Nursery/PreSchool/Reception
Apr 24th 2005, 7:14 pm
#1
Oz Wannabe
Thread Starter
Joined: Jul 2002
Location: portsmouth
Posts: 126
Nursery/PreSchool/Reception
or whatever you call it.
my nipper is 4 next month and is due to start school here in the UK called reception year.
he is currently going to nursery here 3 times a week.
I know OZ school terms and years are different but can someone shed some light on weither they start school later like 5 or something in OZ?
or do they have a "reception" year like here that starts about the same time.
And is it fulltime or part time at the beginning for a few weeks.
Why im asking is that my wife wants him in full time education as he would be here learning in sept and want to find out how different it is.
cheers
john
my nipper is 4 next month and is due to start school here in the UK called reception year.
he is currently going to nursery here 3 times a week.
I know OZ school terms and years are different but can someone shed some light on weither they start school later like 5 or something in OZ?
or do they have a "reception" year like here that starts about the same time.
And is it fulltime or part time at the beginning for a few weeks.
Why im asking is that my wife wants him in full time education as he would be here learning in sept and want to find out how different it is.
cheers
john
Apr 24th 2005, 7:43 pm
#2
jude
Joined: Mar 2005
Location: yorkshire
Posts: 37
Re: Nursery/PreSchool/Reception
Originally Posted by jtimkey
or whatever you call it.
my nipper is 4 next month and is due to start school here in the UK called reception year.
he is currently going to nursery here 3 times a week.
I know OZ school terms and years are different but can someone shed some light on weither they start school later like 5 or something in OZ?
or do they have a "reception" year like here that starts about the same time.
And is it fulltime or part time at the beginning for a few weeks.
Why im asking is that my wife wants him in full time education as he would be here learning in sept and want to find out how different it is.
cheers
john
my nipper is 4 next month and is due to start school here in the UK called reception year.
he is currently going to nursery here 3 times a week.
I know OZ school terms and years are different but can someone shed some light on weither they start school later like 5 or something in OZ?
or do they have a "reception" year like here that starts about the same time.
And is it fulltime or part time at the beginning for a few weeks.
Why im asking is that my wife wants him in full time education as he would be here learning in sept and want to find out how different it is.
cheers
john
Sorry can't help at all but wanted to say thanks for starting this thread - I will be keeping track of it (Plus I wanted to bump it up a bit!!)
Jude
Apr 24th 2005, 8:03 pm
#3
GC family day carer
Joined: Oct 2004
Location: Pacific Pines
Posts: 2,212
Re: Nursery/PreSchool/Reception
I am also interested in this thread. My daughter is 3 and currently at nursery every morning for 2 and a half hours, when we get to Oz she will of just turned 4 and will have 6 months left of part time nursery before she starts full time reception class.
I did hear a rumour school doesn't start in Oz until they're 6.
Also the school year starts in January not September like the UK.
Marie
I did hear a rumour school doesn't start in Oz until they're 6.
Also the school year starts in January not September like the UK.
Marie
Apr 24th 2005, 8:20 pm
#4
Oz Wannabe
Thread Starter
Joined: Jul 2002
Location: portsmouth
Posts: 126
Re: Nursery/PreSchool/Reception
Originally Posted by 68MEVY
I am also interested in this thread. My daughter is 3 and currently at nursery every morning for 2 and a half hours, when we get to Oz she will of just turned 4 and will have 6 months left of part time nursery before she starts full time reception class.
I did hear a rumour school doesn't start in Oz until they're 6.
Also the school year starts in January not September like the UK.
Marie
I did hear a rumour school doesn't start in Oz until they're 6.
Also the school year starts in January not September like the UK.
Marie
This also means my boy wont get in and cant start until the year after.
This is a must for us so means i may have to stay here ! (one of the wifes issues we must agree on for a RETURN to OZ.
Can anybody confirm my findings ?
Apr 24th 2005, 8:54 pm
#5
BE Enthusiast
Joined: Apr 2003
Location: West Melbourne
Posts: 462
Re: Nursery/PreSchool/Reception
Starting age for schololing apparently varies state by state. The pre-school year is typically at age 5, with primary schooling starting at 6. Aussies intentionally do not start teaching kids to read until later than would the Brit schools.
