School decision-making tool action areas

When supporting children's transition to school, schools recognise and address children's diversity in a number of ways.

The respect for diversity action area has 2 key focuses which support school reflection—knowing the community, and knowing and responding to children.

For each focus area, there is a description of a range of behaviours across 3 decision-making levels (school-centred, consultative and collaborative) to assist schools in their reflections and planning.

Diversity in schools

Dockett and Perry (2014) note that 'respect for diversity can only be accomplished when educators reflect critically on their own positions, understandings and expectations, understand other perspectives and embrace the strengths in diversity'.

Recently, the definition of diversity has expanded to include a multitude of individual differences. Diversity can characterise not only culture but also various linguistic, location, social, economic, learning, ability, gender or other distinctive characteristics.

This definition of diversity encourages us to see differences as a strength and recognise that diversity is present in some way in all children.

The effective use of data action area focuses on both community-level and child-level data.

For each focus area, there is a description of a range of behaviours across 3 decision-making levels (school-centred, consultative and collaborative) to assist schools in their reflections and planning.

Australian Early Development Census

The Australian Early Development Census (AEDC) measures the development of children in Australia in their first year of full-time school. The AEDC provides important information to communities, governments and schools to support their planning and service provision.

The AEDC helps schools, communities and policy makers understand how children are developing before their first year of full-time school, what is being done well and what can be improved.

Data from the AEDC can help identify the types of services, resources or support to meet the needs of communities.

Visit the AEDC page for more information.

5 key domains

The Australian version of the Early Development Instrument consists of approximately 100 questions across 5 key domains which are closely linked to child health, education and social outcomes. The domains are:

• physical health and wellbeing
• social competence
  
• emotional maturity
• language and cognitive skills (school-based)
• communication skills and general knowledge.

Read a fact sheet about the AEDC domains (PDF, 1.3MB).

The responsive environments action area focuses on processes, procedures and physical, temporal and social contexts in our school environments.

For each focus area, there is a description of a range of behaviours across 3 decision-making levels (school-centred, consultative and collaborative) to assist schools in their reflections and planning.

Young children learn best when they are actively engaged in a constructive and interactive environment with a wide range of materials.

During the transition to school, these environments also encourage children to develop a sense of control over their learning and the choices that they can make, which has a strong impact on their learning outcomes over time. The supporting successful transitions school decision-making tool recognises the importance of knowing and establishing partnerships with children to support active engagement in their own learning.

The effective pedagogy and practice action area focuses on early childhood pedagogy and the continuity of learning in the early years. For each focus area, there is a description of a range of behaviours across 3 decision-making levels (school-centred, consultative and collaborative).

These behaviour descriptors assist schools in reflecting on the level of collaborative decision-making in the effective pedagogy and practice action area.

Age-appropriate pedagogies

Using a range and balance of age-appropriate pedagogies in the early years of schooling is important in supporting children to be actively engaged, creative and successful learners.

Continuity of learning in the early years is strengthened through strong relationships and communication between a range of partners, including school staff, early childhood services and families.

The age-appropriate pedagogies for the early years of schooling: foundation paper provides a review of the literature and research of age-appropriate pedagogies in the early years of schooling. It examines the features of age-appropriate teaching modes that engage young children and achieve effective learning outcomes.

The reciprocal relationships action area focuses on communicating with early childhood services, involving families and children, and community participation. For each focus area, there is a description of a range of behaviours across 3 decision-making levels (school-centred, consultative and collaborative) to assist schools in their reflections and planning.

Partnerships for a positive start to school

Starting school is an exciting and significant time in every child's life. A great start to school can develop a lifelong love of learning.

In Queensland, early childhood services, schools and families are encouraged to work in partnership to ensure all children enjoy a successful transition to school.

Why relationships matter

Education is a social context where learning occurs through thousands of daily interactions between children, adults, materials and environments.

These interactions, which start before a child is even born, build children's experiences, knowledge, skills, culture and family contexts.

When schools welcome new students and families into the community, they get to know each child's early learning experiences and the multidimensional nature of their development.

The likelihood of children and families experiencing a successful transition to school is enhanced when strong relationships, based on trust and mutual respect, are built between schools, early childhood services and families.