Primary School Transition Programs
We are collaborating with our fourteen local primary schools to develop rich transition events to ensure our future students are prepared for High School. We are establishing strong community links and also connecting with external providers to explore opportunities that can be utilised in establishing effective relationships and learning opportunities with students from Year 4.
In 2022, we introduced the Wheely Good Education Bus Tour!
This program offered our local primary schools an opportunity to watch our shows and interact with the activities. We design and deliver to our local primary schools, 1-hour subject related shows for Stage 2 and 3.
In Term 2 Week 8, our Wheely Good Education bus had a Science Show travel to some of our local primary schools. Our show captured many scientific experiments, chemical reactions, and dry ice explosions!
Throughout Semester Two (2022), Sydney Secondary College hosted the Primarily Fun Wind Band and String Orchestra workshops for Year 5 and 6 music students. This transition program offered young musicians the opportunity to be mentored by our Year 7 and 8 Instrumental Music Program (IMP) students in a fun workshop environment where they learned new repertoire and made new friends. Throughout the course of the program, we successfully had 65 local primary school students attend either the Wind Band or String Orchestra workshops!
After the major success of the Primarily Fun Music Program in 2022, the college is excited to announce that we will be continuing this program in 2023! Stage 3 students who participate in this program, will then have the opportunity to perform alongside the talented SSC Instrumental Music Program at the Verbrugghen Hall in Term 3! Details for registration will be available in Term 2 (2023).
\We have also been expanding our transition opportunities for our Aboriginal and/or Torres Strait Islander students. Below are some photos from our first Stage 3 to 4 transition opportunity at both Balmain and Leichhardt Campuses.
2022 Reflections and 2023 Directions
By the end of 2022, both junior campuses had appointed Transition Coordinators and together with the College Head Teacher Transition, plans were established for all 14 significant local primary schools to hold multiple transition opportunities for Year 4-6 students throughout the year.
It has been pleasing to see the percentage of local students enrolling in SSC has increased by 6% in 2022 with now eight of the (14) local primary schools having 50% (or more) local students enrolling.
In 2023, transition events and opportunities will continue for our local primary schools to engage with SSC. Early targets estimate a minimum of two general opportunities for Stage 3 students; inclusive of opportunities for Aboriginal students. Collectively, through these initiatives, we aim to continue to grow our local area enrolment and meet the needs of our local community.
Families within the community have already had opportunities to visit both Leichhardt and Balmain Open Nights in 2023. These Open Nights provided the community an opportunity for prospective families to tour our learning environments, attend a presentation by staff, hear about our college programs, and learn about extracurricular activities.
If you missed out on either of the Open Nights, please contact a campus to arrange school tours!
Primarily Fun Music Program
Local primary school students enjoying the Primarily Fun Workshop (2022)
Sydney Secondary College's Instrumental Music Program is excited to invite students participating in the Primarily Fun Program to perform the Verbrugghen Hall in 2023!