As far as day care is concerned, I put a post up on BritVics about this, and you may be interested in the email I got in response from a foermer UK child care worker....
As far as day care is concerned, I put a post up on BritVics about this, and you may be interested in the email I got in response from a foermer UK child care worker....
"Hi Neil and Pat,
A few observations on day care for you.
there's a difference between a day care centre/ day nursery and say a
playgroup.
Things have changed in UK childcare with the strict child protection act
, the Offsted inspections in nursery schools - attatched to schools
follow school offsted where they are given a yr to prepare, and daycare
have offsted too, as of April this yr will have surprpise
inspections! All nurseries have a more education based day. Not just a
case of putting toys out and letting the children have free play any
more.
The nurseries I looked at in Pakenham had a minimal timetable with no
set schemes of learning.
( i.e this week its "spring", or "how things grow" in my )nursery. They
didn't have a plan of what toys were to be used each day. We have to
plan for every area of play.
We have to write 6 observations a month on the children , use a
development book, tick 3 times when the child has been observed doing
something on the list . Its quite impossible to do mind you! When are we
supposed to have time to do so much paper work - no paperwork time!
The oz nursery staff were given 2 hours a week to do their paperwork.
There are good nurseries and bad ones. Go on several visits, do the
children look happy, do the staff look happy, ask about the different
areas of play.:
Imaginative play, literacy, numeracy, reading/book corner, water/sand
play. painting/ creative. Do the children bring paintings home etc ?
Food- we have strict food handling laws here in uk. The food is checked
with thermometer before it leaves the kitchen and again before we serve
it. It cannot be reheated in a microwave, in oz it can be reheated!
Goodness I must sound picky, these were just a few things I noticed for
the few hours I was doing the work trial.
Do they smack the children?
Do they use sun lotion?
Is the food a balance diet?
In uk our ratios are:
1:5 2-3 yr old
1:8 3-5 yrs
in oz its
1:10 2-3 yrs
1-15 3-5yrs
Its interesting that ABC nurseries made a splash in THe Age this weekend
financial section. with their profit and shares up high! Why because
they are cutting costs in the daycare centres! less staff, less toys,
...
I am no expert. Just that I have had a lot of yrs experience in this
field.
hope this finds you well,
happy nursery hunting:-)
H"
A few observations on day care for you.
there's a difference between a day care centre/ day nursery and say a
playgroup.
Things have changed in UK childcare with the strict child protection act
, the Offsted inspections in nursery schools - attatched to schools
follow school offsted where they are given a yr to prepare, and daycare
have offsted too, as of April this yr will have surprpise
inspections! All nurseries have a more education based day. Not just a
case of putting toys out and letting the children have free play any
more.
The nurseries I looked at in Pakenham had a minimal timetable with no
set schemes of learning.
( i.e this week its "spring", or "how things grow" in my )nursery. They
didn't have a plan of what toys were to be used each day. We have to
plan for every area of play.
We have to write 6 observations a month on the children , use a
development book, tick 3 times when the child has been observed doing
something on the list . Its quite impossible to do mind you! When are we
supposed to have time to do so much paper work - no paperwork time!
The oz nursery staff were given 2 hours a week to do their paperwork.
There are good nurseries and bad ones. Go on several visits, do the
children look happy, do the staff look happy, ask about the different
areas of play.:
Imaginative play, literacy, numeracy, reading/book corner, water/sand
play. painting/ creative. Do the children bring paintings home etc ?
Food- we have strict food handling laws here in uk. The food is checked
with thermometer before it leaves the kitchen and again before we serve
it. It cannot be reheated in a microwave, in oz it can be reheated!
Goodness I must sound picky, these were just a few things I noticed for
the few hours I was doing the work trial.
Do they smack the children?
Do they use sun lotion?
Is the food a balance diet?
In uk our ratios are:
1:5 2-3 yr old
1:8 3-5 yrs
in oz its
1:10 2-3 yrs
1-15 3-5yrs
Its interesting that ABC nurseries made a splash in THe Age this weekend
financial section. with their profit and shares up high! Why because
they are cutting costs in the daycare centres! less staff, less toys,
...
