Published on 23 June 2020
Time flies and now your little one is so close to starting school. But where to start? What do you need to do? How do you know which school to attend?
The first step is to determine whether your child will attend a private, catholic or public school. There are a number of ways to find a school in the area and research each. To read about the schools in the Camden local government area you can visit the Australian Schools Directory. If you would like to find out which public school your child falls into (local enrolment area) try the NSW Government Public School Finder. This determines which school is closest to your address. You can apply for other schools outside your determined enrolment area; however, you will need to fill out additional ‘out of area’ forms. These applications are assessed case-by-case.
Once you have determined which school is preferred for your child it is best to contact the school directly. You may need to attend an interview with the principal. This is a great opportunity to discuss any questions you may have as well as any special circumstances for your child.
The next step will be to fill out an ‘application to enrol’ form. It is important to fill out this application as it helps schools determine the resources they will need for the coming year. Things such as, do they need to hire additional staff, furniture, materials, move rooms around. It is best for both the school and your child to be prepared for the correct numbers of students as this will ensure a smooth transition to school with hopefully limited hiccups!
Some schools also offer transition to school programs or transition to school information days. It is best to contact the school directly to find out what they may have available.
The department of Education has a helpful document called ‘Getting ready for primary school’. It has great information about what you need to get done this year before school starts, helpful tips and tricks to transitioning and ways to help both you and your child prepare. This a great tick list to help get organised!