties may be short term or long term.

These difficulties can be seen across various domains of education. Students may struggle with written expression and constructing meaning from language, or with the fine motor skills required for handwriting. Difficulty with mathematics may present as an inability to learn basic mathematical concepts including addition, times tables and mathematical problem solving.

Reading difficulties include neurological deficits in decoding letter symbols and words, word recognition or phonological processing issues, or difficulties with comprehension. Misinterpretation of sound, touch and movement, and the inability to successfully receive, interpret and integrate sensory stimuli can lead students to actively seek or avoid sensory information, thereby impacting their ability to make sense of their learning environment.

How do kids cope with learning difficulties?

The classroom is fraught with social, emotional, physical and cognitive demands. Students enter at their own risk.

In some schools, students sit quietly at desks, awaiting teacher instruction. The first task of the lesson, to acknowledge your presence, is the first stressor for some. The simple “here” or “present” can elicit stress for any student including those with additional learning needs.

Did they hear their name? Did they have ample time to respond? Were they paying attention or watching the student across the room fiddling with their lunch order, tablet, pencil case, book, reader, art smock, calculator, diary, phone?

Next, the student must listen and watch as the lesson begins. Handouts are distributed, chapters to be completed are announced and scrawled on the board in small illegible handwriting or placed brightly on the interactive whiteboard. By now, as other students settle down to read, to learn, to memorise, some students, those with additional learning needs or difficulties, may question whether they are on task.

Did I hear that right?

Am I doing what I’m supposed to?

Why is everyone else working and I’m not?

These are thoughts that enter their consciousness, let alone the thoughts that whiz through their subconscious quizzing them.

Are you getting this?

Isn’t this all too hard?

Why are you bothering?

Negative thoughts are not the mainstay of self-talk, but more often than not questioning of skills and ability are the dominant sort of questions these learners will ask themselves. Such self-talk and vicarious experience, watching others working busily while one is yet to begin, is demoralising and increases physical and psychological restlessness.

Some students may display an exacerbation of twitchy, fiddling behaviour, such as pencil twirling, or repetitive tapping on the keyboard. Perhaps others have physiological reactions, becoming sweaty and flustered. Other students may vocalise their self-talk, mumbling and moaning that “it’s too hard” in the desperate hope that a fellow student, a teacher, an aide or a parent may come and assist them. The adoringly titled “class clown” may begin to distract themselves with irrelevant tasks, sometimes distracting other learners.

Place these same students in a classroom that focuses on a topic they love and the difference is amazing. They focus harder, persist longer, rise to more challenges, raise their hand for help and participate in class discussions. Their self-talk moves from negative to positive, fostered by the engaged classroom and teachers who appreciate and seek out each individual learners regardless of ability or difficulty. These are the good lessons, the good days.

Students with additional learning needs face myriad difficulties. Perhaps they aren’t able to see the board clearly, hear the teacher over the voices of their peers, or write down the instructions in time. Feelings of frustration, irritation and stress can flourish in such situations.

Imagine being in a room where everyone else seems to “get it”, “see it”, “hear it”, but for you. Stressful? How would you react?

Would you put your head down and ignore the calls of the facilitator? Would you begin talking to the people next to you? Would you doodle, draw, read a book? These behaviours are easy “go to” behaviours of any student who feels they are struggling.

So, what do we do?

We teach resilience. We model coping strategies. We reinforce the strengths in each individual learner.

We involve family, peers, the community of the school and their staff. We focus on what the student can do, what they enjoy, what jolts that spark in their eyes.

We accept that each learner will have bad days, but we can motivate and engage them again soon. We get to know our students, we take pride in their achievements and set their next goal.

ENJOY MORE MOVIES, MORE OFTEN

We think everyone should have a chance to enjoy more of what they love. So, at HOYTS, we’ve simplified our pricing by removing multiple categories to make way for one standard ticket price at the cinema. At the same time, we’ve introduced new Saver and Super Saver session options that are available to every movie lover! These sessions are on offer daily and represent the majority of our total movie sessions programmed each week across our circuit.