I am no expert. Just that I have had a lot of yrs experience in this
field.
hope this finds you well,
happy nursery hunting:-)
H"
Apr 24th 2005, 8:55 pm
#6
Guest
Posts: n/a
Re: Nursery/PreSchool/Reception
Originally Posted by jtimkey
it does seem after a bit of investigation that they can start the new "prep" year (reception to us) in January. But if they are born after dec 2001 they may not get into these classes.
This also means my boy wont get in and cant start until the year after.
This is a must for us so means i may have to stay here ! (one of the wifes issues we must agree on for a RETURN to OZ.
Can anybody confirm my findings ?
This also means my boy wont get in and cant start until the year after.
This is a must for us so means i may have to stay here ! (one of the wifes issues we must agree on for a RETURN to OZ.
Can anybody confirm my findings ?
Can I suggest that you do a search on this subject, as it has been discussed on several different threads over the last few weeks.
It would also depend on where abouts you were going, as I understand different states have different starting ages for children.
Incidentally, why is it a must that your child starts school so early?
Blossom
Apr 24th 2005, 9:00 pm
#7
Oz Wannabe
Thread Starter
Joined: Jul 2002
Location: portsmouth
Posts: 126
Re: Nursery/PreSchool/Reception
Originally Posted by blossom
Can I suggest that you do a search on this subject, as it has been discussed on several different threads over the last few weeks.
It would also depend on where abouts you were going, as I understand different states have different starting ages for children.
Incidentally, why is it a must that your child starts school so early?
Blossom
It would also depend on where abouts you were going, as I understand different states have different starting ages for children.
Incidentally, why is it a must that your child starts school so early?
Blossom
Apr 24th 2005, 9:07 pm
#8
BE Enthusiast
Joined: Nov 2004
Location: Melbourne
Posts: 957
Re: Nursery/PreSchool/Reception
Originally Posted by jtimkey
or whatever you call it.
my nipper is 4 next month and is due to start school here in the UK called reception year.
he is currently going to nursery here 3 times a week.
I know OZ school terms and years are different but can someone shed some light on weither they start school later like 5 or something in OZ?
or do they have a "reception" year like here that starts about the same time.
And is it fulltime or part time at the beginning for a few weeks.
Why im asking is that my wife wants him in full time education as he would be here learning in sept and want to find out how different it is.
cheers
john
my nipper is 4 next month and is due to start school here in the UK called reception year.
he is currently going to nursery here 3 times a week.
I know OZ school terms and years are different but can someone shed some light on weither they start school later like 5 or something in OZ?
or do they have a "reception" year like here that starts about the same time.
And is it fulltime or part time at the beginning for a few weeks.
Why im asking is that my wife wants him in full time education as he would be here learning in sept and want to find out how different it is.
cheers
john
Whereabouts in Oz are you headed? We moved to Melbourne at the beginning of the year and I know that all states are different when it comes to education. My sons birthday is 3rd May (he will be 3 this year so would have started school Sept 06 in uk). The cutoff date here is 30th April, if you have turned 5 by this 30th April you can start prep year at school next Jan. In the year my son turns 5 (in May) he will have missed this cutoff and will start prep when he's 5 3/4. Lots of people want their kids to start later and if their birthdays fall between Jan - April they actually hold them back a year so they will be 6 before they start. I had a chat with the headteacher and said that if we go back to uk in 2 or 3 years my son will be over a year behind his peers. Seems there is no way around it and you would have to have them assessed as gifted to get them into school early. Having said that, they would then be will fellow pupils who were a lot older than themselves. I am coming round to the idea that it would be nice to start him later. He can do 3 year kinder (about 2x2hr sessions) next year, then 4 year kinder the year after. Hope this is of some help!
Pootle
Last edited by Pootle; Apr 24th 2005 at 9:09 pm. Reason: spelling
Apr 24th 2005, 9:09 pm
#9
BE Forum Addict
Joined: Sep 2004
Location: Townsville,north queensland! and loving it!!
Posts: 1,660
Re: Nursery/PreSchool/Reception
Originally Posted by jtimkey
it does seem after a bit of investigation that they can start the new "prep" year (reception to us) in January. But if they are born after dec 2001 they may not get into these classes.
This also means my boy wont get in and cant start until the year after.
This is a must for us so means i may have to stay here ! (one of the wifes issues we must agree on for a RETURN to OZ.
Can anybody confirm my findings ?
This also means my boy wont get in and cant start until the year after.
