Does anyone know how Kinder Care works in QLD?

[Meluchja]

My DD will be 3 next May. I would love to be able to get her into a Kindy.

Does anyone have any info for me, like is she entitled to go? How much? How often?

[MantaRay]

It has recently changed due to the introduction of the prep year last year. Prior to that you had to put your child's name down at birth to get in to most kindys, but now it is a little easier. There are no public kindys yet, most kids that go to kindy, go to C&K, which is a community kindergarten. It's called a pre-prep year now. My DS is doing this next year and it's costing about $500 a term, so it's not cheap. The age cut off is June 30. So your DD's birthday is in May, that means that she will be eligible to go in 2010, the year in which she turns 4.

If you google C&K you should be able to find your local one, I would ring them now if you are interested in a place. Oh and BTW, it's 5 days a fortnight, from 9am - 2:30pm.

Other than that, your options are limited. There are some private ones - some private schools have a kindy attached, or there is Montessori. But not a lot of options. I believe the state govt is looking to build some public kindys but not in time for my kids!

[smiles4u]

I may not be of much help as i'm in regional Victoria ... but my DD also turns 3 in May (6th of May 2009) next year and her 'cut off time' to be enrolled in Kinder here was back in August this year due to available positions.

It is once per week for 2.5hrs (9.30am to 11am) ... this year it was on a Tues but next year 3year old kinder is going to be on a Mon. The fee is $110 per term. She can start in the middle of the term after she turns 3 or start at the beginning of the term after she turns 3 (i think we start her at the begin of the term).

Prep grade for primary school here the child needs to have turned 5 before April 29th, so will be getting her to start school when she is 5years & 8mths in January 2012.

So, the Kindergarten Director said what they recommend is to do two x years of 3year old Kinder and then one year of 4year old Kinder (which apparently prepares them for primary school).

[Meluchja]

Thanks ladies, it is all so confusing since prep was introduced. According to the new system, my little girl will be in school when she is only 4.5yrs old, to me that seems crazy. But I know some kids are ready, so will see what happens with her. I've been told that the C&K watch out for this for you at Kindy, meaning they let you know if they think they are ready or not. Have you heard this before MantaRay?

[MantaRay]

Yes, I think all kindys do that. The C&K probably do especially as their curriculm includes preparing the kids for school. I think they even cater for kids doing a second year at C&K where necessary. I wouldn't worry too much yet, she's still two years away from her school intake year and I'm sure you'll be surprised at how much more ready she seems in just a year. I am astounded by how grown up DS1 is already!

[Meluchja]

Thanks again for your help. I will contact C&K and find my local Kindy and put her on the list for 2010, or maybe even for half way through next year so she can go to 1.5yrs. Thanks.

[MantaRay]

C&K only do one intake a year, and are really strict on the age (ie between 3 1/2 and 4 1/2) when starting. If you are interested in a mid-year intake, you might have to find somewhere private. Another option for mid next year might be a pre-school room at a day care centre. Some run programs that cater for kindy age kids but which also include younger children as well. This is a more expensive option though.

[hannahfroodoo]

My C&K where I have put DD's name for 2010 will take mid year entries - that is to say - if you don't get in for the year you request then they will keep your name on their waiting list for the whole year and if any kids drop out, then you might get a spot for the remainder of the year.

So I guess if your child is old enough, you could always put your name down in hopes that something will come up mid year? I don't know if all C&K's operate their waiting list this way though.

[Rach75]

Jacks booked in for 2011 we have 32 places available in town and those places go to pre-prep kids I think our is a c/k as well

[Curly]

Hi there

I'm so glad I found this thread but could you go through it again one more time for the dummies?? (ie me!)

I'm a NSW girl, living in Victoria at the moment but we are 99% positive we are going to relocat to Queensland and I'd only just got my head around the way the Vics do things.

In Vic, they do a 3 year old kinder which is twice a week for about 3 hours each time. When the kids turn 4 they do 4 year old kinder which I don't think is everyday. They then start primary school at the age of 5. The first year of primary school is called Prep. (In NSW it's Kindergarten, but anyhoo).

Sooooo......

Am I to understand that the first year of primary school" in Qld was originally Year 1 but a new year has now been introduced called Prep? And does this mean that kids are starting full time school a whole year earlier now?

Is the Community Kindergarten you talk about like preschool?

