In this essential episode of "Dare to Be More," host Anthony Perl speaks with Alistair Roland, Head of Students for Years 7–9, and Joanna Graffen, Head of Senior School, about one of the most significant milestones in a young girl's education — the transition to Year 7.

Alistair and Joanna share the practical steps MLC School takes to prepare students for Senior School, from Excitement Days and orientation programmes to the luminary pastoral care system. They also offer candid advice for parents on how to support their daughters' growing independence — including the importance of letting them make (and learn from) their own mistakes.

Featured Guests: Alistair Roland, Head of Students (Years 7–9) at MLC School Joanna Graffen, Head of Senior School at MLC School

In This Episode, You'll Discover:

• When and how MLC School begins preparing students for the Year 7 transition
• What the luminary pastoral care system is and why it matters
• Why letting your daughter forget her sports uniform might be the best thing you can do
• How MLC School supports students joining from external schools — not just from within the MLC community
• Why getting involved in co-curricular activities is one of the most important things a Year 7 student can do

Key Topics Discussed:

• The Year 7 transition — what changes and what stays the same
• MLC School's orientation programme, Excitement Days, and Commencement Day
• The luminary (tutor) system and pastoral care structure
• Building independence and resilience in Year 7 students
• Advice for parents — trusting the process and working as a team with the school
• Co-curricular activities and the importance of belonging to a community

About MLC School: MLC School is a leading independent girls' school in Sydney, committed to empowering young women through academic excellence, character development, and innovative education. Our mission is to inspire girls to dare to be more.

Connect With Us:

• Website: mlcsyd.nsw.edu.au
• Instagram: @mlcsydney
• Facebook: @MLCSchoolSydney
• LinkedIn: MLC School

Hashtags: #Year7Transition #StartingHighSchool #MLCSchool #GirlsEducation #SchoolReadiness #ParentingTips #DareToBeMore

Preparing for school, year seven entry.

2

Welcome to Dare to Be More, the podcast

from MLC School in Burwood, Sydney.

3

Today we're exploring the transition

into year seven with Al Rowland, head of

4

students for years seven, eight and nine,

and Joanna Graffen, head of senior school.

5

Discover how students are supported

as they move into senior school life,

6

from orientation and commencement

days to new timetables, specialist

7

teachers, greater independence, and

the excitement of finding their place.

8

You'll hear how families can help

girls build confidence, make small

9

mistakes, try new opportunities, and

feel ready for the next stage of school.

10

I'm your co-host Anthony Pearl.

11

Let's get into today's conversation.

12

Well, hello everyone and welcome

to the Dare to Be More podcast.

13

I'm going to be talking about

preparing for year seven,

14

a really important subject.

15

So welcome to our two guests today.

16

We've got Joanna and Al.

17

Welcome to the program.

18

Al Roland: Thank you.

19

Joanna Graffen: Nice to be here.

20

Thank you for having us.

21

Anthony Perl: Absolute pleasure.

22

So why don't we start with you, Al?

23

Why don't you introduce yourself?

24

Al Roland: Yeah.

25

My name's Al Roland, and I've been at

the school for about eight months, and

26

I've been teaching for a long time.

27

My job at the school is head of

students for years seven, eight, and

28

nine, and I have the absolute pleasure

of working with a wonderful team of

29

heads of year and luminaries or tutors

who look after the girls as they move

30

from six into seven, seven to eight,

eight to nine, and that's my job.

31

Fantastic.

32

What about you, Joanna?

33

Joanna Graffen: So my role

is head of senior school.

34

So I look after the oversight of the

year seven to year 12, and I look

35

after the girls coming into year six

and seven with Al, which is fantastic.

36

I have a different kind of background.

37

I've always loved education, but I

started off in the legal world, and

38

then decided it wasn't really for me,

because there just wasn't enough joy.

39

And I get so much joy

from being in schools.

40

So every day is different, and every

day has a little bit of fun in it.

41

So yeah, that's what gets me up

every day and gets me to school.

42

Al Roland: And, and it was the podcast

that we're doing today, that was

43

the, the joyful moment, Jo, is that-

44

Joanna Graffen: This is wonderful.

45

Al Roland: All right.

