Like any other countries, Australia has 2 kind of schools. They are public and private schools.
Starting school is an important step in a young child’s life and many parents has asked question ‘Is my child ready for school?” Children develop at different rates and learn skills in different ways.
Parent / caretakers of students starting kindergarten often want further information and advice about whether their child is ready to start school. Parent / caretakers are encouraged to speak to their child’s pre-school or day care teacher, the school principal, school counsellor, school K-2 supervisor and the Kindergarten teacher at school.
Most school have orientation days towards the end of the previous year to welcome children to Kindergarten. Many schools also have transition to Kindergartens programs over several weeks in the second part of the year.
Here is the step-by-step of how to enrol at a Public School:
- Find your local public school
Each New South Wales public school has a defined local enrolment area. This means you have to find the designated school based of your permanent residential address. Every public school priorities for student at their nearest area. To find out the name and location of your local public school, call 131 536 or contact the nearest Department of Education and Training regional office. - Research
You may want to find out more information to help you to make decision about your child’s education. Public schools host information sessions and have printed material available for you to find out more. You might want to give the principal a call to make an appointment to help you to discuss and demonstrate their school’s achievement, activities and features. - Apply to enrol
Once you have made your decision to enrol your child, you will be asked to fill out an Application to enrol in a NSW Government school form and submit it to your local school. Forms are available also from your local public school or via online at their site (http://www.schools.nsw.edu.au). You’ll need to provide proof of identity (e.g. birth certificate), an immunisation certificate (for primary school enrolment) and proof of address for your child. Do not purchase items such as uniforms until the enrolment of your child is confirmed.You can get help to have assistance for enrol a child with a special needs. You will have access to a team of people from your local regional office who will assist you with your child’s enrolment.
- Get to know your new school
Your new school will host an orientation day for children starting at the school the following year.
A lot of areas especially in Sydney that has many good public school such as Baulkham Hills (Sydney west), Chatswood (Sydney north) etc… Make sure you find the location that good for public school before you moved to Sydney. For more information about Public School, go to http://www.schools.nsw.edu.au
It would be worth to visit an independent Australian owned publishing company based in Sydney since 1986 which specialise for online resource that complements Choosing a School for Your Child magazine. Here is their url: http://www.choosingaschool.com.au/
Private school definitely another option for your child if you can’t find the quality you’re after. Of course they are more expensive compares with public school and usually they provides more facilities such as labs, sports equipment etc. They are non-Government school and most of them have a religious affliction, but some are non-denominational. Many of private schools are combined Primary and Secondary schools. So they are a couple differences between private and public schools. To find out more information about private school such as location and contact number, here is an online resources: http://www.privateschoolsdirectory.com.au/