My DS will be 3 in September this year and has only ever been at home with me, I'm a bit alarmed to think that next year he will be going to preschool every single day. I don't know how that will go down! And we don't enrol them in 3 year old kinder in Vic till they turn 2 years old, have I missed the boat in Qld?

[Floweryfields]

Can I just say alot of childcare centres run excellent kindy and preprep groups aswell. The benefit of childcare is that you may be able to get the govt assistance and/or the childcare rebate.

[Floweryfields]

Hi there

I'm so glad I found this thread but could you go through it again one more time for the dummies?? (ie me!)

I'm a NSW girl, living in Victoria at the moment but we are 99% positive we are going to relocat to Queensland and I'd only just got my head around the way the Vics do things.

In Vic, they do a 3 year old kinder which is twice a week for about 3 hours each time. When the kids turn 4 they do 4 year old kinder which I don't think is everyday. They then start primary school at the age of 5. The first year of primary school is called Prep. (In NSW it's Kindergarten, but anyhoo).

Sooooo......

Am I to understand that the first year of primary school" in Qld was originally Year 1 but a new year has now been introduced called Prep? And does this mean that kids are starting full time school a whole year earlier now?

Is the Community Kindergarten you talk about like preschool?

My DS will be 3 in September this year and has only ever been at home with me, I'm a bit alarmed to think that next year he will be going to preschool every single day. I don't know how that will go down! And we don't enrol them in 3 year old kinder in Vic till they turn 2 years old, have I missed the boat in Qld?

No you are fine. Your child won't got to prep (preschool) until 2012 - as he has to turn 5 by the 30 June in the year he attends - therefore as he doesn't turn 5 until Sept - he won't be allowed to go to prep until the following year - the year he turns 6.
Therefore he can do kindy from the age of 3 until he goes to prep. So I wouldguess that in 2010 he may start 2 day kindy then 2011 he'd do 3 day until he starts prep in 2012. AT least taht is what they tend to do here.

You've got ages yet!!!

[Anila]

Can I just say alot of childcare centres run excellent kindy and preprep groups aswell. The benefit of childcare is that you may be able to get the govt assistance and/or the childcare rebate.

Thats what i was going to say, my 2 and 3 yr old both go to a childcare center, my 3 yr old is in the kindy room there, she is 4 in june and then she will go into their pre prep program, then in 2010 she will attend prep.
She only goes 1 day a week and we get reduced fees from centerlink.

[MantaRay]

There is no equivalent to "3 yo kinder" in Qld anymore. You can certainly have children in day care at any age, and there are also some private kindys that take younger children. But the majority of kindys in Brisbane are C&K, and are community run and do a one year program. They only accept children who are between 3 1/2 and 4 1/2, so that is the children who's birthdays are between July 1 the year before, and the first day of school term are 4 when they start. The children whose birthdays are from end of Jan until June 30 of the school year are 3 when they start and turn 4 in the first half of their kindy year. Then prep is one year later than that. So for my boys:

DS1 born Feb 2005 - kindy (pre-prep) in 2009, school (prep) in 2010
DS2 born Sep 2006 - kindy (pre-prep in 2011, school (prep) in 2012.

Does that clear it up.

[Floweryfields]

They do still do 3 year old kindy where I live, but perhaps that is because they are not full enough? They only open 3 days per week.

[Ambah]

Its so confusing isn't it... just to add to this, the C&K kindy that Aidyn went to offered a 'pre-kindy' program for 3 year olds, but it was only for 2 hours, once a week!

[Meluchja]

Tell me about it. But from what I've gathered, she has to wait until 2010. But I'll ring up now to put her on the list. Soooo confusing.

Why can't it just be like it was when I went to school. They year you turned 6 was the first grade at school, the year you turned 5, was pre-school at primary school, half a day 3 days one week, 2 days the next, so SIMPLE

[runnermum]

Yes, I agree - so confusing!! we have just moved from Melbs to the Gold coast and I am having problems trying to work it all out too!!

my son is just 6 and starting Year 1 at a state school. Fine. But I have another baby almost about to arrive and have already started to think about this little one's early education.

shall I put his/her name down somewhere for pre-prep soon after birth?

Sorry, what does C&K stand for?

also, where can I post for info about occasional care at the Gold Coast ? There seems to be heaps of long term child care, but I am wanting something only once or twice a week for about 3-4 hours at most.