At St Anthony’s Catholic College, Deeragun, the move from Year 6 to Year 7 is a carefully supported transition designed to ensure every student feels confident, connected and ready for secondary learning. We recognise that starting secondary school is a significant step for students and families, bringing both excitement and adjustment. Our approach ensures students are known, supported and guided from their final year of primary school through to their first year of secondary schooling.

In Year 7, students step into a new learning environment with increased independence, a broader range of subjects and multiple teachers. They begin to navigate a timetable, move between classrooms, and manage a greater level of responsibility for organisation, learning and assessment. At St Anthony’s, these expectations are explicitly taught and supported so students are not left to navigate them alone.

A key feature of our approach is the gradual preparation that begins in Year 6 on the Padua campus. Students are introduced to secondary-style learning routines, organisational expectations and independence skills well before they begin Year 7. A structured transition program later in the year includes campus visits, orientation activities and opportunities to engage with secondary teachers and learning spaces, helping students become familiar and confident before their first day.

Once in Year 7, students are supported through a strong pastoral framework. Homeroom Teachers and the Year 7 Pastoral Leader play a central role in daily support, providing consistency, encouragement and guidance as students settle into routines and build relationships. This team works closely with students to develop organisation, confidence and a strong sense of belonging within the College.

Pastoral care is a priority across the College, with Year 7 staff working collaboratively with support services and families to ensure students feel known and supported. Regular communication between school and home strengthens this partnership and supports a smooth transition.

To further support students as they begin secondary school, our Peer Support Program partners each Year 7 student with a Year 12 buddy during the opening weeks of the school year. Year 12 students provide encouragement, guidance and a friendly, familiar face as younger students settle into College life. A highlight of the transition is the first day of school, when only the Year 7 and Year 12 students attend. This allows Year 7 students to become familiar with their new surroundings, establish routines and build relationships in a calm and welcoming environment before the remainder of the College returns.

Student wellbeing is embedded throughout the Year 7 experience. Programs that promote resilience, positive relationships and belonging are delivered through our UBUNTU framework and wider College initiatives. These support students as they adjust socially and emotionally to secondary schooling while encouraging independence and personal growth.

Japanese Immersion Pathway

The Japanese Immersion Program continues into Year 7 at St Anthony’s Catholic College, providing a unique opportunity for continuity in learning. Students who have participated in the program throughout primary school are able to continue developing their language skills and cultural understanding within a familiar and supportive context.

This continuity also supports transition, as students maintain established peer groups and shared learning experiences while adjusting to secondary school routines. Students not in the immersion pathway are equally supported through a rich curriculum, strong pastoral care, and a wide range of academic, sporting, cultural and faith-based opportunities.

Supporting Students at Home

Families play an important role in supporting transition. Encouraging familiarity with timetables, routines and organisational expectations helps students build confidence. Regular conversations about school life, along with participation in orientation and transition events, strengthen understanding and connection to the College experience. Access to School TV via our school website provides families with evidence-based information, practical strategies and expert advice to support their child's wellbeing, learning and development.

At St Anthony’s Catholic College, the transition into Year 7 is intentionally structured and strongly supported. Through early preparation, clear routines, dedicated pastoral care, the Peer Support Program and strong partnerships with families, students are empowered to begin secondary school with confidence, connection and a strong sense of belonging.