Our learning environments are student centred and create a sense of warmth and value towards student abilities and individuality.
Kindergarten to Prep
The “Kindergarten to Prep” Transition Program is seen as an essential contributor to each child’s future happiness and success at school. Our aim is to build strong relationships prior to the starting of school, and this process begins much earlier than the final term of the year.
Kindergarten children of all ages visit the school throughout the year, and participate in special events such as “Book Week” and Arts performances. The Prep teacher regularly visits the local kindergarten to interact with the younger children, and to become a familiar face. These ongoing opportunities to observe and to discuss each child’s development, provide the foundations for future planning. These meetings ensure that each individual’s needs can be identified and accommodated for prior to the start of the school year.
Our Transition Program also provides at least six mornings of school attendance for the Kindy Kids in fourth term. These are exciting times for exploring and for becoming familiar with the classroom, classmates, routines, and Buddies. Parents are welcome to discuss their concerns with staff, and together we can make the starting of school a positive experience for all.
Grade 6 to Year 7
Students in grade 6 at Cann River, join in classes with year 7/8 in term 4 to help them in their transition to secondary school. We also run a Grade 6 to Year 7 morning in the secondary college where students work with some of the teachers they will be having in Year 7. Students learn how to read the timetable, find out about form groups and the subjects, and camps and activities they can look forward to in secondary school. Activities at the start of the year, especially in Health Education, are aimed at helping the new students fit into secondary college.
Transition to the World
For most students, transition to the world beyond Cann River is a crucial step in their life. To help ease this transition, the school’s approach is to ensure camps and excursion programs, emphasise developing social skills in the outside world.
There is a career focus throughout secondary education, and work experience is tailored to students’ interests and attributes. Excursions to tertiary institutions happen annually for students from year nine. Individualised programs for senior students have been very effective in leading towards future careers.
Our past student careers include, software experts, an arborist, teachers, business managers, an accountant, a Department of Environment Primary Industry Ranger, health administrator and many more. As part of the Far East Network Cluster, we are working at developing curriculum to target skills for a rapidly changing employment climate. These skills involve team work, computer technology and critical thinking.
