Kindergartens in outer eastern Melbourne 'burbs

**peanutter** · January 26th, 2014, 08:35 PM

So .................... we're looking into kindergartens for our DSs, as they will be going to kinder in 2015 and 2016.

One of our main factors that we're looking at is what kindergartens feed into the schools we're looking at (and we're simultaneously trying to pick a primary school!).

I've been asking the kinders we're looking at what schools they tend to feed into, but most that I've asked either don't know, or prefer not to say ...

So I thought I'd ask here!

Do people have any idea what kinders tend to feed into particular schools in the outer eastern Melbourne 'burbs?

I'd love for my boys to have some friends in kinder who carry over into primary school.

Thanks

**peanutter** · January 27th, 2014, 10:07 AM

**Miss.September** · January 27th, 2014, 10:29 AM

We're not in the outer east, but we picked a kinder based on what we liked. We checked out their website, liked what we saw, asked around and went to their AGM. As far as what school the kids filter into, I'm finding no consistency. There is a local school within walking distance to the kinder which would seem the obvious choice (I've looked into the school and am liking what I'm seeing for DD1) but it doesn't look like many of the kinder kids are actually going there, parents are choosing a variety of schools in the neighbouring areas. I've asked why the local school isn't popular but nobody seems to know why.

I guess if it was really important to me for DD1 to stay with her friends (and she has a very obvious group of friends that she made in 3yo kinder), I'd find out from their parents specifically where their kids are going to school and look into it that way. DD1 is going into 4yo kinder and I've changed my mind about schools about a dozen times so far!

**Mother Goose** · January 27th, 2014, 12:00 PM

There used to be a book you could buy that listed what schools fed into where. I think you bought it from the news agency. Perhaps have a chat to your local or jump on google and see if it is still printed. I'm not sure if it includes Kinders or not though

**Dollyroux** · January 27th, 2014, 12:10 PM

I'm also in the outer east and from my questioning it doesn't seem that kinders feed into primary schools anymore - at least this side of lilydale!

**Tinks** · January 27th, 2014, 12:47 PM

I didn't think kinders 'fed' schools anymore.

**Dollyroux** · January 27th, 2014, 12:50 PM

^^ Yes, that

**black_rose** · January 27th, 2014, 01:38 PM

Last year at our school there were two or three main kinders that seemed to feed into dd1's prep class but for dd2 they are from all over. It's was the same in dd2's kinder group the kids are spread over about 5 schools with 20 in the class.

**nothing2lose** · January 27th, 2014, 03:27 PM

Yeah, I think you'll find there is not a feeder system out here. Kids just tend to go to the kindergarten and then primary school closest to home. I suspect few parents think beyond distance, except when it comes to private schools.

**Rouge** · January 27th, 2014, 03:36 PM

Our kinder had feeder schools. And other schools around here do too. If you're unsure work your way backwards. Talk to the school you have preference and work backwards.

**Tinks** · January 27th, 2014, 03:53 PM

Yeah, I think you'll find there is not a feeder system out here. Kids just tend to go to the kindergarten and then primary school closest to home. I suspect few parents think beyond distance, except when it comes to private schools.

and many kids do kinder programs at child care centres so it would be unfair for schools to choose kids based on which kinder they attended.

**peanutter** · January 27th, 2014, 06:50 PM

Two of the kinders I've spoken to have specified the school they tend to recommend to parents. That's not one of the schools on our short list yet, but I'm giving it another go. With two specific kinders recommending it, I think it's worth another look. The others either haven't known, or have said it varies too much to comment.

But I guess what I'm looking for is to find out which kinder are the ones that parents *tend to* send their kids to, before particular schools, from what other BBers have seen. Not that they have to, or that preference is given, etc, but the ones that tend to be linked together.

I would like my boys to have a few friends from kinder who carry over into primary school. Far from a certainty or a guarantee, but it would be nice to try.