For more movies or what HOYTS has to offer, visit HOYTS website on following link : https://www.hoyts.com.au/offers-events/offers/enjoy-more-movies-more-often

Supporting dynamic learning

The 'Killarney Heights Public School supporting dynamic learning' (5 mins 23 sec) journey shows the impact of innovative teaching practice to engage students and to foster future-focused skills.Transcript of 'Killarney Heights Public School supporting dynamic learning' video

The journey

At Killarney Network Secondary College , we have a collective vision for future-focused learning and teaching. The school leadership team have supported our teachers to implement a repertoire of teaching strategies that are evidenced based and future-focused. Two pilot flexible learning spaces have been designed to enhance the authentic learning of our students and to build their skills and capabilities for today and for their future.

Throughout the change process, teacher practice has been supported through professional dialogue, visits to other schools, teacher professional learning in future-focused practice, innovation tours and visits to the Futures Learning concept space at Australia Technology Park. Research has been reviewed and community consultation has taken place with teachers, parents and students to support the innovation.

Our pilot study has shown that students have an increased sense of agency and autonomy over their learning and this is resulting in increased engagement. Teachers are engaging in deep reflective practice. Observation and feedback from students is demonstrating that the new spaces are enabling students to experience high levels of success in the areas of collaboration, critical thinking, creativity and problem solving.

Resources on Yammer

For access to extra resources relating to this journey and others, join the Futures Learning journeys Yammer group

Year 12 is the metaphorical mountain put in front of every school kid when they enter the schooling system.

Many attempt to scale the peak. Some pass, some flourish, some drop out. Others exit the system earlier to pursue other paths.

Regardless, year 12 has long been placed on a pedestal as the gateway to tertiary education and the promises of careers and development that go with it.

But is year 12 worth all the stress that comes with exams, family pressures and heavy workloads? And does it prepare you for the 'real world'?

In 2016, 14 students around Australia self-documented their entire final year in high school for the ABC series My Year 12 Life through daily video diaries.

Six of the participants share their thoughts on whether year 12 was worth all the hassle.

'The worst year of my life'

http://www.abc.net.au/news/2017-02-20/my-year-12-life-participant-zoe-mallett/8278078

Zoe Mallett endured a difficult final year in her all-girls public high school in Victoria, working hard for good marks but battling a complicated family situation and an on-again off-again relationship.

She got through year 12, but the experience was taxing.

What is ATAR?

• The Australian Tertiary Admission Rank is the primary criteria for entry into most of the country's undergraduate university programs. All states have adopted ATAR except for Queensland, which will replace its Overall Position (OP) system with ATAR in 2018.

"I honestly am not sure if it was worth it," she says.

"On one hand it was worth it, because I came out the other side and I'm a lot stronger and a lot wiser and I know myself a lot better, and I did get good marks. It's not like anything went to waste.

"But on the other hand, I struggled a lot mentally, and it was the worst year of my life.

"On that side of things, I think is it really worth it, to go through that much stress?" - Zoe Mallet

Zoe says she "thought she had her shit together" in the lead-up to her final year, but the stress of school manifested itself in other ways, exaggerating her anxiety and making her question herself.

"I think that was a trigger for me to develop anxiety a lot. A lot of it stems from protection and control, and because with my family being separated, that's just one element of my life I don't have control over," she says.

"That definitely elevated and exaggerated my anxiety. It put pressure on me to take control and be perfect in other aspects of my life."

Pressures, stresses were worth it

Ben Kenworthy, a self-proclaimed class clown who attended a Victorian all-boys Catholic high school, had an entirely different experience.

"Definitely worth it, it was a terrific year. All the pressures, stresses, exams and tests, they were all definitely worthwhile, without a doubt," he says.

