paulhill

The one we go to is a non-profit organisation and at $50 a day is cheap.

By the Avon

But when they're old enough to go to the proper kindy it only costs $50 a term (state school two school days a week). My son just started this year, and as a boy with a birthday in July I've had to wait until he was 4.5, but it was worth it, he loves it and was so ready to go.

DadAgain

hmm - compared with $450 a term...
Lets see - 10 week terms, = 25days = $18 a day...

Dont want to turn it into a pissing contest - but kindy will always be cheaper than daycare! (and 'prep' better still since its free!!!!)

dejags

Ok, so my options are:

1. Keep him at home with me until Jan 2009 - when he can start kindy two days a week, which he will attend for one year. He will then start prep in 2010 (he will turn 5 in September of this year).

2. Keep him at home with me until Jan 2010 - he will go straight into prep, that's if he hasn't left home or died of boredom

3. Put him in a Daycare setting (expensive) to suit the number of days/hours which suits me and him until he his old enough for Kindy (hel'll probably go to both kindy and daycare as 2 halfdays a week is not enough for him), then onto Prep in 2010.

I think I'll go with no. 3 if I can find a daycare which offers decent standards of care. This thread has me imagining all sorts of bad things though. What are the daycare facilities like? Honestly?

comet555

When you get here I'd find the nearest C&K and put your childs name on the waiting list. You just might get lucky. We put my daughters name down last October (2007) and she managed to get a spot for Term 1 when it started up at the end of January. We were very lucky, but for some reason there were quite a few people that got in at the last minute.

The C&K is either 2 days or 3 days a week. It costs $20 a day minus the centrelink child care beneft, so with the minimum benefit that everyone gets it's about $18 a day. There is a HUGE difference between the C&K and the daycare kindy program that my daughter went to before this.

The C&K is just like a regular school program. There is a start time, finish time and a regular curriculum. In contrast the daycare she went to before this was not as structured and the kids could be dropped off or picked up at any time in the day. Plus you don't get to meet any of the parents that way. I was happy with it at the time but now that I've seen the difference I'd choose the C&K anyday. There really wasn't anything wrong with the daycare kindy though, the centre was nice and so were the teachers & assistants. It just wasn't as structured and I don't think she was getting as much out of it. Oh, and the daycare kindy was $48 a day I think (then minus subsidies).

loubiegreen

Sorry for butting in again, but I am not totally confused. My son was born in November so does that mean that the January following his 5th birthday he will start prep or is it before that.

Help, don't know if I can deal with all these changes lolol.

Kind regards Lou xx

The Bournes

What does C&K stand for, just so i know what im looking for once i arrive.

dejags

Yes that's correct. So he will turn 6 in Prep, 7 in Y1, 8 in Y2 etc. Same as my son.

dejags

http://www.candk.asn.au/

C&K is a private childcare operation with a good reputation (as far as I can see).

comet555

I'm not sure I would use the term "childcare" though. It is in a technical sense, but they aren't really a place you could use for full time childcare.

You can only choose 2 or 3 day a week options and the school day runs from 8:30 to 2pm. Great school but it might not fit into the schedules of many working parents.

Our centre does have extra programs that run later. So you have the option to extend to 3pm for $7 more, or you can extend to 5:30 at the latest (not sure how much more though).

dejags

Oh, I didn't realise that. Their website says they do offer childcare at certain centres http://www.candk.asn.au/Preschooling...Childcare.aspx

Maybe it depends on where you live.

loubiegreen

Thanks everyone,

Reading this my eldest who is actually in secondary school here in the UK looks like he will have to do a school year twice, don't think he will be too happy about that, but never mind.

Not quite so confused now lolol.

Thanks again you have been a great help.

Lou xx

hollykimalan

Sorry to butt in...
My son was born on the 30th of June 2006. Will he then be the youngest in his class?
We are going to live in Queensland...are they very strict about when your kid should start...we dont want him going if he aint really ready.
But to be honest I think he will be very ready for it by then!
HKA
x

funkydelia

It doesn't really work like that, all the kids who will turn 6 in 2012 will start school together in Jan/Feb at the beginning of term 1.

hollykimalan

Quote:
Originally Posted by hollykimalan
Sorry to butt in...
My son was born on the 30th of June 2006. Will he then be the youngest in his class?
We are going to live in Queensland...are they very strict about when your kid should start...we dont want him going if he aint really ready.
But to be honest I think he will be very ready for it by then!
HKA
x

It doesn't really work like that, all the kids who will turn 6 in 2012 will start school together in Jan/Feb at the beginning of term 1.


....Cordelia...
He will be the youngest in his class still the same...
'Cos he will be in the same class as kids who could have been born 1 July 2005..
If he were born 24 hours later he would be the oldest...in the following cohort.
I think....
Al
x

PS Kim says the show home is up for sale too now!