46

Much better than being in a

47

Anthony Perl: courtroom, right?

48

Joanna Graffen: Definitely.

49

Definitely.

50

Anthony Perl: Well, I think we probably

just got to get s- things started,

51

the conversation really, in talking

about, uh, preparing for year seven.

52

I'm gonna start with a sort of

seemingly obvious question, which

53

is when does it actually start?

54

When do you actually start

preparing for year seven?

55

Al, maybe you can kick

us off with this one.

56

Al Roland: Sure.

57

Y- look, I, I mean, I think we

had an excitement day yesterday

58

here, which was the current year

six students were involved in a

59

whole lots of wonderful activities,

which has started the ball rolling.

60

So it started them to be thinking

about next year, and they did a

61

whole lot of really exciting and fun

activities, and Jo, I think you were

62

involved in those activities yesterday.

63

So look, you know, the conversations

and the activities have already started.

64

They may have started earlier at home

in different families about, you know,

65

you've got to get prepared for year seven.

66

Others may have started yesterday,

and others may not start until

67

perhaps a little bit closer

towards the end of this year, and

68

obviously over the Christmas break.

69

Anthony Perl: And Joanna, is it

as big a deal as is made out?

70

Like, it's kind of one of those

milestones, isn't it, that transferring

71

from the junior school into high school?

72

I- is too much of a deal made of

it, or is it such a big deal that

73

you really do have to prepare a lot?

74

Joanna Graffen: Uh, I think it's a really

important transition in a teenager's life.

75

I think it's the start of a

little bit more independence.

76

So I think it, it is really important.

77

I think yesterday we were talking to

the year six girls about their feelings

78

about starting year seven, and we

ended up using the term nerve cited.

79

So they were equal amounts nervous

as they were excited, and I think

80

that's because they are, um, nervous

about the change and the fact that

81

they will be more independent.

82

They will have up to 10 different

teachers for different subjects, which

83

is different to having one classroom

teacher that knows you so very well

84

and your day is very predictable.

85

Whereas in the senior school,

your day is not as predictable.

86

But I think that's what's

great about it, because it gets

87

them ready for the real world.

88

It also means that they can

learn from specialists as well.

89

Because that's the other thing, I suppose,

in education, is that once you're getting

90

into that stage four, five, six level,

you need to have specialist teachers

91

for maths and science and English.

92

Being able to teach all of the

subjects, I take my hat off to

93

year five and six teachers who can

teach the whole gamut of subjects.

94

But that also is exciting because it means

that the girls get into science labs, and

95

they really get to, to learn a bit more.

96

So I, I think it is a big step for

them, but I think it's a necessary

97

one as they move into being teenagers

and hurdle towards adulthood

98

Al Roland: I think it, it is a big

move, and it's a, a significant change

99

from grade six up to year seven.

100

I think MLC girls are at a

distinct advantage that we

101

have a year six center on site.

102

So the girls come out of grade

five into grade six here, and they

103

use the same space as the same

play areas as the senior kids.

104

So their transition is still there, but

I think they're sort of halfway up the,

105

the ladder before they actually come into

year seven and be into this building.

106

So I, I think the girls here

are at a distinct advantage.

107

Anthony Perl: Yeah, I mean, Jo, it is a

big change in terms of, as you were saying

108

before, that shift into going into lots of

classrooms, different teachers, sitting in

109

different seats in different classrooms.

110

You might not be with the same kids in

each class as well at different times.

111

So, you know, how do you

prepare for all of that?

112

Is that just a, you know, you can

talk about it, but is there anything

113

that you can do to really prepare

for that, or it's kind of like

114

gonna hit you day one in year seven?

115

Joanna Graffen: Well, we start it

quite early, as mentioned, so we're

116

only in August now, and the girls

have been moving around independently

117

yesterday around the senior school,

having a bit of a taste of what it

118

will be like to move around as a class.

119

They also-- The girls that are in year

six here, as Al mentioned, because

120

they're on our seniors campus, they

actually join us in our whole school

121

assembly, and they join us in our house

times and also in our carnivals, so our

122

athletics carnival, swimming carnival.

123

And what that does is it takes

away that scary concept of being

124

around all the older students.

