Cut-off age in Vic?

[Ginger]

Hello, i just heard from a friend that there are plans over the next couple of years to change the cut-off time for starting school from April to December. Has anyone else heard anything about this? I am very interested as this will affect my ds2 who is a February baby. It would mean he is 2years below ds1 in school, instead of 1.
Does anyone have any further information?
TIA, Ginger.

[Nai]

I haven't heard anything about that. I will ask around as that will definitely affect my DD2 as well as she is a Feb baby.

[Ginger]

Thanks Nai, i would be really interested to know anything you could find out.
it would mean that i wouldn't bother putting him in 3 yo kinder until 2013, instead of 2012.

[nickle730]

My DD is an April baby and currently a young grade 2. I have been hearing this rumour since she was in kinder! Apparently, the cut off will be changed so that a child must have had their 5th birthday in the calendar year prior to starting prep.

My son is currently 4 yo kinder (but an August babe so no big decisions about him starting prep next year!) and I still hear these rumours occasionally. I did ask his teachers a few months ago, who stated that they had heard the rumours for several years but not had any official notification. Sooo... I really have nothing to add but more rumours!!!

[meow]

My son is a March 2008 baby so is looking to start 3 year old kinder in 2012 and I haven't heard anything. I have put him on a waiting list with one kinder and I'm currently doing a work placement at a kinder but haven't heard a whisper of it...?

ETA: I think if they ever did change it there would be a phasing in period as they would know that this effects choices from 3 year old kinder.

[~me~]

I did hear through a couple of Mums that the cut off age was going to be changed to having to have turned 5 by January the year they will start school. As yet I haven't seen anything in print. I believe it was going to happen in 2012 I think. This would mean they would have to give a fair bit of notice as otherwise those kids who would be doing 4yr old kinder 2011 with the intention of starting school the following year and who did no meet the cut off would have to do an extra year Kinder.
If this was the case, they would either have to announce it this year or give those people who didn't meet the criteria for starting school and extra year of funded Kinder through their local Council Kinder you would think.

[~Trish~]

Wow, I've not heard of that! It won't affect my kids, but it would make a huge difference to some!