Transition

An Information Evening is held prior to Orientation in Term 4, where students and families come onsite to meet for the first time. Students meet their new Home Group class and participate in get-to-know-you games, while parents attend a full session in the Hall, followed by a second session with a school leader that night. During this evening, the comprehensive transition handbook is distributed, camp details are shared, and all relevant information is provided to help students prepare for Orientation Day and their first week of Year 7.

A second Information Evening is held online in Term 1, the year the student begins high school. This session prepares families for camp, addresses any outstanding processes, and offers an opportunity for further questions and clarification.

Orientation Day for incoming Year 7 students is held in December, the year before they officially begin at Box Hill High School. It’s a dedicated and carefully planned day designed to welcome students and ease their transition into secondary school life.

On this day, students come in free dress and are given free roam of the school, allowing them to explore the campus and become familiar with key spaces. They are placed into their Home Groups and participate in a variety of introductory classes with some of their future teachers. Students also learn how to read and follow the daily timetable, an exciting and often new experience for many of them.

Throughout the day, they are introduced to important aspects of school life, including school expectations and routines. They also have full access to the canteen, adding to the authentic high school experience. Most importantly, students meet key members of staff, including their Year 7 Coordinator and Head of Junior School, helping to establish early connections and a sense of belonging.

To support the transition into secondary school, Box Hill High School runs a Peer Support Program for Year 7 students. Selected Year 10 students are trained by the Peer Support and Wellbeing team to guide, encourage, and build connections with younger students.

Sessions include team-building activities, discussions around respectful relationships. Peer Support sessions are held twice a term. Our Peer Support students also attend Year 7 Camp.

Early in Term 1 (week 4), all Year 7 students attend a three-day Orientation Camp at Camp Manyung in Mt Eliza. The cohort is split across two halves of the week, with each group supported by staff and Peer Support Leaders.

The camp is a fantastic opportunity for students and teachers to build connections through a range of outdoor and team-building activities, including a ropes course, flying fox, kayaking, snorkelling, archery, and beach safety. Evenings feature group games, a trivia night, and a student-led concert. Students return with stronger friendships and greater confidence as they begin their high school journey.

Shortly after camp, parents, students, and teachers are invited to the Year 7 Family Picnic Evening, held in the school quad. Starting around 5 pm, this event offers a great opportunity for parents to connect with one another and meet the teachers of their child’s friends.

Families are encouraged to bring a plate to share with their Home Group class, and the SRC will be hosting a fundraising BBQ. This concludes the formal big events in the transition calendar.

The Year 6 to 7 Transition program is extensive at Box Hill High School. Commencing in early November, the program entails an Early Transition program, Information Evening, Orientation Day, Camp, Alternative program, and an array of incursions and workshops. Please view the Transition tab on the school website for more information.

For enrolments throughout the year, families are invited to a meeting prior to commencement where an enrolment pack, booklist, diary and necessary information are provided. Class captains are utilised to support all student enrolments with navigating the school, making new friends, getting logged into IT platforms, and engaging with clubs and programs.

For Year 7s entering Year 8, we provide internal workshops to support the step-up into Year 8 which includes homework/revision strategies and an alternative program at the start of the year. Within the year we support students with subject selection, running information evenings to assist families and students to make informed decisions. Class captains are utilised to support all student enrolments with navigating the school, making new friends, getting logged into IT platforms, and engaging with clubs and programs.

Class captains are utilised to support all student enrolments with navigating the school, making new friends, getting logged into IT platforms, and engaging with clubs and programs.

The transition from Year 8 to Year 9 marks a key stage in a student’s educational journey. Our program supports students as they adapt to the expectations of Middle school, fostering independence, belonging, and a deeper connection to their learning and school community.

At the end of Year 8, students participate in a Transition camp at ‘The Summit’. This is a valuable opportunity for students to build relationships with peers and staff in a new environment, develop teamwork, communication and resilience and are introduced to key expectations and routines for Year 9. The camp experience helps students feel more confident, connected and prepared for the year ahead.

In Term 1, our Year 9 Home Group sessions focus on developing a sense of belonging and support students develop positive routines for the slight increase in classwork and homework.

The move into Year 10 represents an increase in academic rigor, personal responsibility, and future-focused planning. Our transition approach helps students develop the skills and mindset required for success in the senior years. We offer the Momentum and Duke of Edinburgh Programs on Wednesday afternoons for our students to participate in.

The Momentum Program also aligns with themes in the Year 10 Home Group lessons. Throughout the year, students develop their knowledge and skills in the areas of: Belonging and school connectedness, life skills, community and global awareness, and physical and mental health and wellbeing. Throughout the year, our students are provided with opportunities to develop their study and exam preparation. Skill booster sessions run throughout Term 2 and 4 focussing on: Organisation and revision, understanding command terms, stress management and time management.

For both Year 9 and 10, a parent information evening is held at the start of the year. This provides further support to students and families for understanding Middle School expectations and processes.

At the end of Year 10, after their semester 2 exams, all students complete a week of Jump Start. During this time, they receive a new timetable and attend their Year 11 classes with their Year 11 teachers. Students have the opportunity to get to know their new teachers and the other students in their classes, and cover some key content and skills from their Year 11 subjects. Students also attend VCE transition sessions, where they learn about the expectations, responsibilities and requirements of being a VCE student at Box Hill High School. They also have a celebration day to mark the end of their Middle School journey, with a day of fun activities together.

At the end of Year 11, after their semester 2 exams, all students complete a week of Jump Start. During this time, they receive a new timetable and attend their Year 12 classes with their Year 12 teachers. Students have the opportunity to get to know their new teachers and the other students in their classes, and cover some key content and skills from their Year 12 subjects. During this week, we also have a Year 11 celebration afternoon, where we figuratively “hand them the keys” to the Year 12 study centre. They have a celebratory lunch, get their new lockers, and spend time decorating the study centre.

At the beginning of the following year, all Year 12s attend our Retreat at the University of Melbourne. We spend two days together exploring the campus, forming new friendships and mentally preparing for the year ahead by participating in a range of activities on and off campus.