Preparing Students For Secondary Education With Bowen State High School

Transitioning from Year 6 to high school can be overwhelming and a nerve-racking experience for both students and their parents and carers.

At Bowen State High School they are trying to make this transition as smooth as possible.

In 2025, Bowen State High School will introduce four scholarships which will be awarded to a number of Year 6 students who effectively demonstrate the criteria for each scholarship. The scholarships focus on the areas of Academic Excellence, First Nations, Sport and Creative and Performing Arts.

Principal Mr Harris said, “These scholarships are an opportunity to recognise the outstanding achievements of Year 6 students as they transition from primary school to secondary school.”

“We want to continue to celebrate the successes of students and encourage them to continue this throughout their high school years.

“Our school is committed to preparing students for all things, and these scholarships will provide additional support to engage in the many opportunities we provide students at our school.”

Over the last two years, Bowen State High School has worked with their feeder schools to ensure the transition period is not just an event for students but also an ongoing process to ensure all students are prepared for their next steps in education.

To guarantee new students and parents feel prepared, Bowen State High School has hosted several Q and A sessions and feeder school visits. They strongly communicate with primary schools, and get to know the students prior to their first day of Year 7.

Bowen State High School will also host a transition day next term, and next year the first couple of days for Year 7’s will be Get to Know and Well-being activities.

Delores Tuyishime, known as Mr T by the students, is the Year 6 to 7 transition coordinator and it is his responsibility to help the students transition smoothly.

Mr T says he enjoys working with the primary school teachers and getting to know the Year 6 students before they start at Bowen State High School.

“It is wonderful to see their excitement as they are learning about high school,” he said.

“My goal is to make their journey into this new chapter of education as comfortable and confident as possible.”

Craig Ninnes is Head of Diversity at Bowen State High School, and his role is to work closely with Year 6 teachers and their inclusion teams to gain a deeper understanding of each student's individual needs, ensuring that current adjustments are effectively tailored to Bowen State High School’s environment.

“This is to support the social emotional wellbeing of students and their access to the Australian curriculum,” Mr Ninnes said.

“For our vulnerable students, Bowen State High School also offers an Extended Transition Program to provide more time for students to orientate themselves around the school, become familiar with our school processes, and meet our support services team.

“Bowen State High School also recognises that staff require professional learning to support transition, particularly for students with disability who require extensive support. This involves meeting with families, collaborating with departmental specialists, and providing repeated opportunities for staff to build capability through training and work shadowing.

“At Bowen State High School, we want to live by our motto of being ‘Prepared for All Things’.”
Enrolment applications are now available for Year 6 students.

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Photos supplied

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