This is a must for us so means i may have to stay here ! (one of the wifes issues we must agree on for a RETURN to OZ.
Can anybody confirm my findings ?
hi,
having been in contact with quite a few schools and friends out in oz, the school start age is typically 5 1/2 yrs, they can start school in the january as long as they turned 5 in the december of the previous year.
This tends to be a trait throughout oz, and although you can go to the department of education and request that your child starts before they are 5, it appears that they would be in the minority.
The playschools do seem less structured with regards to teaching writing, reading etc but they do ensure your child discovers about the cultures surrounding them in australia, with visits to theatres, rainforests, sealife centres etc and many have lots of input from the communities who come to the preschools and do plays for them and encourage them to participate in painting and expressing themselves through this.
Although we in the uk would probably be tempted to push more for the schooling way of life, the kids do apparantly become much more aware of their diverse surroundings and are more enriched by this experience.
I suppose its what anyone feels is more important for a 4yr old, I think maybe we do push our kids too hard, especially when so young, i speak from experience, my 4yr old is full time at school, and he would love to meet people from different ethnic backgrounds and learn more about them his new home, rather than learn spellings each friday.
hope this helps alittle, rambling abit as just done a nightshift and had no sleep
Trish
Apr 25th 2005, 2:35 am
#10
Forum Regular
Joined: Jun 2003
Location: Secret Harbour, WA
Posts: 154
Re: Nursery/PreSchool/Reception
Originally Posted by jtimkey
or whatever you call it.
my nipper is 4 next month and is due to start school here in the UK called reception year.
he is currently going to nursery here 3 times a week.
I know OZ school terms and years are different but can someone shed some light on weither they start school later like 5 or something in OZ?
or do they have a "reception" year like here that starts about the same time.
And is it fulltime or part time at the beginning for a few weeks.
Why im asking is that my wife wants him in full time education as he would be here learning in sept and want to find out how different it is.
cheers
john
my nipper is 4 next month and is due to start school here in the UK called reception year.
he is currently going to nursery here 3 times a week.
I know OZ school terms and years are different but can someone shed some light on weither they start school later like 5 or something in OZ?
or do they have a "reception" year like here that starts about the same time.
And is it fulltime or part time at the beginning for a few weeks.
Why im asking is that my wife wants him in full time education as he would be here learning in sept and want to find out how different it is.
cheers
john
Not sure where you are headed in Australia but to give you an idea of dates and ages in Perth have a look at this link for our local school:
http://www.shps.edwa.net.au/school/start.htm
If your son is 4, he would go into Kindy at the end of January which (unfortunately!) is only part-time. This can either be two full days or four half days a week.
Hope this helps a bit.
Best wishes.
Sam
Apr 25th 2005, 3:15 am
#11
Guest
Posts: n/a
Re: Nursery/PreSchool/Reception
Originally Posted by The Thorpes
If your son is 4, he would go into Kindy at the end of January which (unfortunately!) is only part-time. This can either be two full days or four half days a week.
Our daughter started Full-Time Kindergarten in NSW (Reception, or the year before year 1), when she was 4yrs 7months old.
She was the youngest in the class at that time, but when we moved to QLD she became about the middle age in the class.
The year before year 1 is called:
NSW - Kindergarten
QLD - Pre-School or soon to be "Prep Year"
not sure about other states
, but WA sounds liike it is Kindergarten aswell.
Apr 25th 2005, 5:18 am
#12
BE Enthusiast
Joined: Oct 2002
Location: Perth
Posts: 471
Re: Nursery/PreSchool/Reception
My son started pre-primary (reception) here in Perth at 4 years and 10 months in January (the start of the new Academic year). My daughter was in Year 2 in UK and is in Year 2 here. Possibly depends on birthdays but and don't know the cut off dates but as far as we're concerned there is no difference to age/start dates than in UK.
Apr 25th 2005, 6:22 am
#13
BE Enthusiast
Joined: Jan 2005
Posts: 317
Re: Nursery/PreSchool/Reception
Originally Posted by YFitz
My son started pre-primary (reception) here in Perth at 4 years and 10 months in January (the start of the new Academic year). My daughter was in Year 2 in UK and is in Year 2 here. Possibly depends on birthdays but and don't know the cut off dates but as far as we're concerned there is no difference to age/start dates than in UK.
