This guide will support Educational leaders and Kindergarten teachers about how to access and complete the online Transition report for Kindergarten children who will be transitioning to primary school. It is a kindergarten funding requirement that every child transitioning to school has a Transition Learning and Development Statement.
Visual guide and recording on the transition training session: https://stonly.com/sl/71c6bebe-0e65-4547-baa1-af2d74cd6143/Steps/
- All transition reports will need to be completed by the registered Kindergarten teacher at the service and in collaborated with the families/guardians.
- As per NQAITS - An email with login credentials will be sent to the service email in July every year. Educational leaders will be required to share the login details with the Kindergarten teacher.
- A copy of each child's completed Transition Learning and Development Statement should always be provided to the child's family and the family should be given an opportunity to opt out of the Transition Learning and Development Statement being shared with the school. If a child's family does not want relevant information shared with the child's school via the Transition Learning and Development Statement, they are encouraged to discuss this with the child's early childhood educator.
The Transition Learning and Development Statement is comprised of multiple sections:
- Sections 1, 1.1 and 1.2 (where applicable) are completed by educators
- Section 2 is completed by the child (with adult assistance) and
- Section 3 is completed by the family.
Strength-based approach
A strength-based approach is a collaborative and solutions-focused way of working. It encourages teachers and educators to consistently draw on their knowledge and understanding of each child's skills, capabilities and dispositions for learning as a way of scaffolding learning and development.
Leading early childhood and school teachers will find they are already using a strength-based approach. Such teachers value children's strengths and differences and communicate high expectations to them. They reflect on their practice and use integrated approaches to build on skills and interests, starting with the competencies children demonstrate rather than focusing on what children can't yet do.
The strength-based approach should be used when writing intentional teaching strategies in each child's Transition Learning and Development Statement. To support this effort, an additional chapter was added to the Transition a Positive Start to School: Resource Kit in 2019. Chapter 6.4 Strength-Based Approach to Transition (PDF, 492KB), was developed in consultation with early childhood and school teachers, professionals, academics and stakeholders.
Early childhood teachers can use this resource to learn more about the strength-based approach and to help with writing a child's Transition Learning and Development Statement. Foundation teachers can use the resource to consider ways the Transition Learning and Development Statement will help them to make curriculum decisions about how to best extend each child's learning.
There is also a quick reference guide for summarising the key points of the full guide.
A strength-based approach to transition:
Chapter 6.4 Strength-Based Approach to Transition - Quick Reference Guide (PDF, 1MB)
Child Information Sharing Scheme (CISS) and Family Violence Information Sharing Scheme (FVISS)
A fact sheet has been developed to support early childhood professionals to further understand these information sharing schemes. It also provides clear guidance on how family violence risks should be managed in the transition to school process.
Outcome descriptors
Outcome descriptors are used in Section 1.1 of the Transition Learning and Development Statement to describe a child's progress against the 5 learning and development outcomes of the VEYLDF. You can select the appropriate descriptors from a 'pick list' and then edit the descriptor to suit the individual child and best describe their learning progress. The descriptors provide examples and are not exhaustive. They are aligned with the VEYLDF and the first 3 levels of the Victorian Curriculum (Levels F-10).
For learning and development outcome descriptors, see:
- Outcome 1 β identity (DOCX, 48 KB)
- Outcome 1 β identity (PDF, 265 KB)
- Outcome 2 β community (DOCX, 48 KB)
- Outcome 2 β community (PDF, 267 KB)
- Outcome 3 β wellbeing (DOCX, 52 KB)
- Outcome 3 β wellbeing (PDF, 272 KB)
- Outcome 4 β learning (DOCX, 52 KB)
- Outcome 4 β learning (PDF, 279 KB)
- Outcome 5 β communication (DOCX, 53 KB)
- Outcome 5 β communication (PDF, 278 KB)
- Outcome descriptors β full list (DOCX, 60 KB)
- Outcome descriptors β full list (PDF, 318 KB)
When completing Section 1.1 of the Transition Learning and Development Statement, you must select at least one descriptor for each outcome. We recommend you select between 2 and 5 descriptors in total for each outcome.
You must write at least one intentional teaching strategy to support the childβs learning progress against each of the 5 VEYLDF outcomes. Individualised strategies are helpful to Foundation teachers as they begin to plan their teaching approaches and programs for the start of the school year. Strategies that reference the individual child's abilities, dispositions and interests are helpful to the receiving teacher and school.
Children with additional needs:
The Transition Learning and Development Statement includes Section 1.2, which supports enhanced transitions for children with a disability or developmental delay. This section:
- captures information about other early childhood professionals supporting the family and child
- lists reports or assessments that have been done and are available to support inclusion planning.
We recommend all educators complete Section 1.2 to support children with a disability or developmental delay. A child does not need to have a clinical diagnosis. Before filling in this section, you should discuss with the family how the information could be most helpful to the future school.
A Transition Learning and Development Statement can be written earlier in the year for inclusion planning for children with a disability or developmental delay. It can help with early discussions with the family, the school and others involved in supporting the childβs transition to school. Although writing an early statement is not mandatory, it can be very helpful.
If a child is spending significant time in an early intervention program or with a support worker, you should discuss with the family who would be best to coordinate the Transition Learning and Development Statement. Even if the kindergarten teacher doesn't coordinate the statement, everyone who works with the child should still contribute.
Early ABLES is a strengths and observation-based online assessment for learning tool, which supports early childhood educators to provide a more individualised learning experience for children aged two to five years with disabilities and/or developmental delay. Early ABLES reports should be referred in Section 1.2 if available. For further information, please visit Early Abilities Based Learning and Education Support (Early ABLES).
In 2021, Disability Inclusion was introduced - a package of reforms to provide extra support for children with disability in Victorian government schools.
Disability Inclusion is being rolled out progressively across Victoria until 2025. A list of the rollout areas is at Disability Inclusion: extra support for children with disability.
Disability Inclusion includes the introduction of the Disability Inclusion Profile, a written description of children's strengths and needs at school, designed to help schools give children the support they need.
Schools in areas that have transitioned to Disability Inclusion will complete profiles for Prep students.
Schools that are not in transitioned areas will continue to provide support to students with disability through the Program for Students with Disabilitiesuntil they start Disability Inclusion.
For more information about Disability Inclusion and the Disability Inclusion Profile visit Disability Inclusion: extra support for children with disability.
For more about enhanced transition planning to support a child's transition to primary school, including information toolkits about Disability Inclusion for families and educators, visit Transition to primary school for children with a disability.
Information to support families
There are resources available to help you introduce families to the Transition Learning and Development Statement and to support families and children during the transition journey. When families and early childhood services work together in positive and collaborative ways, a child's capacity to achieve their learning potential is significantly enhanced.
These resources, including materials for families that have been translated into 42 different languages, can be found at Transition to school resources for families.
More information about the Transition Learning and Development Statement is available in Section 6.3 of the Transition: A Positive Start to School Resource Kit.
Coordinating Transition Learning and Development Statements
Early childhood teachers in funded kindergarten programs are best placed to coordinate Transition Learning and Development Statements for children in their programs.
If a child is also attending other services such as long day care, family daycare, or occasional care, the educators in those services may have information to contribute.
We also encourage working with families to discuss or arrange additional information from other services.
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