Target audience

• Directors, educational leadership
• School leaders
• Transition coordinators
• School staff.

Purpose

This resource has been designed to support schools in delivering culturally responsive continuity of learning for Aboriginal and/or Torres Strait Islander students as they transition from primary to high school.

When and how to use

This resource can be used by schools when developing culturally responsive continuity of learning for Aboriginal and/or Torres Strait Islander students as they transition from primary to high school. School leaders may use this resource with key school staff and stakeholders within their school networks, including partner schools, and director, educational leadership to evaluate and strengthen current transition practices.

Evidence base

Research shows that culturally responsive continuity of learning significantly enhances the educational experience and outcomes for Aboriginal and/or Torres Strait Islander students. By recognising and integrating their cultural backgrounds during the transition from primary to high school, we can foster a sense of belonging and support their academic success.

Further reading

1. Potia, H., Wheeler, K., Woodroffe, T. and Thorpe, K. (2024) 'Transition From Primary to Secondary School: Igniting Attendance and Engagement Among Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Students Through National Policy Reform' Australian Journal of Social Issues, accessed 23 December 2025.
2. Anderson, C., O'Mara, J., Auld, G., Corcocan, T., Delphine, T., Hicks, D., Moss, J., Riele, K. te and Rudling, E. (2025) 'Overcoming hesitancy in delivering Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander histories and cultures in Australian schools' The Australian Educational Researcher, accessed 23 December 2025.
3. Lowe, K., Golledge, C., Poulton, P. and Thompson, K. (2025). 'Curriculum as policy deception: a critical analysis of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander knowledge inclusion in the Australian Curriculum' The Australian Educational Research, accessed 23 December 2025.
4. NSW Department of Education Strong Strides Together page.
5. NSW Department of Education Personalised Learning Pathways Guidelines page.

Alignment to the NSW Plan for Public Education

This resource is aligned to the following focus areas and actions within the NSW Plan for Public Education:

• advance equitable outcomes, opportunities, and experiences
  • develop targeted, differentiated, evidence-informed initiatives and supports
• deliver outstanding leadership, teaching, and learning
  • support schools to deliver school excellence through continuous improvement
  • improve how data is used to inform teaching
• strengthen student wellbeing and development
  • improve support for students at all transitions throughout schooling.

Alignment to the School Excellence Framework

The key themes that align to the School Excellence Framework (staff only) (version 3) include:

• transitions and continuity of learning
• curriculum provision
• whole school monitoring of student learning.

Alignment to Australian Professional Standards for Teachers

This resource aligns to the following Australian Professional Standards for Teachers:

• 1.4.3 Provide advice and support colleagues in the implementation of effective teaching strategies for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander students using knowledge of and support from community representatives.
• 2.4.3 Lead initiatives to assist colleagues with opportunities for students to develop understanding of and respect for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander histories, cultures and languages.
• 5.4.3 Work with colleagues to use data from internal and external student assessments for evaluating learning and teaching, identifying interventions, and modifying teaching practice.
• 5.4.4 Coordinate student performance and program evaluation using internal and external student assessment data to improve teaching practice.
• 6.3.3 Initiate and engage in professional discussions with colleagues in a range of forums to evaluate practice directed at improving professional knowledge and practice, and the educational outcomes of students.
• 6.3.4 Implement professional dialogue within the school or professional learning network(s) that is informed by feedback, analysis of current research and practice to improve the educational outcomes of students.

Feedback

Email questions, comments and feedback about this resource to contactcurriculumimplementation@det.nsw.edu.au using the subject line 'Transition from primary to high school – Transition practices in the Iron Cove, Port Jackson and Cowra networks'.

Jai'Lirah – Student, Iron Cove and Port Jackson networks, Gadigal and Wangal Country

We would like to Acknowledge the Traditional Custodians of the Saltwater Country, the Gadigal and Wangal people of the Eora Nation, on which all 3 campuses of Sydney Secondary College are placed.

Aunty Wendy Buchanan – Aboriginal Education Officer, (AEO), Gumbaynggirr, Dunghutti

Seeing the kids and that achieving their goals, they just wanna show everyone that they can do it. It's making us proud too.

Karissa Pedron – Assistant Principal, Glebe Public School, Gadigal Country

We want all of the families that walk in our gate, every student, every family, to feel connected to our school.

We're making sure that our Aboriginal perspectives are taught in context, in a culturally safe and inclusive way, so that their voices are heard, celebrated and acknowledged.

Aboriginal Education is everyone's business, and we make that a priority here at Glebe Public School.

A crucial part in the high school transition process is really establishing those positive and respectful relationships with local partner high schools, and it's these positive relationships that really have a strong impact on its successful high school transition processes.

