Case Study: Camberwell High
School
Strong relationships with feeder
schools and using data to meet
student needs
Description of context: Camberwell High School (CHS), with a history of more than
70 years, is located in an affluent part of the eastern suburbs of Melbourne and is
surrounded by independent schools. The school is at capacity with a student
population of 1200. Due to the proximity of a number of girls’ schools in the
neighbourhood, about 65% of students are male. There is a relative ly low
percentage of students from Language Backgrounds other than English. CHS accepts
students from as many as 48 feeder primary schools of which there are 10 main
ones sending up to 70% of each Year 7 cohort.
Aims of the transition strategy:
To establish good relationships with main feeder schools to support students’
transition
To develop strategies to strengthen relationships with students transitioning to CHS
from other schools
To use student data effectively to inform curriculum planning, support le arning
progression and cater for social needs
To establish understanding of CHS school culture and expectations
To value students in their new environment
How the strategy is implemented in the school:
Establishing good relationships with main feeder schools to support students’
transition [Strengthening primary secondary connections]
The relationships with primary schools are established through open
communication stemming from a shared genuine concern for the well being of the
students as they transition from primary to high school. CHS Assistant Principal
encapsulates this in the following quote.
‘[Through our actions] It says to the primary school teachers that we care about these
kids and that we want to know as much as we can to support them when they move.
The primary school teachers really value it and they don’t convey to us that they see it
as an imposition and (we) often get the sense that they are handing over their babies.’
The visits to main feeder primary schools by both students and staff from CHS have
been established for more than 15 years. From these visits, important data about
the prospective Year 7 students are collected over the course of several months
before they even start school at CHS. This is aligned to CHS’s ‘strong commitment to
using student data to inform practices’ as stressed by the Assistant Principal.
Communicating key information that assists adjustment to high school
Visits to Main Feeder Primary Schools and Collection of Data
 Term One Visits
These visits have occurred for many years. In Term One, 2015, several Year 7
students accompanied teachers as they visited the main primary feeder schools
prior to CHS’s Open Night. This formed part of the school promotion to tell Y ear 6
students about CHS—what high school is like and what to expect from a student
perspective. The Year 7 students, in their conversations with Year 6 students,
addressed their questions and anxieties. This served as an initial transition strategy
to prepare Year 6 students for high school. As evidence of the usefulness of this
strategy, students who have benefitted from these visits when in Year 6 have
expressed interest in being part of these visits in the following year. These visits
have been very productive for the CHS teachers as they use this information about
what students want to know, and what they could be anxious about, for ideas when
planning.
 Term Four Visits
Term Four visits to main feeder primary schools are more targeted. By Term Four,
CHS already knows which students from the primary schools will be joining their
school in the subsequent school year. This year, CHS will be bringing along Y ear 7
students who are former students from the primary schools on these visits. The
Year 7 students will meet with their prospective juniors to welcome them and have
a Question and Answer session about CHS and high school life while the teachers
meet with the Year 6 teachers. The Question and Answer sessions serve as a
platform to address any anxiety and apprehensions that the Year 6 students may
have. The key purpose of the meeting between the teachers is to collect as much
information about the students as possible before they start at CHS. They go
through the CHS Student Information Transition Form (sent prior to the meeting) for
each student with the Year 6 teachers and through their conversations, collect
additional information that assists in ‘painting a richer picture’ of each child and
their needs and talents (e.g., this child is a very talented writer, this child becomes
anxious when …). This is seen by the primary school teachers as the CHS staff really
caring about their students, and it reassures them as they ‘hand over their babies’.
Using student data effectively to inform curriculum planning, support learning
progression and cater for social needs [Sharing and use of student data]
 On-Demand Testing
CHS also carries out on-demand testing (Department of Education and Training) to
assess students’ ability in literacy and numeracy, and to build a picture of the
learning of each student to inform Year 7 teachers. Previously, CHS had set a day
when prospective Year 7 students came to CHS to sit for the test. This year, the CHS
team has changed this procedure to decrease the likelihood that prospective Year 7
students gain an initial perception of high school as about testing, and in response
to primary school feedback that their programs are disrupted because their
students transition to various schools with different testing days. This year, the
primary schools will be invited to administer the test to CHS’s prospective Y ear 7
students in the primary schools. The data collected from the tests will be used to
inform the Year 7 teachers in their teaching.
