Going to high school will be a new experience for your child. The school is likely to be much bigger than the primary school and your child may feel a little insecure at first. Instead of being a senior in a small school, they are now a junior in a secondary school. However, it is also an exciting time with many opportunities and a broader curriculum.

New experiences

From day one, there will be many changes to get used to including having a number of different teachers and different classrooms, often spread across a larger campus. Set class periods on particular subjects may also be longer than in primary school. Students carry around notes and books, which can be heavy, from class to class.

New way of learning

Year 7 students will be expected to be more independent, self-reliant and self-motivated than in primary school. Lessons will often be more student-centred.

New teachers

In high school, students usually have 8 or more teachers and a student or year adviser to coordinate their activities. Teachers will become resources and guides, rather than instructors. There are also head teachers for different key learning areas, and classmates can vary from class to class.

Timetables

Students are given timetables with subjects, times and room locations listed. They need to check their timetables each night to make sure they have the correct books, equipment and homework completed for the next day’s classes. If they have sport or PDHPE, they may need to pack their sports uniform and shoes.

Reading and understanding timetables can take some time to get used to, and moving from room to room might unsettle and tire them.

Peer pressure

Making new friends and a desire to fit in sometimes means students do things they might not normally do – just so they can be liked or be one of the crowd. Letting children know they don’t have to do everything their peers do is an important way of ensuring the friendships they make are genuine and positive – not based on pressure or conformity. A valuable message is that a real friend is someone who likes them for who they are.

New friends

Making new friends can be a daunting task for Year 7 students. Students often come from a variety of primary schools and they may find themselves in classes filled with children they don’t know. Fitting in is often important to Year 7 students – finding people they like and who share their interests helps motivate them and increase their self-esteem. Discuss their new school experiences each day, the people they’ve met or observations they’ve made – that way there is an awareness of difficulties when they arise

Mobile phones

Generally, your child won’t need to use their mobile phone or any personal digital (gaming) device while they’re at school. If you need to communicate with your child during school hours or if they need to contact you, this can be organised through their school. Procedures for mobile phone use vary across NSW public high schools and are based on the best approach for the individual child and school community. Check with your child’s school for their specific mobile phone rules while on school grounds, at school-related activities and outside of school

New teachers

In high school, students usually have 8 or more teachers and a student or year adviser to coordinate their activities. Teachers will become resources and guides, rather than instructors. There are also head teachers for different key learning areas, and classmates can vary from class to class.

Technology

Your child will have access to a wide range of technology tools and services. Teachers expertly integrate these tools to enhance the teaching and learning experience of students. Tools include online platforms to facilitate digital classrooms, and applications to allow students to consume and create multi-modal experiences. Students will also engage with digital technology and science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM) tools to develop skills for their future. Each school and teacher will choose the best digital tools for the task to meet key learning intentions.