"Just being around your good mates, just all day, five days a week … that's something special. Just to be around friends and mates most days is pretty special."

Ben took the importance placed on year 12 to mean he had a licence to go easy in the earlier years, with the plan always being to flick the switch for year 12, having watched his three older siblings experience it before him.

"I didn't really find it too stressful because I try not to stress. I see it as something bad," Ben says.

"Obviously there's times you don't feel great or feel a bit anxious, but I tried my best not to stress and keep a cool head, so I was pretty good on the whole.

"I remember a few people would come to you saying 'year 12 is the best year of your life'. So I went into it at the start of the year with that in mind. - Ben Kenworthy

Read more of the Article about Is Year 12 worth it? Are available on ABC News by Click here 

Our Former Year 12 student that graduated last year she has made an Incredible stories about being a uni student on the fist day of University and That this she had to say

My feelings in first days at university

Changes can make people overwhelm with the newness of the situation. Moving from a high school to a university is one of the largest changes of my life. In this page, I will tell you about some obstacles and negative feelings in my first days at university and how I managed to overcome these things and settled in the university life.

At first, I was very excited, since I finally made it to the university that I had always dreamed about. Also, I had heard many rumors that life in university was very fun and full of freedom, so I was looking forward to my first university class. However, everything was not like what I had heard, and things started to get worse after my first class.

Studying in a university was full of pressure. In class, the professors talked quite fast, and I had to note down necessary things by my own. If I did not read the text books at home, so it would be very hard for me to follow the lectures and understand the lessons. Moreover, I was so overwhelmed by the workload that I had with many individual assignments, group works and research. Also, besides the academic requirement, I had to meet the requirement of extra activities. All these things made me felt so stress and depressed.

Friendship was another important issue in my university life. In university, students usually took various courses in one semester, so it was normal that they studied with different classmates in different courses. Although I met new people every day, almost none of them actually became my friend because we did not spend much time talking to each other besides the introduction about ourselves. Sometimes, I met some nice people, and we had pleasant conversations. However, after that, we could not meet for a week because of our very different schedule.­ Also, I could not keep track with my high school friends anymore, and they already move on and had fun with their university friends. I was so lonely and frustrated. Luckily, I lived with my parents, so I did not have to deal with the homesickness. If I did not have my family by my side, I could have fallen into the abyss of loneliness.

Fortunately, I finally made things better. First, I tried to calm myself down and asked for advices from some of my professors. Thank to their help, I could manage my time better and got all the works finished smoothly. Also, I participated in some clubs that suited my personal interests such as Manga club and handmade club. By participating in club activities, I could make friends with other students that shared the same interests with me and got some credit on my extra activities report. Moreover, I joined in my university social network on the internet. This network was very helpful, since we could make friends and shared our knowledge and experiences.

When I eventually managed to settle myself in university life, I found that it is enjoyable. There is a quote that “No one makes a lock without a key; that's why God won't give you problems without solutions.” Negative feeling in first days at university is not a serious problem without solutions. Keep calm and try to deal with it, and then the problem can soon be solved. 

Featured image source: http://www.unialliance.ac.uk/wp-content/uploads/2012/12/Caerleon-Lawn-21.jpg

Your Sincerely

Hope Speak

Former Year 12 Student

Parents and carers are responsible for their child's safety when travelling to and from school

School's responsibility

Under the Department's Code of Conduct, section 21. Duty of Care, schools have an obligation to provide reasonable care to:

• provide adequate supervision
• ensure grounds, premises and equipment are safe for employees, students and the general public. This extends to the entry and exit of students to school grounds. School risk assessments need to factor in the age, ability and maturity level of the students as well as any individual characteristics. These will influence the standard of care required.

Safety of students as road users

Schools need to work with and educate students and the school community about using current traffic infrastructure to ensure students are kept as safe as practically possible.

