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PN most of the kinders around here are through the council the cut off is June 30 but if they are in another area check as it might be independently managed which means they could be doing them now. We ended up going with one outside our council and enrolled last year for 2015. Our school doesn't take enrolments until the year before but glad we know where he is going already. He will have friends from daycare at the school and nows a few from drop offs and pick ups.
Offers in yarra ranges come out around July ish, but putting in an enrolment needs to be done quite early, maroondah council use the Mika system, ring the kinders and ask when the forms are available. Are you looking in mainly yarra ranges??
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The two existing threads for starting school in 2016 have been merged into this one. This thread is for general chatter about anything to do with kids starting their first year of primary school in 2016. This is known as different things in different states: prep, kinder, foundation, transition, reception. This thread is for the first year of official primary schooling and everything that goes with getting ready for school.
According to what I was reading, mika needs to be done by 30 June, and is assessed on location, and doing any earlier doesn't increase your prospects of getting your first preference.
The ones closer to home aren't under mika, and while some will accept applications now, others don't want them yet.
And with one (your fave, if I recall!) I'm waiting on a call back from the enrolment officer :)
That's correct with mika, it's about location, I'd ring those kinders again love and triple check, if criterias are like ours, getting in as early as possible means you're more likely to get a spot.
Three school tours knocked off today.
Another three tomorrow.
So. Tired.
Six down, three to go!
The two we went to today are both straight onto the "no" list.
It was a lot of time involved in interviewing, inspecting etc, but I still consider it to be time well spent to get the list down ... there can only be ONE!
How are other people going, picking the right school?
Talk about DS starting school has only arisen in relation to me working part time after baby #2 is born this September. I didn't know people thought about it or put names down so early! I'm in NSW, so DS will be going into Kindergarten (or whatever it is now called) at primary school. He is born in April 2011, so starting him in 2016 will make him 4yrs9mths when school starts. Eek! Isn't that young? The alternative is to wait a year where he will be 5yrs9mths.
I don't know what to do really. Our financial plans rest on me returning to full time work in 2016 in line with DS going to school, and sorting out care for this baby. I don't even know at this stage is DS will be ready for school then. He has only started going to day care this year and loves socialising, but outside of that we don't have any friends with kids at all let alone his age. I don't know, it's doing my pregnant brain in!
I know the finances can be sorted and I wouldn't want to force DS into something he isn't ready for (and secretly I wouldn't mind working part time a bit longer for this next baby's sake and more mummy/work balance). Our options are really only public schools. we have one close to us that has a bad reputation and one a short bus/drive away that I would prefer, so I would aim for that one.
How soon are you meant to put their name down? Especially if the school is in your local area but not the closest geographically to your home? I am feeling really hopeless with all this! If we hadn't had another baby I woudlnt even be thinking of school until the year I thought he was meant to start!
I'm in qld so not 100% sure it's the same. Some schools have catchment areas. Others don't. You can check with the school. Most have websites or just call them. You don't need to put your name down early at public schools. We enrolled ds in term 3 of last year. That was the earliest they were taking enrollments. He started this year. A friend enrolled her son at a school near where she worked. That one had a catchment zone so she had to apply for an exemption. If you are in her situation I would apply as soon as they allow so that you are near the top of the list.
I wouldn't stress to much just yet as there is just too much you can't know. I do believe 4 is too young imo they are still so little. However I decided to stick with the government decreed age. DS's kindy teachers thought he was ready. He struggled term 1 but seems to be doing great this term. I don't pressure him to do extra work. He's had some days off just because.
Dd is born the same month as your ds. I think she will be fine. I'm very much looking forward to having a bit extra in the weekly budget not having to pay daycare fees!
I think we've finally picked :D
We've enrolled in a small, local kinder. Not all the bells and whistles, but awesome outdoor play areas, and a pretty switched on head educator.
And I think we've picked a school. Woot !!
Message me nutter, your inbox is full
Great news PN! Where did you decide on?
Ds is enrolled at kinder and keeps asking when he gets to go longer. He just wants to be at school. He has been in the classroom a few times this year while I am helping in dd2's class. He is joining in the literacy games some sessions.
starts with M, finishes with the end of your avvy :)
I'm in qld too and was told to go to a school outside catchment had to enrol first week term 2 2015. We have decided on a private school. That might bite me on the butt
That's an awesome school, nutter. You'll be happy there 👍
I hope so, Ginger!
It was a really hard choice - the ones around are so different, comparing them was tricky.
BD - we looked at some privates earlier, but the cost is just prohibitive ... anything from $5K to $7K per kid, p/annum ... ouch.
Have others picked a kinder and/or a school?
It was easy for me too choose. DD is just going where DS is. Both kindy and school are walking distance from my house although in opposite directions. Looking forward to 2016 and having them in the same place.