Help with pre-school

[PMBDarryl]

Hi all

We are arriving in Perth on the 31 March and have a question re pre-school/ school ages.

My daughter will be 4 years old on the 24 April this year. Will she go to a nursery or pre-school in Oz? Here in the UK she is at pre-school already and would have started reception in September this year. Am a little confused as to how the system works there, they seem to start a bit later than SA and the UK. At what age do they start school there? We just need to work out what we need to look for once we land.

Any help would be appreciated.

Thanks

Darryl

[McCabes]

Hi Darryl,

Hey our daughters share their birthdays, Jessie is also turning 4 on 24/4

I'm not there, so take this with a massive pinch of salt, but a common theme that seems to run through is that the schools in Aus will see what will work best for your child, and then do that. As far as I know they start prep in WA in the year they turn 5 (?), but it may be she can start this year due to her birthday being in April, and if she's already covered some of what they do I'm not sure why they would keep her back?

Sorry... so I guess if her age would allow, they will probably start her in prep/reception, but if not then she will need to go to kindy/pre-school for another year.

Don't think it's a bad thing either way - the extra kindy year may help her to find her bearings, learn the lingo and make some friends before needing to settle down and focus on the more serious academic stuff. And I don't think it's ever a bad thing for them to have an extra year to just play

They have changed the rules back to how it was when I was at school again in SA - ie, if your birthday falles before 30 June, you can technically start school a year early, so we had the option of sending Jessie to grade 00 this year, but we just didn't feel she was ready in our case, so we're holding out till next year.

[Sibella]

I don't know what the cut off date is for Western Australia and each state is different. Here in Victoria it is 30 April so your child has to be five by the end of April to start, but here it is flexible and most people keep their kids back if they are born after December so most kids are 5 turning 6 in Prep.

My daughter did Reception in the UK but as her birthday is in April I kept her back so she went to kindy until the next year. But then she struggled with Reception in the UK, didn't want to leave me and never learnt to read properly so it depends on how ready your child is.

[PMBDarryl]

@McCabes Shared birthdays and years, crazy! Thanks for the advice, I reckon we'll try kindy for another year, makes sense as it would be hard for her to start the school year in April. Next year she can start in January with the other kids and they can all settle in together and bond that way.

@Sibella Thanks for your advice, I reckon kindy is the way forward for reasons stated above. How did your daughter adjust to the move from the UK? I would be keen to hear how she adjusted to the warmer weather (from a cold/cool UK) and making new friends. Michaela is big mates with her pre-school mates and keeps asking if they are coming with.......I know kids adjust quickly but still slightly worried about her transition but am sure she'll fit in quickly

[Sibella]

They enjoy the weather mostly and love swimming outside etc. in summer and I just love that they are not as pale as they used to be. Just looked at some photos of them taken in the UK and they were too white!

But my kids (especially my eldest now aged 12) complain that it's too hot and we live in Melbourne so not really that hot most of the time!

Interesting enough my middle daughter's asthma is better in Australia and they don't seem to get sick as much, for instance in the UK both my husband and one of my girls were hospitalised with pneumonia while we (touch wood) haven't had any of that here. Although my hay fever is so bad especially when it rains!

It was easy to settle for my middle daughter (I was talking about above) then five year old (she is seven now turning eight in April) but very difficult for my eldest. Although she did miss her friends and still talks about them. I did worry initially as there was a bit of teasing going on in kindy as she has some quirks but the teachers quickly nipped it in the bud. She made friends quickly at school but they change classes every year where I found in the UK my eldest was in the same class through out primary school so when she left she had a very close group of friends.

But here because they change classes around each year it is a bit more tricky although she is friends with lots of kids but doesn't have a special friend.

It's a big adjustment but she's still young so it shouldn't be too hard for her. For you guys it will be a different story though! Good luck!!

[PMBDarryl]

Thanks Sibella. I am sure she will adjust well, the heat in Perth will be a different story so glad we are going in the autumn when it's not as hot. Michaela is constantly sick here with colds, flu and coughs so hoping the warmer, drier weather will put an end to that. She's going to love the outdoor lifestyle as she's so active and full of energy. She will miss her friends too but she'll make new ones soon enough. Hurry up 29 March!!

Thanks again for your input, it's much appreciated!

[Yvonne]

Hi, my daughter turned 4 in Feb this year (2014). She goes to Kindy which is the first year of the Early Learning years at primary school in WA. The children in her class turn four between 1July 2013- 30 June 2014. Next year they go to Pre-primary. Kindy is non-compulsory although most children attend and a lot of playing between some formal learning. It differs between schools, but is generally 5 days a fortnight.

Hope this helps