Janine Ahie – Head Teacher, Wellbeing and Aboriginal Education, Sydney Secondary College Leichardt, Wangal Country

We have a really dynamic transition team, and our transition team works collaboratively with our partner primary schools.

The work that the primary schools are doing with the students carries on here at high school.

One of my key goals as Head Teacher of Aboriginal Education was to really build a bridge between us and our Glebe community.

Creating and providing opportunities where we're bringing the community to us, makes it fantastic for the students.

Rodney Plashchik – Head Teacher, Programs, Sydney Secondary College Balmain, Wangal Country

At Sydney Secondary College we have a bus, which is integral to the transition program because we've got 3 separate campuses, we've got 15 local network primary schools within that area.

[Screen shows a map of Sydney, NSW which identifies the 15 primary schools across the Iron Cove and Port Jackson networks using markers.]

So, once we've identified the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander students in Year 5 and Year 6, I pick them up in the bus and we drive between all of those schools, bring them to the high schools, and then we work with the students to ease them into the school and ease them into the high school journey.

Danielle Maslen – Aboriginal Education Officer (AEO), Gamilaroi, Glebe Public School, Gadigal Country

It can be a really scary thing moving, moving from, I guess, a small, safe space here at Glebe into a high school.

Aunty Wendy is such an important part of Glebe community. Having Aunty Wendy there on transition days and making sure they feel like they're coming into a safe environment, I think is a really big part of it.

Aunty Wendy – Gumbaynggirr, Dunghutti

You know, I love working with all the kids, and that. Make sure our kids are getting there and, and know what they expect when they go to high school and everything.

I know a lot of people in the community. I grew up being in Redfern and I just know everybody and everybody knows me.

The teachers are now involved with Aboriginal culture, which is so good, and that. Today they're there to support our Aboriginal children. Back in the old days, we didn't get that opportunity, where today these kids, they got a lot of support to build that strength and to get out there and be what they wanna be.

[Screen shows students engaging in sharing their story and identity and locating their language group with their teachers.]

Latayah – Student, Bundjalung

We got a sneak peek at classrooms, did some Cultural activities, and also got to take part in mini lessons. Lessons such as cooking and sport.

We felt confident starting high school because we'd already been here and had an idea what to expect. We know teachers using culture in our lessons that makes us feel respected.

Latayah – Bundjalung & Laylarni – Gamilaroi – Students

Transition is about us.

Gaibriella Larsson-Cain – Aboriginal Education Officer (AEO), Biripi, Gamilaroi, Sydney Secondary College Balmain, Wangal Country

I'm a proud Biripi in Gamilaroi woman. At Sydney Secondary College, our aim is to ensure that engagement with our local Aboriginal community is ongoing, respectful and consistently collaborative.

A massive part of that is building truth telling and trust.

Our transition program is in a constant state of review to ensure that whatever we offer to our partner schools is suitable to the individual Aboriginal and/or Torres Strait Islander students that we have coming into the school.

Alana Ragen – Deputy Principal, Sydney Secondary College Balmain, Wangal Country

We are working very closely with our partner primary schools to develop curriculum and programs which are backward mapped from Stage 4, through to Stage 3 and to Stage 2.

We have professional development partnerships with our primary schools where we go in and observe their lessons to observe their practice and then they come to us to observe practice within our campus.

This benefits our Aboriginal and/or Torres Strait Islander students because it ensures that there is consistent practices from primary school through to high school.

Gaibriella – Biripi, Gamilaroi

A key component for a successful transition would definitely be information sharing with our partner schools. Getting to know the students before they even start to do the transition here means that we can tailor our programs to ensure that it's suitable to them and their needs.

A key documentation for that would be the students' Personalised Learning Pathways.

Also, meeting and getting to know and building connections with the students means that we can identify the strengths that they see within themselves, but also what their families see in them as well.

Laylarni – Gamilaroi

Transition is about me

Latayah – Bundjalung

and me.

Gaibriella – Biripi, Gamilaroi

One of our successful transition stories is a school leader here at Sydney Secondary College.

He's been an incredible role model, not only to the up and coming Aboriginal and/or Torres Strait Islander students, but all students to recognise their own potential.

Prestan – Student, Gamilaroi, Sydney Secondary College, Balmain, Wangal Country

I'm Aboriginal. I'm a proud Gamilaroi man.

As a school leader, I'm a role model for Year 7's.

The Aboriginal Education Officers are Dani and Gabby.

They help everyone.

Liv – Student, Gamilaroi, Sydney Secondary College, Balmain, Wangal Country

I was excited to start because of, like the transition days helped me like feel ready for high school.

