School transitions for vulnerable young people: re-engaging students through local initiatives

A review of research, key government reports and local approaches to support primary to secondary school transitions. Includes an audit and action guide. Executive summary This Report was commissioned by the School Focused Youth Services program covering the Cities of Stonnington, Port Phillip and Glen Eira. The request was to review issues around, and examples of, primary to secondary school transition programs occurring within the three LGAs. All three Cities are actively committed to working through their own youth services and with other local community agencies to alleviate difficulties faced by young people in this day and age. The commission arose from requests from those working in transition programs for summative and constructive information to reflect on their own work and learn from each other. Thus the task for the Report was to review national and local practice in order to provide concise guidance for reshaping local transition programs in the light of recent research, key government reports and learning from developments in our own communities. Whilst the brief was to focus on vulnerable young people, many of the issues discussed and the  exemplars presented in the pages that follow either concurrently apply, or are clearly applicable, to all young people transitioning between primary and secondary education, whatever the level of their preparedness. The Report is accompanied by an ‘audit and action’ document that is intended to provide a tool for schools and other relevant personnel to review what they are doing currently as part of the process of planning for the next program, with additional insights gained from recent publications and exemplary work by colleagues