Foundation (Prep/Kinder) 2015 - Chat

[Dollyroux]

DD starts next year, and is also a March baby (1st of to be exact). We have one primary school very close, easy walking distance, but does have some bad reports.
Otherwise, there are 2 primaries within a 5-10 drive and then another 4 within a 20 minute drive (radius) so I will go have a squiz at all of them. I really want the walking distance one to be great, as I much prefer the idea of bundling twins into pram vs car, but we shall see...
WYSIWYG - I would enrol your DD into your local primary school so at least she's in for this year and them change as needed. It won't harm her any to move when/if needed...

[lilima]

DD is going next year. She is going to be turning 5 next month. She will go to the school her brother is already at. I am confident with our decision for her to be a late started. We decided a long time ago. DS struggles academically, and I didn't want to end up with two struggling even though I am confident she could have gone with no problems.

[wysiwyg]

So we had an info evening at childcare where school was discussed and also talking to lots of other parents school for next year is on peoples mind, and I have an open evening next wee. I was wondering if anyone else has read the "2012 Annual Report to the School Community" for schools they are looking at? (It might just be a VIC thing)?

A few things bother me about our chosen school (chosen based on proximity alone currently) based on the report -

1. In the report there is a section on "Student attitudes to school Results" the results are lower than the median and are at the bottom of the range (for 60% of Victorian schools)
2. There is a similar section on parental satisfaction, and one on staff satisfaction and both give results that are lower than the median and outside of the range (for 60% of Victorian schools)

The school does very well on the tests but the student attitudes and staff attitudes I find a bit worrying.

I think you can get all the reports (2013 ones are available for some schools on the VRQA site

[wysiwyg]

WYSIWYG - I would enrol your DD into your local primary school so at least she's in for this year and them change as needed. It won't harm her any to move when/if needed...

We probably wouldn't think of moving until 2016 anyway but more likely 2018, but it now being only next year it has caused us to think a bit further ahead.

DD is excited about the whole prospect of school as am I as will significantly improve our finances. Childcare is across the road from the school so the drop off/pick up to the two locations shouldn't be much bother at all. Depending on work plan is to use before and after-school care on days DS is in childcare.

Not quite sure what to do about the whole Wednesday's off for the first 4 weeks (I think it is) - at the moment I don't know any other parents whose kids are going there (I asked at childcare and there were only I think two names apart from DD who they thought were intending to go there - and weren't ones I know - that was somewhat surprising to me as the school is across the road from childcare) who could maybe do a looking after the kids swap with but have a while to work that out. Not sure if will be able to change work days as could well be working four days a week anyway and not sure if could get a swap for DS in childcare. DH reckons is a big con not having school everyday (I somewhat agree) and we should pick a school that doesn't do this (sometimes I wonder about the reality he lives in :-)) at least having the whole day off is better than weeks and weeks of short days in my opinion - although reading the 2014 thread it seems like quite a few schools will start with a couple of short-days anyway. I suspect DD will be the sort of kid who is gutted to have to come home, and annoyed can't go those first few Wednesdays.

I assume OHSC generally doesn't do anything to cover those Wednesdays and short days etc?

[Bloom]

My DS1 will be starting in 2015 in prep. He will be 5 and 3 months. I think he will love it! This year and last he has been doing 5 days a fortnight 8:30-2:30 kindy. I love the play based focus of kindy and I'm a bit anxious about too my academic/learning pressure in prep. (That said, he is just so thirsty for knowledge - obsessed with numbers, maths, spelling and learning new words - all of his own accord, so I don't think he will have any problems!).

[wysiwyg]

Not quite sure what to do about the whole Wednesday's off for the first 4 weeks (I think it is) - at the moment I don't know any other parents whose kids are going there (I asked at childcare and there were only I think two names apart from DD who they thought were intending to go there - and weren't ones I know - that was somewhat surprising to me as the school is across the road from childcare) who could maybe do a looking after the kids swap with but have a while to work that out. Not sure if will be able to change work days as could well be working four days a week anyway and not sure if could get a swap for DS in childcare. DH reckons is a big con not having school everyday (I somewhat agree) and we should pick a school that doesn't do this (sometimes I wonder about the reality he lives in :-)) at least having the whole day off is better than weeks and weeks of short days in my opinion - although reading the 2014 thread it seems like quite a few schools will start with a couple of short-days anyway. I suspect DD will be the sort of kid who is gutted to have to come home, and annoyed can't go those first few Wednesdays.

I assume OHSC generally doesn't do anything to cover those Wednesdays and short days etc?

I eventually found out about this, by chatting to a mum at the park (as the school website gives no information at all really about hours ) - they don't do Wednesdays off but do a 2:30 finish for about 10 weeks apparently (sometimes the whole of the first term) - OHSC will cover this but charges alot more for this prep-gap hour. Anyway I think that will work better for us anyway as OHSC covers us.

Is there a specific time of year places start doing open days or something (state schools)? The website for the school seems particularly useless. I am only considering one, but I would kind of like to know a little about it, at least feel like have done my due diligence.