At Kings Meadows High School we are in continuous conversations with our primary schools through our targeted transition program. Our transition program supports a smooth transition into Year 7 where students have a core team of teachers for English, Humanities and Social Sciences (HaSS), Mathematics, Science, Health and Physical Education. 

Our Year 7 students remain in their class teacher group for their core and option lessons in Design Technologies, Drama, Food Technology, LOTE, Music and Visual Arts. The building that is home to Year 7 is separate from other year groups providing security and comfort while students are gradually exposed to the school environment. Class teachers are responsible for the welfare and pastoral care of students in their class teacher group.

In addition, students choose four enrichment courses that they study with Year 8 students. Studying enrichment courses with students from across Years 7 and 8 classes supports everyone to increase their circle of friendships, confidence, resilience and motivation to succeed.

Every year group has access to leadership opportunities.  A particular highlight is the opportunity to be a Transition Leader.  In this role Year 7 students act as mentors to Year 6 students, sharing information about High School and offering friendship and support as they transition from Primary School to Kings Meadows.  

The Department for Edudation, Children & Young People provides us with data describing academic achievement of our students.  In conjunction with our feeder primary schools we engage with a range of survey tools to gather answers about how students are feeling about school and their learning.  We gain valuable information that informs our carefully phased, year-long transition program that responds to the social and emotional needs of adolescents. We use our Department values of Connection, Courage, Growth, Respect and Responsibility to create a safe and supportive learning environment that responds to the needs of individuals in order to motivate and engage students to be the best version of themselves. 

We have a Peer Support program, designed to build successful relationships and leadership skills.  Peer Support Leaders work with the Year 7 team to support students to develop personal organisation, time management skills and a greater understanding of high school life.

Our teachers have high expectations for teaching and learning.  They understand they need to prepare students for an ever-changing world.  Our transition program provides collaboratively developed experiences for all our students.  We work closely with students and their families, Year 6 teachers, learning support teachers, social workers and psychologists to develop our transition program. 

Some of the ways we work to create a shared successful transition experience include:

• Challenge Day
• Open Evening Information Session
• In school observations
• Online community and digital platforms for increased communication of information
• Flexible programs
• Enrichment courses
• Learning support visits
• Social Work groups; and
• Orientation Day

We are delighted to let you know that in 2025 the Grade Leader for Year 7 will be Mr Stuart Withington. Stuart will be involved in meeting students at our 5/6 Challenge Day, as well as our Open Evening Information Session held in Term 2.

Hi, my name is Stuart Withington and I am the current Year 10 Grade Leader at Kings Meadows High School. This is my third year of being a Grade Leader at Kings Meadows High School and it is a role I thoroughly enjoy through building connections and relationships with students, staff and the community.

As year 7, Grade Leader in 2025, my vision is to continue to build a strong and supportive school culture for staff, students and parents through open communication, clear expectations and a focus on student growth and success. I teach English and HaSS, both subjects that I have taught over the last 25 years, although I also have many years experience teaching HPE and in a primary school setting.

In 2025, I look forward to welcoming our new Year 7 cohort to Kings Meadows and helping all students make a positive transition to high school.

Times of the school day

Kings Meadows High School Website

Kings Meadows High School (education.tas.edu.au)

Learning Support Updates   

Our Learning Support Team at Kings Meadows High have been busy collaborating with Learning Support teachers from primary schools to create well prepared and inclusive learning environments for students who are coming to Kings Meadows High School next year.  

These discussions help ensure that all learning plans from primary school are up to date and that our staff understand the learning needs of each student before they come to us.  We now have copies of all updated learning plans and these have been used to support the class placement process and the co-ordination of Teacher Assistant resourcing for Year 7 classes in 2025.  

Having our Learning Support Team promote discussions with primary schools in support of students with a disability is part of our commitment to work on the value of connection through building positive relationships and a sense of belonging within our school community.  

At the beginning of 2025 all teachers at Kings Meadows High School who teach a student with a learning plan are expected to read the learning plans of any students they teach and adjust their planning as needed to allow students access to the curriculum through differentiation of tasks and learning environment.  Further to this, in the first few weeks of high school, your child’s class teacher should make contact to start building strong partnerships between home and school.  Towards the end of Term 1, our staff will look more closely at each learning plan,making minor suggestions or adjustments based on their new understandings while further personalising goals and adjustments to our high school setting in collaboration with parents. 

We hope our work in learning support helps to build confidence in the processes that we use here at Kings Meadows High School to support students with a disability and supports any questions you might have in this area as parents. 

If you would like to talk further with a member of our Learning Support Team prior to next, year please feel free to phone the school and ask to talk with Mrs Kate Hume or Mr Nathan Karas, who will be able to assist you further. 

On Friday 21 June Kings Meadows High School held their Challenge Day for this year. In previous years Challenge Day was normally held over two days to accommodate different primary schools however this year it was held on just one day with students from 12 different private and public schools participating.  What an exciting challenge! What an exciting day!  A big congratulations to Mrs Lovitt for her terrific communication and organisation of the event.  Challenge Day provides an opportunity for KMHS to increase students engagement with pathway options beyond primary school and to increase students connectedness to learning. 

