gwolst77 Posted January 8, 2013 Share Posted January 8, 2013 Can anyone give advice on what the school enrollment process is (for a four/five year old) in Victoria? I'm just trying to figure out where and who I need to speak to, and what hoop's I need to jump through? We live in Point Cook (on Alamanda) and know that the new school opens this year at some point (June/July) this will be five minute walk from our front door so fingers crossed they have places left. More importantly does anyone have experience of pushing school authorities to have your child start school if their 5th birthday is a couple of months past the school age cut-off date? My daughter started school last year in the UK, until I brought the family over at the end of November. She turns five in July and I believe Victoria's cut off date is April 30th (NSW is 30th July so it would not be an issue). She excelled and loved every minute at school back in the UK, even though she was the youngest in her year. Both physically and mentally she has always been ahead of the curve when compared to other children her age (people have often mistaken her for someone who is a year older than her actually age). If I can't get her into school what is the process for Kindie in Point Cook and does anybody have any recommendations of where to go? Also does anybody know what we entitled to on a 457 visa regarding Kindie? I know we won't get the childcare rebate as we are not PR yet (we are going to apply for PR in March), however I am sure we are entitled to X hours per week term time. Any help or advice on this matter would be great! :biggrin: Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest The Pom Queen Posted January 9, 2013 Share Posted January 9, 2013 If it is a government school and you live in their zone they have to accept you. Why dont you enjoy the next year with your child before she starts school. Re kindie afaik if you aren't PR you won't receive child benefit. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SGHJLL Posted January 9, 2013 Share Posted January 9, 2013 We just downloaded forms from school and they said take them in when we get over there. (Ocean Grove). Kindie is very difficult to get into mid term I have been told as we have one that has started school already in Uk and not due to start in Oz until Feb next year. Told near on impossible to get into Kindie for a part term. We have resigned to being beach bums for a few months together. The school says they will accommodate the children without problem. Moving 2 Melbourne, do you know if the process is straightforward for claiming child benefit? We are PR visa holders. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
gwolst77 Posted January 10, 2013 Author Share Posted January 10, 2013 If it is a government school and you live in their zone they have to accept you.Why dont you enjoy the next year with your child before she starts school. Re kindie afaik if you aren't PR you won't receive child benefit. Hi M2M I know we won't get any financial help regarding childcare costs, but are we entitled to the 15 hours (or whatever it is) of Kindie per week? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
gazl Posted January 17, 2013 Share Posted January 17, 2013 Hi, we just moved to Alamanda a few weeks ago and have enrolled our two youngest in the new school which opens the end of January. We went to point cook senior to meet the head and enroll,my kids are 6 and 11 hope this helps Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
FIGO Posted January 17, 2013 Share Posted January 17, 2013 Hi gazl, Have you just moved to Melbourne? If so can I ask did you make contact with the schools before arriving in Australia? It's just that we are coming over around May time to the area and reading some threads some people made contact before they arrived others made contact once they had a permanent address. Can I also ask how you found the head? Thanks! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
gwolst77 Posted January 17, 2013 Author Share Posted January 17, 2013 Hi, we just moved to Alamanda a few weeks ago and have enrolled our two youngest in the new school which opens the end of January. We went to point cook senior to meet the head and enroll,my kids are 6 and 11 hope this helps Thanks we are going to start looking into it properly next week, how was the process? Are you new to the Australia or just PC? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mumoffour Posted January 18, 2013 Share Posted January 18, 2013 FIGO: Where we chose to live there was only 1 state school - I contacted them via email from the UK; arranged a meeting for about day 4 after arrival in Oz (had to be quick before the holidays between term 2 & 3) Had a meeting and tour round the school, kids had a sample afternoon in their classes and then started properly on day 1 of term 3. Very welcoming school and staff - several new families started at the same time as us and the school held a new families coffee morning. Kids have settled in really well (they are pretty much the youngest in their year groups though but we transferred them into the appropriate academic level rather than age group peers, if you see what I mean? Only issue for us has been handwriting - they use Victorian cursive here that my children hadn't seen before (I'd been filling them in on aboriginal history, geography and slang - didn't even think about handwriting lol! ) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
FIGO Posted January 18, 2013 Share Posted January 18, 2013 Thanks mumoffour, glad to here you have all settled well, can I ask did the school place them into their year groups or was it your choice. My kids will be 10 and 12 in July, so just not sure where they will be placed. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hoey77 Posted January 18, 2013 Share Posted January 18, 2013 Hello, we are trying to enroll our 4 year old into the Alamanda school for next Jan but can't seem to find out were to do it. We live on the estate and have been informed if you do live on it you are guaranteed a place not sure if that is true or not. We are on a 457 visa and were told we are not entitled to any help towards nursery or kindie it would be interesting to know if others who were on the same visa's are. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