1. Curriculum: road safety is a mandatory part of K-10 PDHPE syllabuses and the Stage 6 Crossroads course. Teachers should localise teaching and learning activities to reflect the environmental conditions in which students travel/live.
2. School community: schools should regularly inform and communicate how they expect parents/carers to act in the school zone traffic environment. This can be done via social media, school newsletters, school website, school brochures, kindergarten orientations.
3. Working with external agencies: schools should notify others e.g. police, local Council parking rangers/road safety officer/traffic engineer, local businesses if changes to the school zone traffic environment will make it safer for students.

Advice for safe walking

Road safety education, driver education and training policy

Under the Department's policy school staff, parents/carers and students all have a responsibility to take reasonable measures to protect students against risk of injury or harm. This extends to the entry and exit of students to school grounds.

Further information

Centre for Road Safety

Your local council Road Safety Officer

Ros Thomas talks with families to see how their children have adjusted to life as Year 7s in secondary school.

Starting secondary school can be daunting. Who doesn't remember their first few weeks? I was the girl desperate to fit in but afraid of standing out. I missed my friends from primary school. I worried about whether I was likeable enough to make new friends. I was terrified of getting lost in the corridors, of failing to find my class, or worse - having to ask for directions. I panicked about missing the bus home. Or not getting to school on time. And I thought I might not cope with my increased workload, or the demands of so many new teachers. My worries were endless.

Now, 11 and 12-year-olds are starting secondary school in Year 7 instead of Year 8. For the first time, they're the youngest at school rather than the oldest.

Year 7s now need to adjust to life in the secondary school with new classmates and different teachers for different subjects.

Many will be travelling further from home. Some will be catching the bus or the train alone for the first time.

The Year 7 move to secondary school was implemented in public schools across Western Australia in 2015.

Year 7 students, on average, are now six months older than in the years before the school starting age was raised. Nearly half were turning 13 while still in primary school and were considered more than ready for secondary school where they could study a broader range of specialist subjects in the Western Australian Curriculum. Their teachers would be specialists too. They'd have access to facilities and equipment few primary schools could provide.

But starting secondary school a year early meant leaving childhood

"We knew parents were anxious and we understood why," says Nigel Wakefield, principal of Australind Senior High in WA's southwest.

"We had 238 Year 7s coming from 23 different primary schools. That's a lot of kids to settle in."

Nigel says parents' chief concern was what would happen when 11 and 12-year-olds began mixing with 17 and 18-year-olds? Would they be picked on? Would the Year 12s be a bad influence? How would an 11-year-old cope in a sea of 1300 hormonal teenagers?

"Mums, in particular, felt protective," he says. "But we knew our Year 7s needed to be stretched. And you know what? They showed us they were ready for secondary school by flourishing when they got here."

Nigel says planning for the Year 7 move was rigorous.

"Two years out we were holding information nights at primary schools. We offered tours of our school and more than 400 people turned up. We worked closely with the architect on the new Year 7 building. We designed it with a huge communal space in the middle filled with sofas and chairs. We wanted to give Year 7s a place they could hang out."

"By the time they started," Nigel says, "they felt at home. At first, we limited their classroom movements so they wouldn't worry about getting lost. We didn't overwhelm them with too many teachers. We gave mums and dads constant feedback about how each child was settling in. Within a few weeks, we knew things were going well."

For Australind mum Tania Murphy, sending her first child to secondary school in Year 7 was unsettling.

"I was very apprehensive about the transition. I just couldn't see why it was necessary or how it was going to work. Kieren is one of the youngest kids in his year. I knew he'd have to grow up quickly and I didn't think he should have to do that. I wanted him to have a chance at being one of the big kids in primary school - someone to look up to. Instead, he'd end up being a small fish in a big pond all over again."

"I shouldn't have worried," Tania tells me. "He's doing so well. The specialist classes opened so many doors for him - suddenly he was being offered classes like woodwork, metalwork and home economics - he wouldn't have had those opportunities in primary school. We couldn't be happier."