During Challenge Day students were supported to increase their engagement, connectedness and academic outcomes by participating in opportunities for them to interact with peers and teachers in a range of activities that involve:  

• Developing new friendships.  

• Improving students’ self-esteem; and confidence.  

Students experienced a fun and engaging day with planned lesson activities, viewed our facilities and meet our staff while in the care of their Primary School teachers and teacher assistants. 

We hope that Challenge Day helped to support in assisting students as the transition to Year 7 while better supporting them to understand our routines and organisation. Additionally, we also hope that we provided them with an introductory experience of curriculum continuity from primary school to high school.

Feedback from staff and students who attended Challenge Day this year was absolutely tremendous with many commenting that it was the best challenge day yet.  Not only was the behaviour of all students terrific on the day but having so many students together fostered a terrific feeling of community and engagement with many students being introduced to others from different schools giving them a taste of future friendships to come. 

Our wonderful Transition Leaders were available on the day to support class groups as they moved around the school to participate in learning opportunities being offered.  Teachers from Kings Meadows also provided feedback to class groups by assessing them against our Kings Meadows High School R.O.C.K.S. after each lesson. A huge congratulations to Longford Primary School for having the highest votes on the day with Liffey Falls (5/6A) having the highest votes and becoming our overall Challenge Day winners.

At KMHS we know that moving from primary to high school is a big transition. It can be a time full of fun, excitement  and new experiences, but it can also be challenging or worrying for many children and their families. We aim to help students and their families by making sure every child is prepared and supported, irrespective of the location for learning they make for Year 7.  

Our Kings Meadows High School Open Evening was held on Tuesday 4 July from 3:30pm–6:00pm. Invitations to this event were sent to primary school parents with communication about Challenge Day for advanced planning.  This was the second time this event has been held at Kings Meadows High School and once again our Open Evening was a huge success.

For those who attended the Open Evening, it was certainly a valuable opportunity for both parents and students in Year 6 to support the transition to high school. Recent research shows that similar events help families familiarise themselves with the school environment, meet key staff members and understand the programs and support systems available. For students, visiting Kings Meadows High School and seeing the facilities first hand with their parents can reduce feelings of anxiety and uncertainty, helping them feel more comfortable about the change.

Parents also gain insight into our school’s values, curriculum and extracurricular activities, allowing them to make informed decisions about their child’s education whilst seeing our dedicated teachers in action discussing learning progress on the night. We hope our Open Evening continues to help foster early connections with teachers, support staff and other families, which strengthens a sense of belonging within our school community.

Ultimately, participating in these events lays the groundwork for a smoother, more confident transition to Kings Meadows High School.

On the night most teachers at Kings Meadows High School were also engaged with learning conferences with parents to discuss learning progress.  We hope these conferences being held at the same time provided new parents to our school community with a better understanding of the importance of working together to foster a collaborative approach to education, where all parties gain a clear understanding of a student's strengths and areas for growth. These discussions empower our students by giving them a voice in their learning journey, while parents offer valuable insights and support. This partnership encourages accountability and targeted focus, leading to more personalized strategies for improving learning outcomes.

We thank all parents who attended on the night.

In Week 6 of Term 3 our Transition Leaders at Kings Meadows High School visited our feeder Primary Schools to run Mini Expo’s with students.  Our Transition Leaders had been working under the guidance of Mr Poke, Mr Karas and Mr Withington to design PowerPoint presentations and poster displays that were then shared with students to support them feeling comfortable at high school.  Prior to Week 6 our Transition Leaders worked collaboratively in small groups of two or three to collaboratively become experts in key aspects of our school so that they could then share this information in an informative, personalised and interactive manner helping them to feel informed and comfortable at high school.

Recent research shows that peer mentorship, where older students guide younger ones, can significantly ease the transition from primary to high school by fostering a sense of belonging.  When high school students share their experiences, younger students gain valuable insights into both academic and social aspects, reducing anxiety and confusion. This peer support also builds leadership skills in older students while encouraging younger ones to approach high school with confidence and better preparedness helping to develop a more cohesive and supportive school community.

Literacy development is a continued school wide focus for us at KMHS and allowing students to participate and present utilising the Mini Expo format is a great example of helping to pursue improvements in the literacy skills of our Transition Leaders through experiences that are relevant and important to the lives of others.

Thank you to all the schools who provided such positive feedback about the success of our Mini Expos.  We hope they were supportive of students and we certainly feel proud of the efforts that our students made in making sure that their presentations were engaging and professionally presented. 

We hope you enjoy the photos taken during the presentations at the various primary schools.

Kings Meadows High School have a dedicated learning support team who meet weekly in support of students who have a diagnosed disability. 

