Transition to school resource kit

Practical guidance for early childhood professionals working with children and families while they transition to school.

Download the kit

Transition: A positive start to school resource kit

PDF, 10Mb DOCX, 4MB

Online appendix

Further resources are provided in the online appendix.

Online appendix

PDF, 639KB DOCX, 244KB

Order an additional hard copy

We recommend you print a copy of the kit for your use. Hard copies are being phased out but can still be ordered for a limited time.

Early childhood professionals, early childhood services, schools, registered training organisations and universities can request additional copies online(opens in a new window). The following information is required:

contact name
service name (where applicable)
number of copies requested
delivery address, including suburb and post code (note: if ordering multiple copies, a street address rather than PO box is necessary)
telephone number

Revision of the transition initiative

Much has changed since the introduction of the Transition: A Positive Start to School initiative in 2009. The Early Childhood Education and Care (ECEC) and schools sectors have undergone significant reform, particularly with the introduction of the National Quality Framework, the Victorian Early Years Learning and Development Framework (VEYLDF), and the Victorian Curriculum F-10 for schools.

Many ECEC services, Outside School Hours Care (OSHC) services and schools have developed innovative approaches to support effective transitions and have embedded a number of the ‘promising practices’ that were identified through earlier transition research. Additionally, a considerable amount of research, evaluation and consultation has afforded even greater insight into what works well in supporting effective transitions, and why.

What’s changed in the revised kit

The revised kit:

reflects new research, findings from recent consultations and evaluations, and other transition projects undertaken (i.e. reciprocal visits).
provides up-to-date, evidence-based information and advice for schools and early childhood education and care services on:

effective processes and practices in transition
providing enhanced transition support where needed for some children and families.

The kit has been developed and trialled with input from a range of experts, families and a broad range of early childhood professionals and leaders working in long day care services, kindergarten programs, family day care services, outside school hours care programs and schools.

It is strongly aligned with and underpinned by the Victorian Early Years Learning and Development Framework and the Victorian Curriculum F-10, and includes a strong focus on:

relationships
continuity of learning
equity in transitions.

The kit has been designed to support professionals to intentionally improve the development and delivery of transition programs. It provides up-to-date, evidence-based information for ECEC services, OSHC services and schools on effective processes and practices in transition, including advice on providing tailored transition support where required for some children and families.

A fact sheet has been developed to support early childhood professionals to further understand these information sharing schemes. It also provides clear guidance on how family violence risks should be managed in the transition to school process.

Fact sheet: Family Violence Information Sharing Scheme (FVISS) and Child Information Sharing Scheme (CISS) (DOCX, 84 KB)

Promising practices

In many communities across Victoria, there is much good work being done to ensure that starting school is a positive experience for all involved.

The promising practices (listed below) emerged from a small-scale evaluation of the pilots, and as such, should be taken as good examples of strategies, programs, approaches or techniques that could be included in transition to school programs if they suit local community conditions.

Updated 27 March 2026

Economic Growth Statement

Mini vic.gov.au

Transition to school resource kit

On this page

Download the kit

Online appendix

Order an additional hard copy

Revision of the transition initiative

What’s changed in the revised kit

Promising practices

Reciprocal visits for children

Reciprocal visits for educators

Learning and Development statements and transition meetings

Joint professional learning

Local transition networks

Buddy programs

Family involvement programs

Learning programs responsive to children

Community level transition timetable

About the VIC Government

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Law and justice

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Science and technology

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Traffic and transport

Working in the Victorian Government

Transition to school resource kit

On this page

Download the kit

Online appendix

Order an additional hard copy

Revision of the transition initiative

What’s changed in the revised kit

Child Information Sharing Scheme (CISS) and Family Violence Information Sharing Scheme (FVISS)

Promising practices

Reciprocal visits for children

Reciprocal visits for educators

Learning and Development statements and transition meetings

Joint professional learning

Local transition networks

Buddy programs

Family involvement programs

Learning programs responsive to children

Social story boards

Community level transition timetable