Mother-of-four Jo Campbell speaks for many parents when she says she took some convincing that son Travis would be better off doing Year 7 at secondary school.

"To be honest," she says, "I would've liked him to have completed Year 7 in primary school - and so would he. But Australind Senior High has bent over backwards to accommodate us. There's a great student services team with youth workers available to offer extra support when needed. Travis has managed a lot better than I was expecting. He's doing well. I'd have to say we've been welcomed and supported in the secondary school."

For Jo Daniel, however, the idea of her son moving to secondary school was traumatic.

"Thomas has Aspergers," she explains. "He was freaking out. We all were. He wasn't doing well at primary school so we were very nervous."

But Jo says Australind Senior High was ready for Thomas.

"Half way through Year 6 they introduced him to his new teachers. They walked him through a typical day and showed him where his classes would be.

"The special needs kids had their own safe zone within the Year 7 building - somewhere they could go and chill out and feel like they belonged.

"On the first day of Year 7, Thomas didn't even want me to go into school with him," Jo laughs. "He knew exactly where he needed to be. Now he's a different child. He's thriving and doing far better in secondary school than he ever did in primary school. He feels like one of the big kids and he's matured. For the first time, he's out playing soccer at lunchtime and joining in."

At Wanneroo Secondary College, principal Pauline White says she knew the first intake of parents was always going to be hard to win over.

But after nine years as principal, she says she knew her school community well and understood what the Year 7s would need to feel secure.

"The kids were saying their biggest worry was how to make friends," Pauline tells me. "We knew the faster we could make that happen, the quicker they'd feel secure. So at lunchtimes, we had staff on the lookout for solitary kids. We organised clubs and competitions so they could meet other new students and find common interests.

"In the end, our first year was highly successful," she says.

"The Year 7s settled far better than we expected. There were no big blips. In some areas, teachers had to adjust the curriculum - they were either going too fast or two slow - and they had to keep tabs on whether the kids were coping with the workload.

"But when we did our first surveys at the end of last year, 98 percent of our parents said the changeover was a positive experience."

Pauline says her favourite response was from a parent who wrote: 'A smiling child came home from school and couldn't wait to return.' "That makes our effort all worthwhile, doesn't it?"

Five Strategies to improve Academic Performance

Is your child struggling to improve their academic performance? Are you looking for some manageable, simple learning strategies to help them improve their academic performance?

Top tutor Scott D has figured out the most effective strategies and techniques, based on his own experiences at university.

He discovered that while some aspects of a student’s academic performance are very unique to them (i.e. their learning styles and natural aptitudes), there are several key strategies which can be applied to accelerate anyone’s performance.

In this post Scott outlines five strategies to improve academic performance. Most of them are simple, but if implemented (and this is the key) they are extremely effective.

1. Set Goals and Work Backwards

The first step with any new student is to construct a set of goals. Goals enable a student to continuously track their progress and adjust accordingly. It is considerably easier to make small adjustments throughout the year, than to make a huge pivot come exam time (or after mock examination results, as is common). This helps students feel more in control, reducing anxiety during exams.

The process of setting goals also enables students to plan their time more effectively and quantify their progress. This enables students to re-evaluate their performance and determine what they can achieve throughout the year. In the words of Bruce Lee, “Long-term consistency trumps short-term intensity”.

When I first went to university, my initial goal was to get a 2:1. However, when I achieved a high first-class average for my second year, my long-term goal immediately changed. I adjusted what I believed was possible for me and set a new higher goal.

This is how I have seen students jump several grade bounds during a single year. They set a goal, hit it early (which often surprises them, but fills them full of belief) and raise their expectations (and usually their performance). However, without setting a goal in the first place, the student cannot effectively measure, track or adjust their performance as they go. Their education becomes a shot in the dark.

