Victorian prep class sizes...

[RhiChiChi]

I think the 'norm' for govt Vic schools is approx. 21 students per class or less. Private I think can go up to 25 or so.

[Floweryfields]

At least you have a cap in other states - Qld all children must be offered a place - so in our country school, we currently have - wait for it .......37 pre kids!! Yep in one room! There is no possibility of shifting children to a combined prep/1 class as they will not provide additional teachers to do so. Ridiculous.

[Olive]

ausgirl most state schools h ere also have to accept all enrollments, there are some exceptions but not many

[Floweryfields]

ausgirl most state schools h ere also have to accept all enrollments, there are some exceptions but not many

So how is it that you avoid having classes higher than 25? In Qld the staffing levels for the year are set by term 1 - any changes in enrolments after that there is no teacher increase. Is this the same in Vic?

[Traveller]

Our state school doesn't have to accept all enrolments. In fact many children from outwith the small catchment area are turned away each year, despite living very close to the school.

[Beach Mama]

Ausgirl that is right hun, most schools will try not to over extend themselves by allowing for future enrolments through the year. Seriously tricky business when it can mean really low numbers in grades for a full year or ridiculously high.... Low means extra dollars of course which most schools dont have but most schools know parents of kids in prep won't be happy with high numbers.

25's sound high Jols I would be asking about other assistance etc that they may have to justify the numbers which they probably have.

[Floweryfields]

When you are the only state school servicing the district with a population of 3500, and families have no other option, they have no choice but to over extend, happens every year yet the state govt won't give them more teachers! Sorry totally off topic.

[Beach Mama]

Schools and Prins here decide on workforce planning but it's still ridiculous. For eg the school I'm at at the moment is working out what model to run with next year- 5 varying models of 10 grades, one with options of 5/6 grades of 30 and 31 and then a few 9 grade models. In all that some staff will lose jobs, hrs cut( like me) purely because we are losing one grade. Increase one grade and we would have to employ another teacher( or keep current ones who will have to leave) but the school could afford it because enrolments =dollars in. The system should be fair and equitable across the nation but yet you can go from one suburb to another and see enormous gaps in buildings, resources, specialists etc... Rant over and Jols so sorry to derail again!!!

[Pandora]

Schools can decide to a point, but if the education dept tells the school they have to take a child (which they can and do) then they have to.
You can't be turned away if you are in the right zone for the school, they have to manage it by moving the zone boundaries

[Olive]

i just rang the school and they're having 4 prep classes...phew!!!

[BeautifulMadness]

As far as i know they are only allowed a max of 25 kids per class

if there are more they would probably set up an extra prep class.

If you live in the zone for the school you want you're child to attend they HAVE to accpect you.

[Ginger]

how many kids will be in each class olive?

[Olive]

I'm guessing 19 ish

[Astrid]

Rural school here. DD1 is in Prep/1 with 8 preps and 8 year 1's. Think there is 16 preps in the full prep class.