Quality Early Education for All

The impact of early education will be strengthened when connections between health, parenting support, early
intervention, ECEC and schools are systematised, sustained and seamless.
Transition to School
A collaborative relationship between early years settings and schools is one of the most important for promoting
children’s learning and wellbeing. A positive start to school sets children up to be engaged and confident learners:
schools have a role to play in reaching out to families early.
Research on effective transitions highlights the importance of continuity between settings, including continuity of
pedagogical approach, and the impact of coordination and relationship-building between early education
providers, schools and families (Dockett and Perry, 2015; Eastman et al, 2012).
Although state and territory governments have implemented a number of initiatives to improve transition
practice in Australia, it is clear that these have not necessarily been systematised and sustained so that all
children benefit from a coordinated and evidence-informed approach to transition (CESE, 2015). Regulatory and
industrial barriers to collaboration and coordinated approaches remain.
Given that around 60,000 children arrive at school each year experiencing developmental vulnerablility – many of
whom never catch up to their peers – there is a compelling rationale for more comprehensive and individualised
approach to transition, so that schools can be ready for the
children and communities they serve.
Research on transition initiatives in Australia highlights the
importance of a whole-of-system approach to building and
maintaining the relationships that facilitate effective transition.
This includes:
• enabling policy frameworks that create an authorising
environment, defining transition as a core responsibilty for
schools and early education settings, and support action;
• adequate support and resourcing for relationships and
collaboration on the ground; 15
• tools and resources, such as transition statements, coupled
with training and support to use them well; 16 and
• engaging with families and delivering programs that build
the capacity of families to support their children’s
learning. 17
“More than any other
element of transition,
relationships between and
among children, families
and educators are the basis
for continuity between
home, prior-to-school,
school and school age care
settings”
DOCKETT AND PERRY, 2007
15 Evaluation of Victoria’s Linking Schools and Early Years project highlighted the impact of a local facilitator responsible for
forging relationships and maintaining momentum on the ground, as well as concerns about sustainability without this
support (Eastman et al, 2012; Newton and valentine, 2013).
16 New South Wales’s evaluation of transition statements found teachers reported being better informed about the
strengths, interests and learning styles of their students and better able to respond to the learning needs of their class (CESE,
2015). However, uptake of the transition statements was low, especially in regions where it was not actively promoted and
supported, where 76 per cent of respondents had heard of the statements but only 26 per cent had used them (CESE, 2015).
17 Tasmania’s Launching into Learning program provides resources to schools to work with families to support children’s early
learning prior to their entry into school. The program resulted in significantly improved outcomes for participating children
at entry into school, with the greatest impact experienced by children from disadvantaged backgrounds and improvements
that are sustained in Year 3 NAPLAN results (Educational Performance Services, 2014).
Quality Early Education for All 37