I come and see Dani and Gabby throughout the day. I remember waiting for Gabby and Mr. P to come pick me up, and I was really excited.

We had different Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander students come from other schools.

The advice I'd give to other students, be brave, be yourself.

Prestan – Gamilaroi

Step out of your comfort zone, because when I was in Year 7, I would've never thought I would be here sitting as a school leader.

[End of transcript]

Deejay – Student, Cowra network, Wiradjuri Country

Mulyan Public School acknowledges the Wiradjuri People, the custodians of the land on which we live, meet, teach, learn, play and grow.

We pay our respect to Elders past, present and emerging. We recognise the continuing connections to the local waterways of the Galari, the local land on the Lachlan Valleys, and to the people of the wider Cowra community.

We also recognise the resilience, strength and pride of the oldest surviving culture of the world.

Ava – Student, Gilari, Wiradjuri

In primary school, we did a lot of Wiradjuri language and a lot of events where we danced and went to see what other schools and elders have taught us.

We also, both in primary and high school, we combined with other surrounding schools like Cowra Public and Mulyan to do the dance, and it just shows it, you know, be proud of your culture.

Anthony Hamer – R/Principal, Cowra High School, Wiradjuri Country

Transition is a pivotal moment in any student's life coming from Stage 3 into Stage 4. As a high school principal, I feel it's very important to lead a process of working collaboratively with our partner primary schools, to provide a continuity of curriculum across Stages 3 into 4.

[Screen shows a map of New South Wales with a dotted line highlighting the distance between Sydney and Cowra. The map then zooms in on the Cowra school network and identifies the 18 partner primary schools across the network using school emblems.]

Leaders work with our Director of Educational Leadership that transitions are a smooth and a culturally inclusive process for all students.

Craig McMahon – Principal, Holmwood Public School, Wiradjuri Country

Holmwood Public School aims to create a supportive, enriching learning environment. We do this through the K–3 and our 4–6 classroom.

Because we are small school, those transitional days that we do have are really important.

Catherine Briggs – Principal, Mulyan Public School, Wiradjuri Country

Relationships are are such a central part for education and particularly for the education of our Aboriginal and/or Torres Strait Islander students.

Therefore, we ensure that we build those relationships with families, carers, students, each other, and it then becomes a culture in itself and a way of being whenever you're inside our school gates.

Lewis Beale – Aboriginal Community Liaison Officer (ACLO), Kamilaroi, Mulyan Public School, Wiradjuri Country

My role primarily is working with the students, the staff and the community around the needs for our Aboriginal children to culturally connect within school, feel culturally safe to come to school and be engaged.

While I've got a lot of cultural background that I can give to the kids, there's many other aspects that they, they need that can be sourced within the town.

I've been able to make those connections and bring those people into the school. So that's one of the biggest things I would say, is be focused on not just the child but their whole family.

Albert Murray – Deputy Principal, Gilari, Wiradjuri, Cowra Public School, Wiradjuri Country

I'm one of 2 Wiradjuri culture and language teachers in our school. When I first started here, I was the only Aboriginal employee.

I did see a need to have a voice for Aboriginal people within education, and I felt that we needed to have somebody local in advocating for our students at school.

We have great processes around our transition with our Stage 3 children, with Cowra High School.

Jenny Lewis – Principal, Cowra Public School, Wiradjuri Country

All of our transition processes all start with a conversation, and from that conversation we develop the relationship. And then from that relationship, we're in a really great position to build that partnership.

And that works with our families, but it also works with our partner schools and our community members.

Our transition practices have evolved over a number of years, and each year they strengthen. I think for us, our focus is around that sense of belonging to not only the school, but the community of schools and that our students attend.

So for us, having those strong partnerships with our local schools, our non-government agencies, it's a whole collaborative process. And as far as school planning goes, ensuring that we have those transition practices embedded – that's been our focus over the last few years.

Albert Murray – Gilari, Wiradjuri

We've been able to bring Cowra High School students down to work with and mentor our Stage 2 Aboriginal students.

When they see their cousins and their friends and family come down from the high school, it's just, it's priceless.

And just those reactions really has a, a deep impact on all of our kids.

The connections with our high school, with the students, connecting with family, connecting with the teachers has been the catalyst for a lot of our future planning with transition.

Ava – Student, Gilari, Wiradjuri, Cowra High School, Wiradjuri Country

Transition is important for high school because it prepares you for what's to come.

Tyler – Student, Wiradjuri, Cowra High School, Wiradjuri Country

No matter who you are. If you are Aboriginal, get out there, show your colours, and don't be afraid. It's your culture. Don't let anyone tell you differently.

[End of transcript]