Year 7 shifts to high school in South Australia: A guide to help you prepare your child early

The big change is nearly here for close to 30,000 SA students about to fall in line with fellow pupils nationwide. Here’s everything parents need to know to be ready, and relaxed.

Rebecca and Dexter Portus will start high school together next year despite being a year apart in age. Picture: Dean Martin

Siblings Rebecca and Dexter Portus are preparing to head off to high school together in 2022 – big sister will be in Year 8, little brother in Year 7.

They’ll be two of about 28,000 young South Australians who’ll make history as Year 7 shifts for the first time into the high school setting across the state’s public schools.

And for mum Geraldine Sweeney, the bringing of SA into line with the rest of Australia couldn’t come at a better time.

“I think it will be good for them to have each other and to be new at it (high school) together,” she said.

The family got confirmation on Friday the siblings, who now attend Mitcham Primary School, had each secured a spot at Unley High School, for which they are zoned.

“There will be a big difference, Dexter will only be 11 when he starts (Rebecca, 13) and some of the Year 12s are adults with beards but I do think Year 7 needs to be in high school, as it is in every other state,” Ms Sweeney said.

She said she was prepared for the double emotion of having two children graduate from primary school.

“I’ll get to shed a little tear twice,” she said.

Siblings Rebecca and Dexter will get to share the experience of starting high school at the same time, despite being a year apart. Picture: Dean Martin

At Prospect North Primary School, Covid restrictions permitting, a joint graduation for the Year 6s nd 7s is planned, principal Marg Clark said.

“The students have said they would like to graduate together, given they have spent the year together (as seniors) … we’ve ensured (each year level) has had equal opportunity as school leaders, same as sports day leaders,” she said.

“They are so excited to be going to high school at the same time.”

Meanwhile, the state’s high schools are preparing to welcome the extra cohort into the secondary setting.

At Craigmore High School, students are working with teachers on strategies to make the transition for about 500 children from local primary schools easier.

“Year 7s are not little Year 8s, they have their own individual needs at that age … both year levels need to understand they are the first to be part of this process and it is really important that we acknowledge each,” principal Rosie Heinicke said.

“There is certainly a buzz around and a strong feeling of excitement … we’ve spent our last two pupil-free days working around the needs of the young adolescent learner to ensure our staff are going to be as equipped as possible to welcome our year 7s and 8s.”

‘How Year 7s changed school for the better’

John Pirie Secondary School principal Roger Nottage wasn’t sure what to expect when his regional school got a double dose of new, young students in 2020.

His Port Pirie school was one of three high schools around the state – along with Mitcham Girls and Wirreanda in suburban Adelaide – to trial early Year 7s in the secondary setting.

At the time, the new intake of students in Year 7s and 8s represented more than 30 per cent of his school’s student population.

“With a double cohort in 2020 we brought in approximately 240 students to a school of 700 … we expected that would be a challenge culturally, especially in a Covid environment, but it wasn’t,” Mr Nottage said.

“It has been overwhelmingly positive and that is from staff, students and family … the Year 7s have brought great energy to the school, they are very enthusiastic, very excited and really engaged in learning and have settled into a secondary context amazingly well.

“In the first year we had 85 per cent (of students from our feeder primary schools) take up the option, this year it is 96 per cent of year 7s, so word of mouth has affirmed how successful this has been, it has just very quickly become what we do in this community.

“Overall, (the senior students) have made positive connections with the Year 7s, they take a supportive, almost nurturing role which has surprised a lot of staff … the senior students are great moderators in a school environment, they set an example and help shape responsible behaviours in a school.”

John Pirie Secondary School Principal Roger Nottage says welcoming younger students to the school has changed it for the better. Picture:supplied

Mr Nottage said there were challenges in the one-off transitioning of twice as many new students, including around implementing and resourcing individualised learning programs for kids with special needs.

“The double cohort meant double the amount of work in terms of trying to prepare One Plans … we are a Category 2 school, so that means there are some complexities in the enrolment and during adolescent years that can be a challenging time,” he said.

“In 2021 it was much easier … we’ve teachers in place, the curriculum planning done.”

A former primary school teacher, Mr Nottage urged parents to embrace the shifting of Year 7 into the high school setting.

“I have observed that year 7s somewhat outgrow primary learning … they love moving around the school and having different teachers, they love going to the specialist areas and they love a bigger cohort,” he said.

Education Department Executive Director of Schools and Preschools Anne Millard said findings from a review of the three trial school sites showed Year 7 students were ready for high school.

“Feedback from pilot program students shows the vast majority are enjoying making new friends, trying new sports and activities and learning in a larger, more mature environment,” she said.

“The year 7 students are enjoying the independence, peer interactions and challenges of high school.”

Haylie Johnson, 14, who started at Wirreanda Secondary School in Year 7 last year, a case in point.

“I like having multiple teachers and getting to move around and go into different areas,” she said.

Mum Kylie agreed: “Kids just grow so quickly when they hit high school and you don’t want to hold them back”

A long tradition

At Seymour College, Year 7 has sat outside of primary setting for almost 100 years – as long as the all-girls’ school itself.

“Seymour was founded in 1922 and looking at our history books as we prepare for our centenary next year, we have discovered Year 7 has never been in our junior school,” principal Vanessa Browning said.

“So the benefits of it as a transition year were recognised right back then (when it was referred to as ‘remove’ level … it is incredible really.”

Seymour college principal Vanessa Browning with students Edie and Asha. Picture: Pippy Mount

She said the benefits of having Year 7 in a middle or senior school setting were now well recognised.

“It is the acknowledgment that adolescence is a distinct, significant and unique period of life … it is critical for student motivation and engagement students (at this age) are offered something different than they get in primary school,” she said.

“As they enter Year 7, they begin a learning journey where they want to develop critical analysis skills, not just focusing on concrete ideas and concepts, and this is the foundation for the skills and capabilities necessary in year 11 and 12.”

Ms Browning said Year 7s also gained from exposure to older peers in the school environment.

”It is important for adolescents to be exposed not only to a variety of adults but also a variety of older students who can be great mentors, who they can learn things from … they may see something in an older student they want to aspire to,” she said.