Nic938

Hi everyone

Can anyone tell me, I have a 4 and a half year old who I have been told will go to Kindergarten. Is this the equivalent to nursery here? Is it every day for half a day or only part of the week? Is it the same as the schools that you need to be in a catchment area?

Sorry for all the questions.

Nic

northernbird

Kindy is not compulsory so is not subject to the catchment area rules. Enrolment for Kindy takes place in the July or August of the previous year and usually runs at around 20 children per class. For instance our Kindy class for next year is full and we are taking no further enrolments. This is the case for a lot of popular primary schools. Some schools have 4 half days and some do 2 full days. It can often be difficult to enrol a child later in the year, you may have to put your name down on waiting lists if the school in your chosen suburb is full.

Hope that helps.

Nic938

Thanks for the information. We are arriving in January so am I right in thinking he will not get a place until the following January (unless a place becomes available)? Can I try enrolling him now for kindergarten or will they not allow me to do that over the phone? Thanks again.

Nic

northernbird

You can try, nowt to lose. You may be lucky when you arrive and find a school that has places but it may not be in the suburb you live. A lot of parents find this a problem as schooling isn't compulsory until Year 1.

PoppetUK

Whens your little one's birthday. July03 to June 04 will start Kindy in Jan / Feb 08.

ohippy

In Halls Head there is a new school being built which hasn't even been named yet. They are currently taking enrollments and there will be a kindy. I suspect that they may well take your enrollment

Nic938

His birthday is 21st July 2003. he started school school this week and I want to try and keep something going when I get there!

Nic

PoppetUK

I would definately give the schools in the area you want to settle a ring to find out about in take for next year. My little one is going to the local school, just enroled and I know they base the classes on the number of kids applying at the time. There was talk of them having more classes this year. I am sure you would be able to find a place in one of the surrounding suburbs if the immediate school was full. I can't believe all the classes in all the schools are full.

Good luck.

PoppetUK

LisaT

Hi

I have a similar problem (sorry to jump your thread Nic)
My son has just turned 3 (born 03/09/04).
He has been going to pre school here in uk for 9 months and i'd like to continue with something in Oz. What is available for his age. Also planning to be in Oz Jan 08.
When can he start Kindy?

northernbird

If you were coming to Perth your son will start kindy in Feb 2009. Nothing formal for a child of 3, we sent our daughter at 3 to a 3's group which was 1 morning a week. There are playgroups but these aren't structured in any way more like mums and tots groups back in the UK.

PoppetUK

Don't mean to be negative but this is one of the things I find hardest about settling in Oz. My daughter was going to a playgroup where I left her two mornings in the UK. When we arrived in Oz there was nothing that was "structured". She is sooooooooooo ready for Kindy and so am I ready for her to go. My son won't go to kindy until he is 4 (at least daughter will be 3.5). The kiddies need that structure in my opinion otherwise the energies turn into the wrong things. Hopefully once the weather gets better it will be easier but roll on Term 1 2008!!!

northernbird

I can understand your frustration because my daughter missed the cut off by 6 days and no matter what I said to the school they weren't for budging. With the benefit of being here a couple of years now I am glad that my daughter has stayed home with me for a bit longer. It has been harder for sure but she is now emotionally ready for school as well as on an educational level. They start them far to young in UK for my liking.

Nic938

Hi everyone

Got up at 6.00am this morning and called the new kindergarten/primary school that is opening in Halls Head (which is where we hope to settle) and managed to enrol the 4 year old for kindy and my 6 year old for school

I am one happy bunny as it was really starting to stress me out

Thanks to everyone

Nic

Darren_Karen

Nic

can i ask whereabouts Halls Head is? We are due to land Dec, and want to sort out schools for my 9 and 5 year old. I haven't managed to find it on the internet. Would you be willing to PM me the phone number, so i can try the same approach? This is currently my biggest worry about the stress of not getting accommodation yet for when we land.

Cheers

Karen

northernbird

It is down Mandurah way about 70km from Perth.