School ages in Melbourne
#1
Forum Regular
Thread Starter
Joined: Mar 2011
Posts: 76
School ages in Melbourne
Hi all
Please can anyone help......my husband, 2 children (4 and 2) are emigrating to Melbourne early 2012. We are now looking into schooling but have come across many different stories for school ages. My eldest will be 5 when we arrive.
What age do children in Melbourne start school?
Any info welcome, thank you.
Please can anyone help......my husband, 2 children (4 and 2) are emigrating to Melbourne early 2012. We are now looking into schooling but have come across many different stories for school ages. My eldest will be 5 when we arrive.
What age do children in Melbourne start school?
Any info welcome, thank you.
#2
221b Baker Street
Joined: Jun 2010
Location: Miles from anywhere, Victoria, Australia.
Posts: 14,125
Re: School ages in Melbourne
The school year starts in January. I THINK that Victoria wide, generally the start age is 6 but much like the UK, birth dates make a difference. There is also kinder.
#3
Re: School ages in Melbourne
In Victoria the official cutoff date for starting school is 30th April. If your child is 5 before the 30th April, then they can start school in Jan/Feb of that year. If they're 5 after 30th April, then they start in Jan/Feb the following year.
This means that the age they can officially start school varies from 4 years and 9 months to 5 years and 9 months - depending on when their birthday is . You will find that, in practice, many parents of children with March or April birthdays will voluntarily hold them back till the next year - to avoid them being the youngest in the year.
This means that the age they can officially start school varies from 4 years and 9 months to 5 years and 9 months - depending on when their birthday is . You will find that, in practice, many parents of children with March or April birthdays will voluntarily hold them back till the next year - to avoid them being the youngest in the year.
#5
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Thread Starter
Joined: Mar 2011
Posts: 76
Re: School ages in Melbourne
In Victoria the official cutoff date for starting school is 30th April. If your child is 5 before the 30th April, then they can start school in Jan/Feb of that year. If they're 5 after 30th April, then they start in Jan/Feb the following year.
This means that the age they can officially start school varies from 4 years and 9 months to 5 years and 9 months - depending on when their birthday is . You will find that, in practice, many parents of children with March or April birthdays will voluntarily hold them back till the next year - to avoid them being the youngest in the year.
This means that the age they can officially start school varies from 4 years and 9 months to 5 years and 9 months - depending on when their birthday is . You will find that, in practice, many parents of children with March or April birthdays will voluntarily hold them back till the next year - to avoid them being the youngest in the year.
Thank you very much for the help. My eldest will be 5 in may, so he will then go when he is 5years 8months, making him one of the eldest. (just getting my head around the age difference)
He starts school here in the uk in September, so will then go from being at school to being home with me for potentially a year. Oh no......let's hope I can entertain him
What about pre school? Do you have this in oz? Is it government funded or do parents pay? Sorry for the questions.
#6
Victorian Evangelist
Joined: Sep 2005
Location: Melbourne, by the beach, living the dream.
Posts: 7,704
Re: School ages in Melbourne
Thank you very much for the help. My eldest will be 5 in may, so he will then go when he is 5years 8months, making him one of the eldest. (just getting my head around the age difference)
He starts school here in the uk in September, so will then go from being at school to being home with me for potentially a year. Oh no......let's hope I can entertain him
What about pre school? Do you have this in oz? Is it government funded or do parents pay? Sorry for the questions.
He starts school here in the uk in September, so will then go from being at school to being home with me for potentially a year. Oh no......let's hope I can entertain him
What about pre school? Do you have this in oz? Is it government funded or do parents pay? Sorry for the questions.
Places at 4 year old kinder are limited, however your son being one of the older ones will be more likely to get a place of choice.
BB
#7
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Joined: Mar 2011
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Re: School ages in Melbourne
Hi Hayley, our twins also have a May birthday so they started school when they were 5 years 8 months. There is both 3 and 4 year pre-school. 3 year is voluntary and is not state funded. 4 year is part of the state education program and is subsidised. It is important for your child to do 4 year kinder as they get a report from then which is given to their school, all about what they have done at pre-school and what they might need from school.
Places at 4 year old kinder are limited, however your son being one of the older ones will be more likely to get a place of choice.
BB
Places at 4 year old kinder are limited, however your son being one of the older ones will be more likely to get a place of choice.
BB
Excellent thanks very much, so much clearer now! That's good that will can still get him (hopefully) a place in kinder before he starts school. Is the kinder year the same as school.....jan-dec? Then I can take younger boy to parent toddler groups and hopefully find some friends thanks very much for all your help.
#8
Re: School ages in Melbourne
Excellent thanks very much, so much clearer now! That's good that will can still get him (hopefully) a place in kinder before he starts school. Is the kinder year the same as school.....jan-dec? Then I can take younger boy to parent toddler groups and hopefully find some friends thanks very much for all your help.
#10
Victorian Evangelist
Joined: Sep 2005
Location: Melbourne, by the beach, living the dream.
Posts: 7,704
Re: School ages in Melbourne
Excellent thanks very much, so much clearer now! That's good that will can still get him (hopefully) a place in kinder before he starts school. Is the kinder year the same as school.....jan-dec? Then I can take younger boy to parent toddler groups and hopefully find some friends thanks very much for all your help.
BB
#11
Lost in BE Cyberspace
Joined: Oct 2005
Location: Hill overlooking the SE Melbourne suburbs
Posts: 16,622
Re: School ages in Melbourne
My children's school was built in Victorian times so it is easily over 100 years old - hope that helps! Can't determine an exact school-age without checking.
#12
Victorian Evangelist
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Location: Melbourne, by the beach, living the dream.
Posts: 7,704
#13
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Re: School ages in Melbourne
Lovely, thank you. Quite an outgoing person and can chat all day so that's in my favour! Like getting involved with activities too so fingers crossed......school committee sounds like I good idea.....I'll add that to my big long list of things. Thanks again