This team-based approach allows us to work collaboratively and in a targeted manner in support of students who require adjustments to their teaching and learning programs through their learning plans.  The learning support have also now started to work with collaborative learning teams e.g. literacy, numeracy teams when they are discussing their planning of topics and student progress so that we can provide further support or suggestions for students who are experiencing challenges in certain learning programs or if teachers have noticed changes in levels of student engagement during lessons. 

Mrs Lovitt and Mrs Hume have been busy this term working together to organise Learning Support visits that were held in Week 7 of Term 3 to various primary schools to better understand the learning needs of students who are transitioning to us at Kings Meadows from their Primary School. As you might have noticed this planning early at KMHS as we want to make sure that we have a great understanding of all students who have a diagnosed disability and associated learning plan so that we can best plan for their class placements, educational provisions and extra support as required.  Other staff members at Kings Meadows High School in the Learning Support team were nominated a school to visit to gather copies of learning plans of students from their primary schools and also to develop further insights into how to best support each student as they transition to high school.

Collaboration between primary and high school teachers can greatly improve the transition for students with disabilities by ensuring continuity in support and individualized learning. Sharing learning plans and discussing class placements allows secondary educators to better understand the student's needs, helping them implement appropriate adjustments to teaching and learning programs. This proactive communication fosters a smoother transition, reduces student anxiety and increases the likelihood of academic and social success in high school.

We remain proactive in providing a team-based approach in working with primary schools to ensure a smooth transition for all students diagnosed with a disability as they transition into high school at Kings Meadows High School in 2025.

With a highly successful camp program at the beginning of this year, we are delighted to announce that our camp program for Year 7 students will be on again in 2025!

Camp provides students with the opportunity to build positive friendships, get to know their peers and teachers and fosters connection, courage and growth through meaningful team-building experiences.

Year 7 camp will be held in Term 1, Week 3 (17-21February). Students will not attend the full week, rather they will be split into two groups.

• Group 1 will attend camp 17-19 February
• Group 2 will attend camp 19-21 February

Groups will consist of Class Teacher groupings which are yet to be determined.  During the time that the alternative groups are at camp, a normal school day will occur and it is an expectation that all students either attend camp or are at school during this week. 

Accommodation: 
Port Arthur Holiday Park are catering for us with their bunk houses and cabins. Students will not require a tent but will require a sleeping bag. Sleeping arrangements and rooms will be discussed and allocated at a later date. A packing list with full requirements will be communicated closer to the date.

The Experience:
While away, students will experience:

• A chance to build relationships with students both in their class teacher group and the wider grade.
• Develop stronger relationships with the staff participating.
• Involvement in co-operative indoor and outdoor activities.
• Communal living involving helping and supporting one another during activities and chores.

We are actively encouraging all students to embrace this opportunity and participate in the camp to ensure its success, and the success of future camps.

A sample of the activities offered to students during our camp experience include:

• Port Arthur Historic Site visit and tour
• Richmond lolly shop
• Visit to Zoo Doo
• Team building activities at the camp site

This communication about our 2025 Year 7 camp is an initial communication to families. Further information about the finer details of camp including dietary requirements, meals, final cost, what to bring etc., will come out in Term 4, however if you have any questions or concerns about camp, please contact Kate Hume  on 6343 1000.

What is happening in the Transition Space during Term 4 at Kings Meadows High School?

Extra Transition Visits
Kings Meadows High School has already been in contact with primary schools to support students who might benefit from some extra time at Kings Meadows High School to help them experience future success in 2025.  Thank you to all our primary school staff who have nominated students who might benefit from this opportunity.

Kings Meadows High School will work collaboratively with parents who have children who might require extra transition support during Term 4 to help co-ordinate visits at KMHS and participation in some of our teaching and learning programs in a supported manner helping to reduce anxiety while building confidence and understanding of our spaces in preparation for next year. 

These opportunities will also be provided through our learning support team using learning plan information and feedback gained from primary schools with the goal of providing continuity of strategies within learning plans and strong working relationships between parents and our school community.  We look forward to sharing more information about our Extra Transition Visits soon. 

Personalised Visits
Kings Meadows High School will once again be providing personalised visits for parents and students during Week 5 of Term 4.  If you would like to visit Kings Meadows High School and see it in operation during a school day or you would like to have a tour with family members after school hours, please contact us on 6343 1000 to participate in a tour from Monday 11–15 November. 

Orientation Day
Planning is well underway for students to participate in Orientation Day on Wednesday 20 November during Week 6 of Term 4. Orientation Day is another wonderful opportunity for new students to Kings Meadows High School to participate in learning at Kings Meadows in class teacher groups ready for next year.  Prior to this event Kings Meadows High School will work collaboratively with class teachers from Primary School to establish class teacher groups ready for 2025 through a collaborative process that supports developing positive social friendship groupings and academic learning needs. 

Parent Induction Evening
We are currently aiming to hold a parent induction evening for all new enrolling parents on Wednesday 20 November after Orientation Day.  More information about this evening will be shared in the coming weeks so please watch this space for more information.