125

What we find is part of coming

into year seven is being the little

126

fish in the big pond when you've

been used to being the big fish

127

in the little primary school pond.

128

So because they're here and, you know,

they're in the canteen, in the lineups

129

with the year 12 girls and all of

that, it, it helps them be a little

130

bit more comfortable in that regard.

131

So it's a good soft landing for them.

132

Then we have another event later in the

year, which is our formal orientation

133

day, where they have another day, and

on that day it's so much more specific.

134

They know who their luminary is going to

be, which is what we call a tutor, which

135

is like a lovely Latin term, which means

that, 'cause our motto is daughters,

136

we, they walk as daughters of the light.

137

So their luminary is the person

that guides them, so it's a,

138

in our pastoral care structure.

139

So in that orientation day, they

meet that person, they meet the

140

girls that will be with them.

141

They get a diary.

142

They start to look at what

a timetable will look like.

143

They start to look at what the rooms, the

numbers of the rooms and things like that.

144

So it's like anything, when you've seen

it, it becomes a little bit less scary.

145

You- They've seen the people.

146

They know the concept.

147

They start to normalize it.

148

And then we also have a couple of days

in our, at the beginning of year seven,

149

which is called Commencement Day, where

the girls get a- another soft landing,

150

so they spend some time walking around

with their timetables and getting ready.

151

Anthony Perl: 'Cause it's amazing how

big the school feels in the first few

152

days of year seven, and by the time

you get to year 12 how small it feels.

153

Joanna Graffen: Yes, exactly.

154

Yes, exactly.

155

Yeah.

156

Anthony Perl: And, and tell me, Al,

what about preparing for parents?

157

I mean, 'cause I think that's a big

thing as well because- Yes … really a

158

big transition, and often parents tend

to put a lot of pressure, I imagine,

159

on girls in taking it up a notch.

160

Al Roland: Yeah.

161

I think one of the key words that

I like to use to parents is trust.

162

We've been doing this for a long

time, and some of us involved in the

163

pastoral care program and looking

after both staff and students at

164

MLC have done this for a long time.

165

And I, I try and say to parents, "We've

dealt with thousands of children.

166

You've got one, two, maybe three."

167

So pretty good at what we do.

168

So allow us to, to work with you, allow

us to work together as a team, uh, start

169

talking to your daughter about what

it's like to go from six to seven, and

170

the transition, and all the differences

that are going to come, but please use

171

us as a, as a bouncing aboard, as an

opportunity to ask some questions, to

172

get some really good, honest answers,

and don't be afraid to work together with

173

us, 'cause that's what we're here for.

174

And I really emphasize

that to parents yesterday.

175

We're a team, and we're

looking after your child.

176

Anthony Perl: And Joe, how much does

home life have to change as a result?

177

How much do parents have to adjust

things from their perspective as well?

178

Joanna Graffen: I think it's

really important to help their

179

daughter to ready herself.

180

So I think there is a little bit of,

they've got to let a little bit of the

181

independence grow and to help the daughter

get organized the night before, lay her

182

things out, and be ready, and also let

her make mistakes every now and then.

183

So the classic thing that will

happen is that the girl will forget

184

to bring her sports uniform for PE.

185

T- happens fairly early in the case.

186

That, and then often we have

parents coming to our reception

187

with a bag, a sports bag, to drop

it off so that her daughter doesn't

188

have a failure and doesn't learn.

189

But that means she doesn't learn

because she, she doesn't have to

190

say to her PE teacher, "I, I forgot

to look at my timetable properly,

191

and I did forget my uniform."

192

Um, because the- then she's gonna learn.

193

The teacher's going to say to her, you

know, "Well, next time what will you do?"

194

And then she can talk through

what she would do next time.

195

Same with homework.

196

So, you know, she might forget to

do some homework, forget to hand

197

something in the next day, and often

we'll have a parent sending an email

198

to say, "Oh, I'm so sorry, my daughter

forgot to do her maths homework."

199

And again, that, uh, making those excuses

for their daughter means that she doesn't

200

grow and learn that responsibility.

201

So we want to work in tandem with parents.

202

We want to be on the same team, and

part of that is letting us hold them to

203

account for things that happen at school

and, you know, being part of that team.

