Preparing for Year 6 - Parent Information
Our Goal To smoothly transition students from an Elementary School model to Secondary Schooling with minimal anxiety and maximum excitement and to ensure continuity in learning. It provides a supportive bridge between elementary and secondary schooling by easing students into a new environment with increased teacher variety and subject independence, while maintaining strong relationships and personalised support It aims to build confidence, skills and solid academic foundations so students are well prepared for their next steps into secondary learning.
Logistics
The School Day
Students can enter the Year 6 Pod at 8:10am to get organised for the day.
● Homeroom starts at 8:15am
● Recess: 10:30am - 10:50am
● Lunch: 12:50pm - 1:30pm
● Dismissal: 3:30pm
Drop off and Pick Up:
In Secondary School students take responsibility for independently managing their before school and after school routines. Students are encouraged to independently make their way to and from the Year 6 Pod each morning and afternoon.
Day One:
Student will need to bring with them
● Combination Lock - To secure lockers
● Laptop - Set up & students know the log in details
● Wear PE Uniform
● Arrival - Year 6 Pod open from 8:00am on Day One
Uniform & Accessories
● Formal school uniform, including socks, black shoes, tie, belt and hair ties/accessories.
● Physical Education (PE) uniform - to be worn once per week on PE day.
● Sports coloured House uniform is only worn on Carnival Days
● In Secondary School student can choose between an AIS Hat or any hat of their choice
● In Secondary School students can bring a backpack of their choice that fits the following requirements - Navy blue or black backpack and have no large or prominent logos or designs.
Australian Curriculum
Year 6 Subjects & Time Allocation
Year Long Subjects
● Homeroom - Daily + 1 Period
● English - 6 Periods
● Humanities - 4 Periods
● Mathematics - 6 Periods
● Science - 4 Periods
● LOTE - Chinese or French - 3 Periods
● Physical Education - 1 Period
● Health - 1 Period
Semester Long Subjects
● Music - 3 periods
● Visual Art - 3 periods
Students will receive their individual timetables at the beginning of the year. Homeroom Teachers will support students in understanding and using these as they work towards managing their schedules with increasing independence.
Communication
● Student Communication
In Year 6, the students become more independent by being responsible for receiving and passing on important information This approach helps students develop skills for managing their communication, both in school and beyond. Expect less communication directly from teachers. Information about upcoming events and important dates is shared directly with students to pass along to home
● Connect
The Connect platform is now the main parent-facing tool, providing access to termly newsletters, assessment updates, curriculum guides, and general year-level information. Reports are shared via the iSams parent portal, giving parents easy access to their child’s progress. Term highlights and important dates from the upcoming term will be shared via the Year 6 Connect page at the conclusion of each term.
● General Communication
Parents can reach out by email to the Homeroom Teacher, who serves as the main contact for well-being and overall support.. For communication regarding absences or other administrative matters, including emergencies, parents should contact the Secondary Secretary or for academic-related matters, parents should contact the relevant subject teacher directly. This system helps streamline communication and ensures parents have clear pathways to stay informed and engaged in their child’s education
● School Newsletter
Important dates for the term ahead will be shared via the school newsletter at the start of each term.
Homework
Each core subject, Maths, Science, English, and Humanities is assigned on a different day of the week, with homework due the same day the following week. This structure helps students transition to a daily homework routine, spreading the workload across the week to support better time management
Laptops
ALL Secondary School students will be required to bring their own laptops
The following outlines the minimum technical specifications for your BYOD
● Model – MacBook, MacBook Air, MacBook Pro
● Operating System – Ventura (MacOS 13) and later
● Minimum Technical Specs – Apple Silicon: M1, 8GB Ram, 128 GB HDD
We look forward to building a partnership with you that supports your child to thrive and flourish in the Secondary School