gwolst77 Posted January 19, 2013 Author Share Posted January 19, 2013 Hello, we are trying to enroll our 4 year old into the Alamanda school for next Jan but can't seem to find out were to do it. We live on the estate and have been informed if you do live on it you are guaranteed a place not sure if that is true or not. We are on a 457 visa and were told we are not entitled to any help towards nursery or kindie it would be interesting to know if others who were on the same visa's are. I think you enroll up at the Alamanda club on certain days during the week. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
gazl Posted January 20, 2013 Share Posted January 20, 2013 Hi guys, we moved to melbourne about 8 weeks ago and spent the first 6 weeks in southbank and have been in a rental in Alamanda for a few weeks. We only contacted the school when we got here as its still being built and we wanted to look at the area first. We emailed the new Head teacher and got asked to a meeting in the local senior schools few days later! They were very helpful and told us everything we needed to know. We've also got a meeting this week in the local library so the kids can meet classmates and teachers before they start. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
gazl Posted January 20, 2013 Share Posted January 20, 2013 They now enroll at Point cook senior,I'll look out the heads email post it in the morning Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hoey77 Posted January 21, 2013 Share Posted January 21, 2013 They now enroll at Point cook senior,I'll look out the heads email post it in the morning Thanks for the information, if you could pass on the heads email that would be great. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
FIGO Posted January 21, 2013 Share Posted January 21, 2013 Thanks gazl, that would be great. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hoo2Victoria Posted January 22, 2013 Share Posted January 22, 2013 We just downloaded forms from school and they said take them in when we get over there. (Ocean Grove). Kindie is very difficult to get into mid term I have been told as we have one that has started school already in Uk and not due to start in Oz until Feb next year. Told near on impossible to get into Kindie for a part term. We have resigned to being beach bums for a few months together. The school says they will accommodate the children without problem. Moving 2 Melbourne, do you know if the process is straightforward for claiming child benefit? We are PR visa holders. I arrived in Melbourne on 26th October 2012 and applied for Family Assistance as soon as we moved into our Rental 21/11/2013. I have just received my payment back dated too thank you very much You can claim online as follows: http://www.humanservices.gov.au/customer/information/family-assistance-website?utm_id=10 Hope this helps. Claire Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hoo2Victoria Posted January 22, 2013 Share Posted January 22, 2013 For anyone moving to Melbourne you can contact the Department of Education and they are always happy to assist. http://www.education.vic.gov.au/Pages/default.aspx Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
gazl Posted January 22, 2013 Share Posted January 22, 2013 Sorry for the late reply guys, the web site is http://www.alamandastatecollege.com and the head teachers name Lynette Jobson, sorry but I can find her email address but should be on the website Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
FIGO Posted January 22, 2013 Share Posted January 22, 2013 Thanks gazl, will look into this. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hoey77 Posted January 23, 2013 Share Posted January 23, 2013 Sorry for the late reply guys, the web site is www.alamandastatecollege.com and the head teachers name Lynette Jobson, sorry but I can find her email address but should be on the website Thanks very much for the information. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
gwolst77 Posted January 24, 2013 Author Share Posted January 24, 2013 I spoke to the headmaster the other day and she seemed really nice. We have decided to enroll our daughter in Kindie at Alamanda and she will start school next year. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kellex Posted May 29, 2013 Share Posted May 29, 2013 Hi gwolst77 just been reading this thread and was wondering if you managed to get your daughter in to school early? We will be in the same situation when we move next year as our daughter turns 5 on the 1st may. we have just returned from our reccie trip and loved point cook especially the alamanda estate so I would be very interested in what you think of the school there? Is it open now? It sounds like you have settled very well and enjoying life there! Do you work in IT & Telecoms? Thanks Kellex Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
gwolst77 Posted May 31, 2013 Author Share Posted May 31, 2013 Hi gwolst77 just been reading this thread and was wondering if you managed to get your daughter in to school early? We will be in the same situation when we move next year as our daughter turns 5 on the 1st may. we have just returned from our reccie trip and loved point cook especially the alamanda estate so I would be very interested in what you think of the school there? Is it open now? It sounds like you have settled very well and enjoying life there! Do you work in IT & Telecoms? Thanks Kellex You may be able to get you daughter in school seeing that it is only a day past the cut off for these two reasons Most important reason is they have to take into account any previous learning, so if your daughter has attended full time education that should be a massive tick in the box. In NSW the cut off is July 30th and your are only a day over (if you were moving interstate she would be attending school). You will probably have to start making contact with the relevant parties now to get here enrolled though. We decided in the end to send her to Kindie instead of going down the appeals process, so she starts next year. The new school is not built yet so they don't move in until July. PM me and we will talk in more detail if you want Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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