2. Use A Wider Variety of Learning Resources

Using different resources is significantly more effective than using a single resource. Here are a few reasons why:

You can gain different contexts and/or perspectives

Overall, anything that gives you a different perspective on a theory, idea or problem will act to enhance learning. A good example of this is to look at the earth from a single image. It does give you a perspective of what earth looks like, but you never get the whole picture until you look at it from several different angles (and get several different perspectives).

They can provide different associations and analogies

The same is true of using different associations and analogies. Everyone has had that experience where they haven’t understood something properly, and then suddenly it clicked with an analogy that resonated with them. In my opinion, it is certainly one of the most effective ways to learn more abstract subjects, such as the sciences or maths.

Different learning styles i.e. visual, auditory and/or kinaesthetic are stimulated

In my experience, using resources that engage visual, auditory and kinaesthetic have the best results for students.

As a private tutor I will often start with a syllabus textbook and then gradually introduce other subject specific reading materials.

I may also introduce videos, images, varied questioning and testing resources. This I find to be the most effective way for students to learn.

 It can help make learning more enjoyable.

There are two effective ways to memorise information: repetition and variation. While the former is very effective it is also quite tedious, particularly if it is from the same resource. Variation, on the other hand, is not only very effective but it can also make learning more enjoyable. Studies have also found that students learn better through active engagement.

3. 
   
4. Get Through the ‘Frustration’ Period

There is no doubt about it; trying to learn a new skill or material can be frustrating at first. However, this is a natural process and the friction caused by a lack of understanding will always disappear given enough exposure.

A great analogy for thinking about these stages is learning to drive (or if you haven’t reached that stage, riding a bike).

The ‘learning cycle’ suggests that we all go through four stages of learning. Here are the four stages using this analogy.

Unconscious incompetence (this is when you are grossly incompetent at something because you haven’t been exposed to it before).

When you start learning to drive, you don’t know how anything works. This stage can be very frustrating and you feel completely incompetent for the first couple of lessons.

Conscious incompetence (this is when you know you are not good at something despite having had some exposure to it)

After a few driving lessons you begin to improve but you still cannot not drive independently.

Conscious competence (this is when you become knowingly competent in some area of skill)

You have taken your test and are able to drive on your own. This stage, however, still requires a lot of conscious effort to drive on your own.

Unconscious competence (this is when you can do it on autopilot. It becomes natural and subconscious)

Finally, after a few months, driving becomes subconscious.

One of the key challenges of secondary and higher education is getting a student to the last two stages in the learning cycle. The challenge being that many students are exposed only to new information for a few lessons at most.

The problem arises when students are stuck in the ‘incompetence’ stages of learning. Frustration can lead them to avoid the subject altogether; or worse still, they start to believe they are not smart enough and develop a dislike (or even anxiety) towards that subject. We know, however, if students are able to through this ‘frustration’ phase they will grow in confidence and self belief.

4. Sharpen Your Examination Techniques

It might sound obvious, but you don’t get good at driving a car by taking the theory test (using my car analogy, again). You have to physically get in the car and start to drive. Likewise, you don’t get good at exams just by learning the content tested in the exams.

Mastering examinations is a skill all of its own, much like essay writing and giving oral presentations. Yet, surprisingly, I have found many students fail to practice the techniques required to do well.

These techniques do depend on the individual’s level of education but typical questioning generally progresses from description to explanation to discussion. At GCSE level, you are focusing much more on the former.

The typical prefix to questions will be:

• 
  
• Describe
• Explain
• Suggest

These are usually combined with the open-ended questions: what, where, when, why and how. At this level, the examiner is typically looking for keywords.

At higher levels, the questions start to incorporate discussions. These require more thought and structure, typically combined with your own research, opinions and case studies.

Exam technique requires an article of its own. Nevertheless, one useful tip is to always put yourself into the mind of the examiner when answering questions; and when practicing, always have the mark scheme to see exactly what keywords the examiner is looking for.

