From what I understand both kindy and pre-primary are NOT compulsory in WA. If they have spots for 40 kids and 50 apply (all within the catchment area), the first 40 applications get the spot.

First preferance goes to within boundary, then those out of boundary but with siblings in the school, then those out of boundary (when/if it gets down to this it then goes by distance from the school)

The big catch is..... you can only put in an application for one school!!! (they make you sign a form to that effect and believe it or not but ppl really do complain to the education department and check!!!) And you probably won't hear if you're in or not until 4th term the year before your dd is due to start. Which basically will put you at the bottom of any other list you then apply for!

Then you have to go through the whole thing again for Year 1! Once they're in Year 1 they're in for the rest of primary school but until then it's a new application each year.

Yes, the system sucks!!! My ds's kindy had an 'overpopulation' problem this year and some kids who have siblings in the school even missed out on a spot for kindy.

Feel free to pm me if you want to, I went through all this last year with out of boundary applications for kindy. It drove me crazy!!!