YEAR 7 TRANSITION FRAMEWORK Artworks by Aurora learners
Making Learning Visible: Our Shared Framework This Transition Framework outlines Aurora’s approach as students move from Year 6 (Grade 5 - Primary) into Year 7 (Grade 6 - Middle School). This document is written for both families and educators because we see education as a shared journey. At Aurora: •
Families are valued partners who bring deep knowledge of their children
•
Learning is guided by the Reggio Emilia Educational Project and the New Zealand Curriculum (NZC)
•
Understanding grows through conversation, documentation, and making learning visible
For educators, this framework supports consistency, coherence, and clear progression across the transition into Middle School. At the heart of our approach is the image of the learner described by Loris Malaguzzi — a learner who is strong, capable, curious, and full of potential. This image continues to shape: •
curriculum design
•
learning environments
•
relationships
•
assessment and progression
YEAR 7 AS THE FIRST YEAR OF MIDDLE SCHOOL What this means for your child Year 7 marks the beginning of your child’s Middle School experience at Aurora. This year is intentionally designed to: •
consolidate the strong foundations developed throughout Primary
•
support students in adapting to new expectations
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develop increasing independence, responsibility, and depth of thinking
Students are not expected to suddenly “change” how they learn. Instead, they are supported to: •
build on their existing strengths
•
grow in independence and ownership
•
engage with more complex thinking
Year 7 is best understood as a transition within Middle School, rather than an abrupt change in expectations. Students bring with them strong foundations in: •
inquiry and critical thinking
•
communication and expression
•
collaboration and social awareness
•
increasing independence and responsibility
In Year 7, these are extended through: •
deeper thinking
•
more complex ideas and concepts
•
greater independence in learning
This reflects Aurora’s commitment to: •
learning as a progression over time
•
a coherent and connected learning journey across year levels
HOW STUDENT LEARN IN YEAR 7 AT AURORA Intentional Teaching within a Reggio Emilia-Informed Approach
In Year 7, this includes: •
Learners as capable, proactive, and thoughtful
Students contribute ideas, ask questions, and challenge thinking •
Learning through relationships
Our teachers act as expert facilitators, introducing new knowledge, concepts and skills with clarity and
Understanding develops through collaboration and dialogue
purpose to provide the necessary scaffolding for deeper inquiry. By modeling complex thinking and
•
structures, they guide students through a continuous cycle of feedback and reflection, ensuring that every academic challenge is met with the right balance of support and independence. Learning at Aurora is a purposeful and connected experience that bridges academic rigor with
The 100 Languages of learners
Students express ideas through writing, discussion, visuals, and design •
Learning made visible
as new questions and ideas emerge from the classroom. This approach transforms the learning journey
Thinking is shared through feedback, discussion, and student projects. Learning is looked at as a journey and progress is cherished.
into a dynamic exchange where discovery is always grounded in clear educational goals.
•
Students continue to learn through a Reggio Emilia-informed approach, adapted for Middle School. At
Students develop understanding and exploration when interacting with nature and the particularly designed learning environment.
real-world relevance. We ensure that our curriculum remains responsive to student thinking, evolving
Aurora, Reggio Emilia is not a programme, it is a way of understanding learning.
•
The environment as the third teacher
Teachers as co-constructors of knowledge
Teachers guide and extend learning, supporting students to deepen their thinking
HOW LEARNING DEEPENS IN YEAR 7
THE STRUCTURE OF LEARNING IN YEAR 7
What this means for your child
What this means for your child
Learning continues to be:
Learning remains grounded in relationships and inquiry, while increasing in depth, complexity, and
•
inquiry-based
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collaborative
•
connected to real-world contexts
•
Informed by student’s curiosity
independence. For example, a Year 7 class might explore a global issue such as fast fashion by asking questions like: “Where do our clothes come from?” and “What happens before we buy them?” Students might: •
research the journey of clothing
doing more, but about:
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create simple system maps (factory -> transport -> shop -> customer)
•
thinking more deeply
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identify challenges or impacts at each stage
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making stronger connections across ideas and concepts
Drawing on a Reggio Emilia approach and educational project learning, they may express their thinking
•
applying understanding in more complex contexts
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working with greater independence and developing leadership potential
As students work within New Zealand Curriculum Levels 3 and 4, expectations deepen. This is not about
You may see: •
Inquiry as investigation
Students explore complex concepts such as systems, fairness, and innovation •
Dialogue and discussion
Students question, explain, and refine their thinking •
Multiple ways of expressing ideas
Students communicate through writing, visuals, and presentations across platforms and digital media •
Learning over time
Ideas are revisited, refined, and strengthened
through: •
visual representations
•
diagrams
•
discussion and shared thinking
•
multiple perspectives (entrepreneurs, workers, consumers)
They may then apply their learning by writing a newspaper article explaining the issue and why it matters. This kind of learning supports students to: •
think more deeply and critically about complex ideas
•
make connections across systems
•
communicate their understanding with increasing clarity
HOMEROOM: ADVISORY AND CORE LEARNING
Learners holding a Vietnamese passport participate in daily Vietnamese learning in alignment with
Each student is supported by a Homeroom Teacher, who is central to both their learning and wellbeing.
learners engage in a daily Japanese programme that supports continuity of language, literacy, cultural
The Homeroom Teacher plays an important and central role in each learner’s schooling experience.
identity, and connection to heritage. In addition, all learners participate in weekly Spanish learning
They lead advisory and pastoral care, build strong relationships with students and families. Homeroom
experiences, encouraging openness toward multilingualism, intercultural dialogue, and global
teachers monitor academic progress, social development, and supporting each child as a whole learner
perspectives.
throughout their year.