 5. Practice Exams

In his TED Talk “What do top students do differently?”, Douglas Barton of Elevate Education discussed how top students don’t necessarily get the top grades because they have the highest IQ’s or even because they work the hardest (although there is usually some correlation with the latter). It was because they do more practice exams.

Their study, based on a 13-year process looking into the learning habits of tens of thousands of students, found that they could almost perfectly estimate a student’s results based upon the number of practice exam papers they had done.

I cannot disagree with this. Here are a few of the many benefits associated with practicing exams:

• 
  
• Recognisable patterns will begin to form in the questioning and content
• Applying knowledge to different types of questioning will become easier.
• Using additional resources supplied with the exam will become more familiar.
• The structure of the exam will make more sense.
• You will become faster and less prone to silly mistakes

Ultimately you will sharpen the techniques I discussed in the section above and become more aware of what the examiner (or mark scheme) is looking for.

One of the most common problems I see is when a student is knowledgeable in the subject area but cannot connect that with answering a question. This is simply a symptom of lack of practice.

So there you have it. These are my top  five strategies to improve academic performance. I guarantee that if you apply these strategies from the beginning of the year you will be shocked at how far you progress by the time you have to sit an exam.

If you would like to contact Scott D to arrange private tutoring please contact him through his Tutorfair profile. Scott is a Maths and Science specialist as well as a learning coach with many years experience in tutoring.

ALSO REMEMBER: Congrats to our Year 9 and Year 8 students that has compete their annual maths, science and english Competition that held last week and the week before. Congrats to those that Involved in the events!

Starting secondary school

Moving from primary to secondary school, or high school, is a big transition. It can be a time full of fun, excitement and new experiences, but it can also be challenging or worrying for many children. You can help by making sure your child is prepared and feels supported.

Going to secondary school: what to expect

Children often have mixed feelings about starting secondary school. They might be:

• excited about new friends, subjects and teachers
• nervous about learning new routines, making new friends or wearing a new uniform
• worried about handling the workload or not fitting in.

You might also worry about these issues, and about whether your child will have the confidence and skills to handle them.

These worries are all normal. Secondary school also means a move from the familiar to the unknown, and a whole new way of doing things.

Relationships
Your child will need to meet new peers and make new friends, and establish or re-establish her position within a peer group.

Schoolwork
Your child will need to adapt to new teaching and assessment styles, cope with a wide range of subjects, adjust to having different teachers in different classrooms, become more responsible for his own learning, manage a heavier and more complicated study and homework load, and learn a new and more complex timetable.

Getting around
Your child will have to adjust to a new school campus, find her way around, get to class on time with the right books and materials, and possibly cope with new transport arrangements.

All these issues might be particularly challenging for some young people living in rural or remote communities. For example, they might need to manage lengthy travel times or move away from their families, friends and local communities to go to boarding school.

When children are making the move to secondary school, you have the biggest influence on how smooth the transition is. Your child’s friends do influence how your child feels about the move, but your support has stronger and longer-lasting effects.

Preparing to start secondary school

You can help to ease any worries your child has about starting secondary school by preparing your child in the months and weeks before term begins.

Practical issues
Here are some ideas for dealing with practical issues:

• Make sure your child goes to any secondary school transition and orientation programs in the last term of primary school.
• If your primary school doesn’t run a transition program, find out what transition services and supports your child’s new high school offers.
• Involve your child in decision-making where possible. For example, you could try talking together about transport options to and from school, and subject electives.

Feelings
Here are some ideas to deal with mixed feelings and worries:

• Talk with your child about what he’s most looking forward to and what he’s worried about. Really listen when your child shares his feelings and worries about secondary school. Reassure him that it’s normal to worry about going to secondary school.
• Encourage your child to look at the positive side of the move to secondary school. For example, you could highlight the new opportunities your child will have by talking about extracurricular activities your child could choose at the new school.
• Talk with your child about friendships. For example, you could ask what your child’s friends are saying about secondary school. You could also talk about how your child might keep in touch with old friends and make new friends at high school.