204

I mean, we always want to hear

from parents when things are going

205

wrong or if they need support

or if things are going right.

206

If something amazing happens on

the weekend at sport or something

207

like that, we want to know.

208

But at the same time, we need the

girls to know that at school we

209

have our expectations, and that

it would be really fantastic if

210

parents supported us in that as well.

211

Anthony Perl: And Al, you talked

about being a bouncing block

212

or bouncing board for them.

213

How do parents engage on that level?

214

What do you recommend they do if

they've got some questions, if they're

215

uncertain, or they think that their

daughter needs some extra support?

216

Al Roland: We've got wonderful

support structures here at, at MLC.

217

I mean, we start with the luminary,

as Jo, you know, outlined before.

218

That's the first port of call for

a parent, and it's to h- have that

219

conversation, email, phone call,

come in and have a conversation

220

to work out what are the things

that are working and perhaps which

221

things are not working as well.

222

There is then, above that is the

head of year, who looks after the

223

overall day-to-day operations of

that particular year group, and

224

that goes for seven, eight and nine.

225

And then, uh, above that is myself,

and I work with students, I work with

226

heads of year, luminaries, uh, parents.

227

So there's a wealth of support structures

and mechanisms available for parents and

228

for the kids, because the kids will see

their luminaries on a very regular basis.

229

We have a wellbeing center in the corner

of the school, which is brilliant because

230

it's all the heads of year are there, the

heads of students for my position and also

231

the head of students for 10, 11 and 12 are

there, as well as the counselors and all

232

the nurses, and it's a wonderful center

where students drop in all the time.

233

Sometimes it's to get a uniform

pass, sometimes it's just they need a

234

conversation, sometimes they're seeing

counselors, they need to see the nurse

235

about whatever the issue is, and it's a

very informal drop-in center, and there's

236

always somebody around in the wellbeing

center to support, listen to kids, always.

237

Anthony Perl: Fantastic.

238

And, and Jo, now, uh, I guess the question

then is for what about parents and

239

students who are not in the junior school

who are going to, you know, get ready.

240

They are going to come in year seven,

but- It'll be the first experience at MLC

241

Joanna Graffen: Yeah.

242

I think we have a great structure

in place where they do an interview,

243

so usually they interview in

year five to come to year seven.

244

So that allows the student to have

a conversation with their parents.

245

With one of the senior leaders here, I

do lots of interviews, as does Al and

246

our principal and deputy principal.

247

And at that time, they can

familiarize themselves.

248

A lot of the time they come to a tour

of the school as well, and our tours

249

are led by our year 10 and 11 students,

so they get to know what it's really

250

like to be, to be an MLC school student.

251

We talked before about the excitement

day, which was our year six girls

252

having a taster of the senior school,

but we very deliberately have another

253

event that's just for the external year

six girls who, the girls that will be

254

joining us next year from other schools.

255

And the reason for that is that

it allows them to meet some of the

256

other girls who will also be new and

have a little day to get to know the

257

school a bit, to move around and make

some new friends before they meet

258

all the girls that are already here.

259

And we found that that model works

really well because it's a little

260

bit less overwhelming for them when

they're coming to a new school.

261

Plus, they're in with some girls that

are already very comfortable with the

262

place, so it allows them to have that day.

263

And then we have a further orientation

day in the November when we put them all

264

together, and that we very deliberately

put combinations of students together,

265

observe them a bit because that allows

us to know what we're going to be

266

working with in the following year.

267

So those days are just as important

for us as they are for the students

268

in getting to know each other

269

Anthony Perl: Wonderful opportunities

there for the kids, and obviously

270

for the parents as well.

271

Just wanting to ask you as well about

things that might be changing or need to

272

change or do they not need to change as

far as outside of school is concerned?

273

Because there is also, there's social

life outside of school, but there's

274

also, importantly, there are very many

activities that the girls, I'm sure,

275

are undertaking as well externally.

276

So do you find that that's something

that they need to prepare to

277

change and bring that into school

rather than doing it outside?

278

Or is it something that tends to continue?

