Could anyone advise me whether you pay for pre-school? Wasnt sure whether it would be the same cost as schools or whether it was a daily rate like kindy.
Also, do they open same times as schools (9 til 3ish) and 5 days a week? Do all kids go and are they linked to schools ie on same site etc. I wondered if they were like reception class in the UK (given they are the same age) or like a pre-school in the UK.
Apologies for all the questions, just trying to familiarise myself with the system.
Any info would be appreciated.....
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Rachael, Matt, Georgia (4) & Marcus (2)
I think that some states charge for preschool (NSW does) but others (like ACT) is free. Generally the year before school starts is a part time year - here the kids attend for (I think) 12 hours a week and that can be over two full days or three long half day sessions. I dont know about other states but some of our preschools share a school site but others are standalone. I think in Qld and WA early childhood education is more integrated into the school system but in other states it is independent. That's always the problem with Aus, each state does its own thing so there are no hard and fast rules. It is a non compulsory year anyway!!!
No such thing as pre school here! You only have kindy which is $50 - $55 for a full day. CK run a group from 9 - 3 but the waiting list is over 2 years!! Qld have just changed school intake dates and the cut off is 30th June - my daughter misses out by 7 days!! Depending on income you will get some rebate back. Also the kids have a 'rest' period because of the heat
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Location: Coombabah, Gold Coast from Oldham, NW England
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My son misses out too here in QLD, but by nearly a month, so not quite as bad! They start at 5, my son will be 5 1/2 nearly- pretty hard after he has done a year of full time nursery in the UK!
It's called Prep, the first year they go, and is full time in QLD, which is good, cos part time in a lot of sates I think. From what I can gather from websites and what my son learns at kindy, (ie recognise your own name written down - at 4!), it is more like nursery than reception.
As Nat mentioned, CK kindys very popular, I had no chance of geting them in there either- plus they charge you to go on the waiting list! No good as by the time they get a place, they'll be at school!
Jo
Thanks for that. It's fallen really badly for me too. We are going to Melbourne and the cut off date there is 30 April and my daughter was born on 12 May. She will therefore be 3 months off her 6th birthday when she starts. My son, who is 22 months younger will go the year after her and he will only be 4! She is due to start Reception in the UK in September 2008 but wont start there until Feb 2010.
Does anyone know if there is any room for movement ie. testing them to see if they can start early? Also, do private schools run from the same take in dates? I'm concerned she's going to be a bit bored by then. Anyone else had any experince with this sort of thing?
My hubby said "What if someone moves from another state where the child was in Year 4, due to the different cut off dates, would they put them back a year into Year 3?" Anyone know?
Thanks again for your earlier replies
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Rachael, Matt, Georgia (4) & Marcus (2)
I even appealed for my youngest to start school - gave them a letter from her school in UK saying she should be starting Jan etc they just said words to the effect of 'you live in Queensland now - thats the rules!'. My elder two have almost skipped a year as in UK in Sept they were year 3 and 4 when they went back to school after Christmas they are year 4 and 5!! quite confusing!!
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Attitude is a small thing that makes a big difference
I even appealed for my youngest to start school - gave them a letter from her school in UK saying she should be starting Jan etc they just said words to the effect of 'you live in Queensland now - thats the rules!'. My elder two have almost skipped a year as in UK in Sept they were year 3 and 4 when they went back to school after Christmas they are year 4 and 5!! quite confusing!!
Dont think of it as skipping a year - as long as they are with their chronological peers they are in the right year! Australia doesnt even have consistency across states so trying to equate with anything international is almost certainly going to confuse!
Thanks for that. It's fallen really badly for me too. We are going to Melbourne and the cut off date there is 30 April and my daughter was born on 12 May. She will therefore be 3 months off her 6th birthday when she starts. My son, who is 22 months younger will go the year after her and he will only be 4! She is due to start Reception in the UK in September 2008 but wont start there until Feb 2010.
Does anyone know if there is any room for movement ie. testing them to see if they can start early? Also, do private schools run from the same take in dates? I'm concerned she's going to be a bit bored by then. Anyone else had any experince with this sort of thing?
My hubby said "What if someone moves from another state where the child was in Year 4, due to the different cut off dates, would they put them back a year into Year 3?" Anyone know?
Thanks again for your earlier replies
You may be able to appeal because her birthday is very close to the cut off date and if she has had some full time schooling in UK they may consider her. I dont know how Victoria address their gifted and talented early intake but in ACT if a child tests out as being in the gifted and talented range along with comparable social and emotional development then they may be considered for early entry but not by many months.
In answer to your husband's question - not really an easy one to answer but yes, sometimes they will put kids with their chronological peers (that is the way that most systems operate) and effectively put them in a year below the one they may have been in. If there is any indication that a child will be moving interstate again (eg for kids of servicepeople) then they may go along with their years of school experience and put them with kids who are older.
If a child enrols in a NSW kindergarten (end July cut off) and then transfers to ACT (and, I would think, Victoria too) and they have already begun full time school then they will be enrolled in Kindergarten enabling them to continue their full time schooling.
No guarantees but I think if you appealed then you would have a good case compared with a kid who hadnt actually begun full time schooling.
My son misses out too here in QLD, but by nearly a month, so not quite as bad! They start at 5, my son will be 5 1/2 nearly- pretty hard after he has done a year of full time nursery in the UK!
It's called Prep, the first year they go, and is full time in QLD, which is good, cos part time in a lot of sates I think. From what I can gather from websites and what my son learns at kindy, (ie recognise your own name written down - at 4!), it is more like nursery than reception.
As Nat mentioned, CK kindys very popular, I had no chance of geting them in there either- plus they charge you to go on the waiting list! No good as by the time they get a place, they'll be at school!
Jo
Hi again Jo,
Just wondered if you could explain in English (bit thick y'see) when do they actually start school when they have July birthdays as I'm totally confused by it all with the school year starting in Jan (doesn't take much). I could only just get my head around the English system!
