Portfolios containing Learning Stories/Journals (New Zealand and Australia)

Portfolios are created in ECE settings for each child to showcase their unique accomplishments and progress in their early education setting. Tracking children's development with a portfolio can support learning outcomes, improve family engagement, and allow teachers to reflect on the effectiveness of your program. Hartley et al. (2012) describe these as "not only metaphorical passports but as 'suitcases' providing documentation and literacy artefacts that value prior learning and experiences in their lives and that can continue to be sed as they continue on their journey" (p.15). When children leave their ECE centres, often they are taken home as "taonga" for parents and children  but in their Mangere Bridge transition to school project, Hartley et al. describe how moved with the child to their classoom serving as a familiar document for the child that he/she can enjoy and share in his/her new learning environment. They can also be a useful document for the school teacher as a way of learning about the children and their interests. They might even be added to at school serving as a document that is mutually familiar in both ECE and school settings.

Learning Trajectories (Australia)

Having documents with clear learning development and progression trajectories in kindergarten meant that teachers “spoke a similar language” when describing learning and were better able to plan learning experiences that built on where students were and their next steps. The learning trajectories were aligned with the school curriculum.

Transition reports (Australia)

These are documents are compulsory for teachers to complete for children transitioning to school. Both kindergarten and school teachers descried them as being useful ways to share key information particularly regarding children’s dispositions, ways to settle them, interests and triggers.

Clear and accessible “school readiness” expectations (Australia)

Orientation days for parents and children (all countries)

Having several orientation days was identified as being important for transitions in all countries. They were described as being important for both the children and their families to becomes familiar with the school and to get to know other children and families too. Some schools intentionally and gradually increased the length of time at school for the children and provided opportunities for children and families to get used to being apart from one another while still being on the school site (e.g., parents were given information talks while children were engaged in activities).

Transition books (Australia)

These books are designed to be bespoke for schools. Parents and children can add their own photos, become familiar with the layout and routines of their new school and tick off school readiness goals as and when they are achieved.

Easing the facilitation of information (New Zealand)

Some schools have made great efforts to ensure all families have access to transition information. This was particularly evident in one school which received new students from multiple early childhood centres who had experienced challenges with children and families attending orientation days. “Providing easy online access means that parents have up-to-date information in real-time”.

“Big Buddy” 'Tuakana-teina' programme (Torbay School, Auckland, New Zealand)

One of the most effective transitionary supports I encountered, in fact, was within a New Zealand school using Dockett and Perry’s (2001) idea of a “buddy” program (referenced in Hartley et al., 2012) where year-5 children were paired with children who were about to start school. The new children were joined by their buddies during orientation days and periods of time during the first few weeks of school, as well as during lunch and break times. Just as the local people took me under their wing during my travels, these older “buddies” were described by the new children, their parents and their teachers as being instrumental to successful transitions to school—the buddies were a friendly, more knowledgeable “local” of the school to guide new students through the unfamiliar.