Queensland Prep year and Grade 1 cut offs

Ok my daughter was born 19/11/2001 so she will be 5 at the end of next year (Nov. 2006)
I know that she would normally be able to go to Preschool as the child must be four years old by the last day of December in the year before enrolment in preschool(She will be, this Nov.) but I found out that several schools are trialling the Prep year now before it becomes compulsory in 2007. We are interested in starting her in prep BUT I really don't get the cut offs and stuff. I looked at the website and according to that I read that she won't be able to go to prep until 2007 but when I rang the Education dept. I was told that she should be going next year.....
I am so confused can anyone help me?


I would be grateful for the help!!

Hi Michelle... I was asking this same question just the other day. Here's what the school gave me.

Compulsory prep doesn't start until 2007. Some schools are trialling it, but it would be up to you to get your child into it. If that was the case, you'd have to start her next year.

Otherwise, according to Ed Qld, she would go to preschool next year and be eligible for Year 1 in 2007.

But it would be your choice... if you want to send her to Prep in 2007 you could (when compulsory Prep starts). That would just mean that she didn't start Grade 1 until 2008. But that wouldn't necessarily be a bad thing, because other kids eligible for Yr 1 in 2008 are born 1 January 2002 to 30 June 2002.

Hope that helps.

Thanks mate that is what I worked out too!! I actually talked to my Deanna's teacher at the child care centre and she said she thinks that she would benefit from a pre year and so do I!!

Argh... so confusing isn't it girls!!!
Would any of you be able to work this out for me off the top of your heads?...
Aidyn was born 2 May 2004.... What year should he bs starting prep? Is it 2009?
I heard somewhere that they were changing the age cut-offs to June30 each year... so does that mean he would still start in 2009, but someone born 2 months after him would be starting in 2010?

OK this might help. This is what's on the fact sheet the school gave me:


Child born 1 Jan 2001 to 31 Dec 2001 - no compulsory prep, eligible for Yr 1 in 2007
Child born 1 Jan 2002 to 30 June 2002 - prep in 2007, eligible for Yr 1 in 2008
Child born 1 July 2002 to 30 June 2003 - prep in 2008, eligible for Yr 1 in 2009
Child born 1 July 2003 to 30 June 2004 - prep in 2009, eligible for Yr 1 in 2010
Child born 1 July 2004 to 30 June 2005 - prep in 2010, eligible for Yr 1 in 2011

So Ambah going by this table, Aidyn starts prep in 2009.

Ooooh thanks so much for that Mistyfying!! :D

Dont know if I like the fact that he is going to be one of the youngest in his class though??......
Has anyone ever found that to be a problem- when their child was literally a year younger than some of the others?

OMG...our bub is due 19th December, 2005 which means she won't be starting prep year until 2011!!!! That seems SOO far away and unlike me (I was a December baby and still 16yrs when I finished high school in year 12), she'll be quite a few years older than that.

I am so frustrated with the changes to the system! I suppose when we are all used to it in a few years time it won't be so bad but it is so frustrating at the moment becuase my DS is a december baby born 2002 which means while he could have gone to pre-school next year he now needs to wait until 2008 to start Prep. What makes it more frustrating is that he is so ready for school, his daycare have already moved him into the 3 1/2 - 4 1/2 group (end of last year) because he is working at that level and now all his friends are going to go off to Prep next year and he will have to wait another year :-(

I know they are trying to make sure all students are ready for school and stop some kids just going because it is easier for parents than daycare or part-time pre school but I wish they hadn't taken the choice away from all parents to decide when their students are ready for school. Sorry for the rant

It's annoying how restrictive this new system is! It's good to hear your ds is enjoying pre-school

I agree. I don't understand the dogma about cutoffs, there should be a bit of flexibility. Apparently I have heard that if your child is at preschool this year, you have no chance of getting into prep unless an assessment is done and there is a problem. Just being a bit immature or not ready is not reason enough. I don't see why these children should be penalised if both the preschool teacher and parent don't feel their child is ready to start school. Children need to be treated individually. Sorry for my little rant. Alternatively my dd's friend is going to miss the prep cutoff by 4 days next year again she has no hope of doing even though she will be more than ready.

Its so confusing, Matilda was born June 17th so she will be like Aidyn one of the youngest in her class.... :-k Now we have to figure out where we will be living by then to enroll her!