 Data Management and Use
The data collected from the application forms, CHS Student Information Transition
Form, conversations with the Year 6 teachers and On-Demand tests are entered into
an Excel spreadsheet. This database is then used to inform aspects such as students’
class grouping, language grouping, and flag students with special learning needs
and/or talents, behavioural concerns and/or well-being needs. Information is then
passed on to relevant personnel such as the Learning Support Coordinator, Year
Level Coordinator, and the Student Well-being staff. These staff will make the
necessary arrangements to prepare for each student. The Learning Support
Coordinator will design and negotiate individual learning plans for the students in
collaboration and consultation with the students’ parents prior to the start of the
school year. The Year 7 coordinator commented that, ‘it is as if we already know the
students before they come in’.
Establishing understanding of CHS school culture and expectations [Strengthening
primary secondary connections]
Orientation Program before the start of the School Year
 Mini Orientation for ‘Singletons’
A mini-orientation is organized for ‘singletons’ – lone student from a particular
primary school - to allay their anxiety by enabling them to meet with other students
in a similar situation.
 ‘Big’ Orientation Day
All the incoming Year 7 students attend the Orientation Day and meet with their
peer support leaders, their teachers and have taster lessons. The purpose of this
orientation is to let the students have an initial sense of the school and to get them
excited about attending high school by raising their awareness of engaging
activities that occur in different subject areas, and various extra curricula r activities
available to them. Parents have confirmed how much this day adds to their child’s
positive anticipations about attending CHS, and thus decreases anxiety.
 Tryout Evening for Music
A tryout evening for music is organized for any incoming Year 7 student who may
be interested in learning a new musical instrument in their new school year. The
students are welcome to try any instrument and are given feedback by the various
instrumental music teachers and students to help them make decisions about which
instrument they might select to pursue. Thereafter, they apply to attend lessons to
learn to play that instrument. About 50% of the cohort sign up for these music
lessons and this gives them something new to try and look forward to when they
start school. It is also a good way for the students to form friendships wi th other
students in the same and different year levels.
First Days of Year 7 students at CHS
 Preparing the student to engage in High School Curriculum
Year 7 students participate in a program, Learning to Learn, in the first 3 days of
school to gain an understanding of the learning dispositions required to engage
with the high school curriculum at CHS. They learn about different approaches to
learning and also discover more about themselves as a learner. This program is also
the platform to introduce the students to the school’s common approach to teaching
and learning such as learning collaboratively, common learning sequences,
assessment through Common Assessment Task (CAT), the use of rubrics, continuous
assessment, moderation, and reporting. Through Learning to Learn, students
become aware of how these different forms of learning and assessment that take
place in the classroom.
 Orientation Camp
Following from the 3-day Learning to Learn program, the Year 7 students then go
on a 3-day Orientation Camp where they participate in a whole range of activities
and form friendships.
Valuing students autonomy [Fostering opportunities for student control]
Empowering Students in their learning
 School wide Learning Design Model
The school wide Learning Design Model is aimed at planning for and supporting
learning at multiple levels so as to allow students to learn at their optimal level with
different entry and exit points. The teachers plan for the students to learn at
appropriate level. In this way, students are adequately supported and can progress
at their own pace. All students have Learning Mentors who are teachers who are
advocates for students and engage in one-to-one conferences with the students to
support students and help them to develop a sense of ownership in their learning.
The parents support this work through their access to student work and student
homework to support their children’s learning.
 Leadership at Year 7
The Year 7 students are given leadership roles. The leaders meet with the Year 7
coordinators weekly and make suggestions on various aspects of school life. They
then form committees and with the help of their mentors, bring about change to
their environment and school life. Cross-curricular activities, such as Ancient
Civilizations Day, also present opportunities for the students to have a say in how
they are learning and what they are learning. At the end of the event, students also
evaluate and provide feedback on what further improvements can be made. This
helps to cultivate a sense of belonging to the school. It was acknowledged that the
physical environment of Year 7 class this year has been the work of Student Leaders
(20 students) who drew on their experience in primary schools. CHS include s as
many students as possible in Student Forums, so that the school gets to tap into as a
broad range of student views.
