The aim of our Junior Secondary Program is to support students in their move from primary to secondary school helping them be 'On Track for Success'. Centenary Heights State High School achieves this through providing an environment that supports students' social, academic and emotional well-being. Year 7 is a key part of this transition, where students are supported through their early days of secondary schooling.
In all Queensland schools Junior Secondary is underpinned by a number of guiding principles which provide a framework for our school to consider our practices, strategies and processes that best support and engage our Junior Secondary Learners.
1. Connection and belonging:
At Centenary Heights State High School we have a clear focus on students gaining a sense of belonging and connectedness to their school and to feeling safe and confident in a high school environment. It is for this reason we include programs and processes such as: students having their own home rooms and teachers; purpose-built facilities; a comprehensive Transition Program from primary to high school; a different uniform to our Senior School; class captains and Student Council representatives in each year level; identified staff keen to teach in the Junior Secondary environment; and Junior Secondary events identified in our school calendar.
2. Student voice and agency:
Our Junior Secondary programs aims to promote a culture of positive regard for students, identifying their changing needs as learners throughout their secondary schooling. Students are encouraged to seek support and guidance from their teachers as they move into the junior secondary space.
Students are also provided with opportunities to explore leadership and contribute to their school community. Bell (2010) suggests that introducing leadership concepts to adolescents and giving them the language of leadership empowers them, enabling them to become more aware of their suitability for leadership roles in the future. Bennett (2010) cites research that identifies several components of moral development experiences by adolescent learners. The argument then suggests that Junior Secondary school is the appropriate time to provide leadership opportunities for students. At Centenary Heights State High School students are given the opportunity to become Class Captains in Year 7, and Year 7, 8 and 9 student council representatives, allowing for ongoing opportunity for students to experience various leadership roles.
3. Innovative and responsive learning environments:
At Centenary Heights State High School we have developed our Year 7 W Block Precinct with this in mind. Students are placed in core classes, for which they have a designated home room. They have access to learning areas across the school throughout the year, allowing them to experience secondary schooling in supported ways. Throughout their transition to secondary schooling, they are supported to understand the high expectations both in the classroom and the playground. Centenary Heights State High School uses this approach to develop a common repertoire of practices that successfully engages and challenges Junior Secondary students. Specifically our school identifies key staff to teach in our Transition Program. These same teachers participate in a professionsl development program that is responsive to the needs of Junior Secondary students. Our program has a clear focus on developing strong teacher/student relationships pivotal to quality learning in the classroom.
4. Positive and Confident Transitions:
At Centenary Heights State High School we have implemented processes to support every student to stay on track and move forward in their learning throughout Junior Secondary. These include: designated Heads of Year and Pastoral Care teachers who work with the students on a 'day to day' basis; well-developed peer mentor programs linking our Senior students with our young students; a Pastoral Care Program targeting the needs of Junior Secondary students; strong links with primary schools as a part of our successful Transition Program; an established supportive, caring and inclusive school community that fosters school connectedness (safety, respect and learning underpins all that we do); and targeted activities designed to motivate our students including school camps and excursions.
At Centenary Heights State High School we actively promote and value the connections between the family and school. These formal and informal connections are just as important in Junior Secondary as they are in primary school. Growing amounts of research clearly link parent involvement to student success at school. Our school has an active P&C Association, has two Parent/Teacher/Student progress interviews each year, encourages parents to attend events such as sporting carnivals, Meet and Greet Evening, and other events throughout the year.