During the transition to secondary school

Practical issues
Here are some ideas to help with the practical side of the transition to high school:

• Try to arrange for a parent, grandparent or other close adult to be home before and after school for the first few weeks after your child starts secondary school.
• Find out the name of the teacher responsible for your child’s overall care, attendance and social and academic progress. This person might be called a home-room teacher, year advisor or pastoral care teacher. Try to introduce yourself as early as possible.
• Try to make your home as comfortable for study time as possible. For example, make sure your child has a quiet place to study, away from distractions like the TV or a mobile phone.

Friends
These ideas might help with worries about getting to know people and making new friends at high school:

• Reassure your child that it’s normal to worry about making new friends.
• Find out whether there’s a buddy system at your child’s new school and encourage your child to be involved in it.
• Let your child know that new friends are welcome in your home. Encourage your child to invite new friends over, or be ready to transport your child to their houses.
• Help your child explore new opportunities. Learning a musical instrument, trying a new sport or joining a drama class are great ways for your child to meet new people and get involved in school activities.

Feelings
You could try these suggestions for handling emotional ups and downs:

• Be prepared for ups and downs. Adjusting to change takes time, but if things don’t stabilise after the first term, talk to your child’s home-room teacher in the first instance.
• Remind your child that it’s normal to feel nervous about starting something new – for example, you could share how nervous and excited you feel when starting a new job.
• Talk to other parents to check whether your child’s experiences and feelings are similar to those of others. Sporting and school events are good opportunities to meet other parents.
• Try to make sure your child eats well, gets plenty of physical activity and gets plenty of sleep. The change to secondary school is likely to make your child more tired at first.
• Stay calm. If you’re calm and reassuring you’ll give your child more confidence that she can get through the tough parts of starting high school.

Keep talking with your child about school. If you’re having trouble getting your child to open up, try our tips on talking about school.

Signs your child might be having difficulty at secondary school

If your child is struggling with the transition to secondary school, you might notice that he:

• doesn’t want to go to school, or refuses to go
• says he feels sick on Sunday nights
• doesn’t seem interested in schoolwork or new activities at the new school
• doesn’t talk with you about school or friends
• seems low on confidence or self-esteem – your child might say he’s dumb or nobody likes him
• is getting lower marks than he used to.

If your child is having trouble, don’t wait for things to improve on their own. Try to get your child talking about how she’s feeling, let her know that feeling worried is normal, and see whether you can work out some strategies together.

If things don’t improve within 2-3 weeks, consider speaking with your child’s teacher, year level co-ordinator, welfare co-ordinator or GP.

Children with additional needs starting secondary school

The transition to secondary school is sometimes more challenging for children with additional needs. It’s important to ensure that your child – and your family – are adequately prepared for the change and can get the information you need.

You might need extra time to plan your child’s transition to secondary school, even starting up to a year ahead. Student welfare services at your child’s primary and secondary schools will play an important role in ensuring your child’s needs are supported.

If you’d like extra support or have concerns, you can talk with your child’s teacher, school principal or learning support team. Also contact disability services in your state or territory.

Your feelings about your child starting secondary school

Your child’s transition to secondary school is a big change for you too. Your relationship with your child’s primary school might be ending, and you’re likely to have a different sort of relationship with your child’s secondary school.

It’s normal to have mixed feelings about these changes.

Talking to other parents, particularly those who have gone through high school transition, often helps. It might ease your mind to know that most children find things a little hard at first but settle in during the year.

Also, other parents who are experienced at the school can often answer small questions and give you helpful tips about how things work at your child’s new school.

And don’t be surprised to find that your child doesn’t want you to be as visible at his secondary school as you might have been during the primary years. Remember that he’ll still need your support outside of school, and that it’s all part of the way he develops greater independence.

Your Sincerely

Benjamin Carter

Associate Principal, College Development