 Co-developed learning programs with feeder primary schools
A number of learning programs occur each year in which students in some of the
main feeder schools learn collaboratively and with the support of high school
students.
Characteristics of the CHS Transition Team That Optimise This Transition Program
Team members explicitly stated that they were always looking for ways to improve
their transition program. This openness to new ideas was enacted within the staff
discussion group that informed this case study. There were several occasions where
an idea implemented elsewhere was recognized as adaptable to the CHS program
and staff immediately decided to explore it in more detail.
Evidence of impact
CHS is striving to get the best of their students. One parent was very impressed
with “how much each teacher knows my child and engages with him as a whole
person”. Parents highlighted the use of a dashboard where they can see what the
child has submitted and there are detailed rubrics to understand whether the child
is at the level or above the level so the parents can partner with the school to
engage in their child’s learning. There is also a dashboard about learning
dispositions, and of particular tasks. Parents expressed appreciation about how fast
the school was able to act on situating their child within learning programs that
suited their present learning progress, and how quickly they were able to identify
and work with parents to overcome anxieties students were experiencing.
Appropriate use of the data collected by the CHS team has enabled Year 7 students
to form friendships through suitable groupings of students. The CHS Transition
Team illustrated how information gained during discussions in feeder schools can
identify students who would benefit from membership of a group. CHS analysis of
data identified that some such students (of different genders) shared an interest in
magic. A CHS staff member accommodated their interest by setting up of a Magic
Club, which has been well received and has provided strong group membership for
these students.
Parents identified that the music program enabled ‘vertical integration’ because
Year 7 students meet with students from different year levels (Year 7-11). There
have been instances where this has helped Year 7 students who have experienced
difficulties during transition to overcome their anxiety. One student shared “Music
is very helpful because it gives me a boost of confidence and gains a bit of respect
from other students”. CHS’s deep analysis of data over many months prior to Year 6
students entering Year 7 enabled fast placement of this musically talented Year 7
student into this vertically integrated music group. Such decisions based on data
can protect and build the emotional well-being of students by valuing their talent,
enabling them to gain successes at an appropriate level of challenge, and thus build
their feelings of self-worth.
Through the Learning to Learn program students are equipped with skills to take
ownership of their learning. Parents concurred that the learning to learn disposition
enabled their children to engage in critical inquiry and self-reflective learning. They
also cited examples of how student learning leaders set the tone and demonstrated
the desired learning dispositions during the Open Night. Furthermore, parents
noticed that “The learning to learn program was integrated to different degrees
right throughout the year”.
Advice to other schools
CHS is always looking for ways to improve their systems and approaches in
supporting students as they transition from primary to high school. They take into
consideration feedback from various channels – staff, students, parents, teachers,
and primary schools – to inform their strategies.
CHS is committed to keeping all stakeholders – parents, staff, students, and feeder
schools – informed on changes and new initiatives in the school. In so doing, they
ensure that the students are always well supported by their parents, the staff at
CHS, and their feeder schools during the transition process.
CHS focus on the whole student rather than only their academic progress. They
introduce the ideas of student management of their own learning and ways to be
able to do this as the primary focus of the beginning of the Year 7 year. They
support students in forming group memberships through their orientation camp,
and their awareness of students’ talents and interests. They aim to situate the ir
students at a level of learning in which they feel comfortable and challenged and
include students in this decision process. They use data and discussions with
parents to attend rapidly to students’ emotional needs. This simultaneous attention
to many transition strategies supports the social and emotional well being of
students whilst also progressing their learning.
CHS are committed to strengthening their relationships with the feeder primary
schools and strongly believe in making decisions informed by data.
Contact for more information:
Isabelle McKenzie
Assistant Principal
Camberwell High School
mckenzie.isabelle.i@edumail.vic.gov.au