279

Joanna Graffen: We do find that the girls

tend to join teams and groups within

280

school, and part of that is convenience,

but al- it's also part of the s- being

281

part of the spirit of the school.

282

So they tend to want to do their sports

and activities with their friends.

283

It's actually really important socially

as well to have that sports team or that

284

music ensemble or that debating group,

because then if something inevitably

285

happens with their friendship group that

they sit with at lunchtime, a- as we

286

know just happens in those tricky sort of

teenage years, that then they might see

287

someone from their netball team or see

someone that they do, you know, string

288

quartet with, and they'll be able to go

and spend some time with that person.

289

So I always encourage parents to encourage

the girls to get involved with activities

290

that we run at the school because

it's such a socially important thing.

291

It also means that, you know, their

trainings and practices are often either

292

directly before school or directly

after school, which helps parents in

293

the very busy lives that they lead.

294

But it also helps them, the girls,

to really feel like they belong

295

in part of a community, because

be- being at a school is not just

296

about the classes that you go to.

297

There's that real fabric of community

when you go and stand next to a

298

freezing AFL oval watching sport.

299

That, and that really makes them

feel like they belong here and

300

they, and that this is a really

important part of their community.

301

And I hope it becomes part of the

community for the parents as well, 'cause

302

they're going to make, make friends with

other parents and, you know, who they're

303

going to be around for the next six years.

304

And I guess when those tricky teenage

things happen, they're gonna be familiar

305

with other parents so that they can

help each other along the way as well.

306

Anthony Perl: Fantastic.

307

Well, I just want to wrap

things up with both of you and

308

ask you each this question.

309

And maybe I'm going to start with

you, Joanna, because it falls off the

310

back of what you were just saying.

311

Dare to Be More, which is the

name of the podcast and obviously

312

very much tied back to the school.

313

In the context of preparing for year

seven and what you oversee as well,

314

what does Dare to Be More mean to you?

315

Joanna Graffen: Oh, I think it means

that to dare to challenge themselves, to

316

dare to be the best kid that they can be.

317

So our job with parents is to

prepare these young women to be

318

ready to go out into that world

and be the best that they can be.

319

So be confident, take risks,

speak up for themselves.

320

And I'm actually really proud

of this school, 'cause that's

321

what we do for the girls.

322

So, you know, whether they do robotics,

or they do debating, or whether they

323

argue with me about uniform and the-

why they can't wear a second earring,

324

I think it really does-- We're

building a place in which they can

325

thrive, and I think that's fantastic.

326

Anthony Perl: And Al, what about for you?

327

Because you're fairly new to

the school, what do you see

328

as Dare to be More as meaning?

329

Al Roland: Y- look, I a- agree

with everything that Jo said.

330

I will add, though, that I think

this school offers such a breadth of

331

opportunities for kids to be involved

in classroom and outside of classroom.

332

Dare to be More is to have a go at any

and all of those things that they can.

333

Don't just, you know, narrow down

or focus on just one or two things.

334

Um, have a go.

335

Do different sports.

336

Do different music.

337

Do different co-curricular activities.

338

Do dance.

339

Do swimming.

340

Do AFL.

341

Get involved in as much sport and

activities as you can, because I think

342

when you then move out of this school,

your mind and your attitude is so broad

343

that you're prepared to, to travel and

to go and see the world and do things

344

and challenge, you know, questions

and ask and be involved in so many

345

different things, as opposed to a very

narrow-minded, single-focused person.

346

And I think Dare to be More says dare

to be more and different and challenged

347

within the school, and take that outside

of the school with you as you grow up.

348

Anthony Perl: Fantastic.

349

Thank you so much, both of you,

for bringing so many insights into

350

what is a challenging but exciting

time in preparing for year seven.

351

So thank you for being

part of the podcast.

352

Thanks for

353

Joanna Graffen: having me.

354

Thank you.

355

Anthony Perl: Thank you for

joining us on Dare to be More.

356

If you enjoyed this episode, please

subscribe wherever you get your

357

podcasts so you never miss an episode.

358

Your likes and comments also

help more families discover

359

these valuable conversations.

360

For more information about MLC school

and their approach to girls' education,

361

visit their website at mlcsyd.nsw.edu.au.

362

Check out the show notes

for more information.