diddy

Hi All,

It's been a while. Hope you're doing well.

Gotta be quick as we still don't have internet at home yet.

We're currently in Port Stephens NSW, but would like to settle in Queensland. The thing that's putting us off is that the kids are born in April 2001 and would start school in NSW in January 2006, whereas in Queensland they would start in January 2007. (the sooner the better!)

However, someone has told us that Preschool in Qld is like the first year NSW and they'd go full time to pre school if attached to a school.

Can anyone shed any light on this?

Thanks,

Paul.

ABCDiamond

The Pre-school in QLD is like Kindergarten in NSW

Some info I dug out:

NSW

Children may enter Kindergarten at the beginning of the school year in NSW government schools if they turn five on or before 31 July in that year.
http://www.schools.nsw.edu.au/gotosc...tingschool.php

Eg: April 2001 birth = turn 5 on April 2006 = Start Kindergarten school in 2006 and therefore year 1 in 2007


QLD
Children born between 1 January and 31 December 2001, including those who complete preschool in 2006, will enrol in Year 1 in 2007.
http://education.qld.gov.au/etrf/prep.html

Children born on or after 1 January 2002 will be eligible for the new preparatory year of schooling before enrolling in Year 1. They must be five by 30 June in the year they begin the preparatory year.

It looks like it will be the same.

My daughter moved from NSW to QLD school, and stayed in the same level.

diddy

Thanks ABC, but I read the NSW as being 5 before the end of July in the year you start (ie July 2006), therefore school for them starts January 2006.

Anyone else?

Paul.

ABCDiamond

Hi Paul
Are you talking about year 1 or the pre-school/Kindergarten year before year 1 ?

I think that the main difference is that in NSW, the Pre-Year One year is compulsory for all children, whereas the equivalent in QLD is NOT compulsory, and is not even available in ALL schools. In 2007 it will become available at ALL QLD schools, as a full time option.

Some QLD schools currently have this pre-school year as a part time year, and others already have it as a full time year. Our own main experience has been with QLD schools that have operated the full time option.

However, Year 1 for both States begins at the same time.

If you pick your location in QLD carefully you should be able to have your child starting pre-school/kindergaten in Jan 2006.

Unfortunately it is another of those things that aren't standardised

NickyC

You are quite right.

In NSW, if your child has their 5th birthday on or before 31st July 2006, officially they can start school in Jan 2006 (when they could be still 4 and a half). This means the ages ranges of the kids in the class (when they start) are from 4 1/2 (youngest) thru to 5 1/2 (oldest). I have no idea where people get the idea that all kids start at age 6 - it definitely doesn't apply in NSW.

This only applies in State schools. Private school's cutoff dates vary and are earlier in the year.

ABCDiamond

This schooling thing has been confusing for some time. I remember when we moved from NSW to QLD, and were told various things like how our daughter would have to re-do a year, etc. But in the end we experienced no real changes:

eg: She was:
4yrs 8 months when she started yr K in NSW (youngest in class)
5yrs 8 months when she started yr 1 in NSW
6yrs 8 months when she started yr 2 in QLD (Middle age-range in class)
7yrs 8 months when she started yr 3 in QLD
8yrs 8 months when she started yr 4 in QLD

Here is a quote from our schools enrolment policy in QLD.
Technically, from this, a child can start school here when they are 4yrs and 1 month old !!

diddy

Cheers guys. We've now decided to head to Qld. It basically means that they'll be in part time preschool from Jan as opposed to full time NSW equivalent (not sure waht this is).

I agree though ABC - time for the states to get together and have one system.

Paul.