Learners who are not enrolled in the Vietnamese or Japanese programmes receive specialised
Homeroom teachers also teach English and Social Sciences, often integrating these areas through
support in English language enrichment alongside an introduction to Vietnamese language and
inquiry. This allows students to explore big ideas and real-world issues, develop literacy within
culture. This integrated approach recognises that language
meaningful contexts, and deepen their sense of personal identity and understanding of the world
relationships, participation, and meaningful engagement within social and cultural contexts. Through
around them.
everyday encounters, collaborative inquiry, and shared experiences, learners strengthen academic
Vietnamese national curriculum requirements, guided by qualified specialist educators. Japanese
development emerges through
English while cultivating a deeper sense of belonging and connection to the cultural life of their host
SPECIALIST SUBJECTS
country. At Aurora, language learning is not approached as
an
isolated
subject
area,
but
rather
Students are also taught by specialist teachers in Mathematics (including business studies), Science,
as an interdisciplinary and lived experience woven throughout inquiry, documentation, research,
Music, Visual Art, Health and Physical Education, and Languages. This allows students to benefit from
and collaboration.
subject-specific expertise, develop deeper content knowledge, and experience learning across a range
interpretation, and multiple forms of expression, enabling learners to communicate their thinking in
of contexts and disciplines.
authentic, reflective, and meaningful ways. Language therefore becomes both a medium for learning
Educators intentionally create environments that invite listening, dialogue,
and a space for encounter — where ideas, identities, and perspectives are exchanged, challenged, and
LANGUAGE LEARNING JOURNEY
transformed through relationships with others.
Language learning at Aurora is understood as a deeply relational, cultural, and intellectual journey
thinkers, and culturally responsive global citizens who value both their own identities and the diverse
through which learners construct meaning, express identity, and participate within a diverse community of dialogue, research, and encounter. Inspired by the Reggio Emilia Educational Project, language is viewed not merely as a tool for communication, but as one of the many symbolic languages through which children investigate theories, negotiate relationships, interpret experiences, and represent their understandings of the world.
Overall, the language learning journey at Aurora seeks to nurture confident communicators, reflective perspectives of others within an interconnected and evolving world.
THE FIVE DIMENSIONS OF LEARNING AND GROWTH IN YEAR 7
ACADEMIC GROWTH WITHOUT LOSING INQUIRY
Learning at Aurora is understood through interconnected dimensions, rather than isolated subjects.
What this means for your child
These dimensions are:
In Year 7, students embrace increasing academic challenges while we continue to champion their
•
Drawn from the NZC learning areas and key competencies (skills)
•
Shaped by a Reggio Emilia Experience understanding of holistic learning
•
Designed to make learning visible, transferrable and connected for families
1. Literacy & Communication
natural curiosity and creativity. Our approaches to learning and teaching ensure that as the curriculum deepens, their engagement with learning remains at the heart of the Middle School experience.
OBSERVING AND SUPPORTING PROGRESS
Language as a tool for thinking, analysis, and expression
What this means for your child
2. Mathematics & Logical Thinking
Progress is understood through:
Mathematics as a way of understanding patterns, systems, and relationships
•
student work and projects
3. Inquiry & Systems Thinking
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discussion and feedback
Inquiry as structured, critical exploration of complex ideas
•
ongoing formative and summative assessments
4. Social & Emotional Development
Assessment at Aurora is not a single event. It is part of a connected learning process.
Learning as relational and grounded in identity, belonging, and growth
Learning is supported through a clear and coherent cycle:
5. Creative & Physical Expression
Curriculum --> Planning --> Teaching --> Evidence -->Reporting
The 100 Languages: expressing thinking through multiple forms
This ensures: •
clarity and consistency in learning expectations
•
meaningful, evidence-based assessment
•
a clear sense of progression over time
Assessment is used to: •
inform teaching
•
support growth
•
not label or compare students
HOW FAMILIES CAN SUPPORT LEARNING Families play a vital role in supporting this transition. You can support your child by: •
encouraging discussion and reflection
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supporting organisation and independence
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valuing effort and growth
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maintaining routines that support wellbeing
IN PARTNERSHIP This framework reflects Aurora’s commitment to a coherent learning progression, ensuring each student’s journey is seamless and well supported as they grow. At the heart of our approach are strong relationships, built on trust and open communication between home and school. Together, we
support
students
to
grow
in
confidence,
think deeply, and engage with
increasingly complex ideas. Our aim is to nurture learners who are curious, reflective, and ready to contribute meaningfully to the world around them.
AURORA INTERNATIONAL SCHOOL OF THE ARTS 11 - 11A - 13 - 15 - 15A Tran Ngoc Dien Street, An Khanh Ward, Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam. +84 (028) 3744 2991 | info@auroraschool.vn | www.auroraschool.vn