Advice re: Kindy/Primary/Childcare

[Guest RazandKaz]

Hello

 

I have a daughter who will be 4 in July. In the UK she will start school in September. We are planning to make the move to Adelaide, but are unsure of the best time regarding her starting school. She is desparate to start school and I have concerns over moving her to Adelaide, to then have to put her in a combination of Kindergarten and daycare until she Sept 2011 (when I believe she can start school in Oz).

 

We (my OH and I) hope that we will both have full time jobs, so she will need before and after Kindergarten care as well, which I am lead to believe is not available at the same location - everyone says Kindy is 9 -3.....

That could mean very complicated childcare arrangements for the first year, whcih might unsettle her.

 

Can anyone who works FT and has kids of this age or anyone who has been through this, please advise on whether there are places (like in the UK) where they can have full-time day care with funded pre-school built in? Or whether some kindergartens have pre-post care etc etc.

 

I'm confused! But desparate to get to Oz - we really do not want to delay until Sept 2011.

 

Karen

[Guest Nick11]

I work at Marino pre school. It's a pre school in the mornings (I'm the teacher there) and in the afternoons it more informal child care setting. We also pick up and drop off at the local kindy.

You can drop off little uns before work and pick up til late.

There aren't many places like us around.

Let us know if you need more info.

Nick

x

[ozzieclare2be]

Hello

 

I have a daughter who will be 4 in July. In the UK she will start school in September. We are planning to make the move to Adelaide, but are unsure of the best time regarding her starting school. She is desparate to start school and I have concerns over moving her to Adelaide, to then have to put her in a combination of Kindergarten and daycare until she Sept 2011 (when I believe she can start school in Oz).

 

We (my OH and I) hope that we will both have full time jobs, so she will need before and after Kindergarten care as well, which I am lead to believe is not available at the same location - everyone says Kindy is 9 -3.....

That could mean very complicated childcare arrangements for the first year, whcih might unsettle her.

 

Can anyone who works FT and has kids of this age or anyone who has been through this, please advise on whether there are places (like in the UK) where they can have full-time day care with funded pre-school built in? Or whether some kindergartens have pre-post care etc etc.

 

I'm confused! But desparate to get to Oz - we really do not want to delay until Sept 2011.

 

Karen

 

My son has just turned 4, at the moment i have him in a private nursery 4 days a week as i work. Most kindys only open 8.30 until 3 and he is only entitled to 5 sessions a week (5 half days or 2.5 days) so its not worth me sending him to kindy.

 

Some schools are now starting to have combined childcare where they will take kindy age children out for their sessions, i just spke to one head today in my area about this but my feeling is hes happy at his nursery and though it might save me a little bit of money when the facility eventually opens, id rather he went straight to recpetion as he will be in there for 6 terms anyway. This is a new school thats being built though and most dont have this facility as far as im aware only osch.

 

So if your child is 4 in july she may not start shcool until the january anway as most dont have a term 4 intake and im not sure if she would start in term 3 or not (july) you would need to check as shes boarderline.

 

You do not get the 5 free sessions at a private nursery as like the uk. But you can claim half your childcare back every year up to $7000 i think it is, this is paid back to you every 12 weeks automatically, plus depending on earnings you may get a reduction as well!!!

 

At that age they re very adaptable so i wouldnt worry too much and most schools have osch (after school care).

 

i hope this helps

 

ps school year starts in january in australia have a look at http://www.decs.sa.gov.au/portal/community.asp?group=matters

[Riponian]

I have been looking into this and everyone who I have spoken to say it is a very personal choice between kindy and daycare.

 

My son is 3 and half and is due to start kindy pre entry this Oct. He has been going to day care since jan 2 days a week. The day care centre has a bus which ships them to the local kindy which I am really happy to send him to.

 

Many daycare centres offer this facility at no extra charge other than the fact that you will pay your full day childcare fee and the fee for kindy, which is only $60 a term.

I would find a daycare centre that you like and then if they do a kindy bus then thats a bonus. It is not essential to send them to kindy if it's not possible, they have the same programme as kindys but as one of the staff at daycare pointed out they are carers and they are teachers.

 

I really would not worry too much until you get here as it's a bit of a lottery as to where you'll live until you get jobs and know where you'll be living. Good luck with it all and kids settle well eventually where ever they end up going.

[Guest Nick11]

I have been looking into this and everyone who I have spoken to say it is a very personal choice between kindy and daycare.

 

My son is 3 and half and is due to start kindy pre entry this Oct. He has been going to day care since jan 2 days a week. The day care centre has a bus which ships them to the local kindy which I am really happy to send him to.

 

Many daycare centres offer this facility at no extra charge other than the fact that you will pay your full day childcare fee and the fee for kindy, which is only $60 a term.

I would find a daycare centre that you like and then if they do a kindy bus then thats a bonus. It is not essential to send them to kindy if it's not possible, they have the same programme as kindys but as one of the staff at daycare pointed out they are carers and they are teachers.

 

I really would not worry too much until you get here as it's a bit of a lottery as to where you'll live until you get jobs and know where you'll be living. Good luck with it all and kids settle well eventually where ever they end up going.

 

More and more day care centres are now employing DECS registered teachers as part of their staff..from 2013 (I think) it will be a legal requirement for every day care centre with over 20 children to have a registered teacher on their staff.

[Guest RazandKaz]

Thanks for the advice. I think my primary concern is going from school in UK back to nursery style care. But if the nurseries in Oz are a bit more similar to early years (reception) class here I will not be too concerned.

Of course you are all correct that kids will settle quickly, but just trying to get a parents persepctive on how the day care centres and kindergarten care link together.

It seems that this varies and as advised we will need to wait til we arrive and see where we are livng and what facilities are available.

Just need to decide when and book the flights!

Thanks again.

[Rachiegarlo]

Of course if you have the spare money....

there are montessori kindies and Seymour college has a prep class for 4 year old girls who are ready. A lot of the big private schools that have a kindy attached allow them to start at 3 to 3 1/2 and offer care afterwards.

[Guest sjs]

 

I'm confused! But desparate to get to Oz - we really do not want to delay until Sept 2011.

 

Karen

 

 

Take the plunge and book your flights! When we were granted our visa we booked our flights in the week following the grant. We had already sold our house and were living with my parents so I suppose we had nothing standing in our way or holidng us back.

 

I was concerned about school etc but my eldest did 2 months school (primary 1) in Scotland before we left and then went into reception after arriving here. He coped well - the learning structure was quite different to what he had been getting in Scotland (initially I thought it was to his detriment) but I am now happy with his progress and the way of teaching here.

 

I also have a 3 yr old and he goes to full time day care as my husband and I both work full time - he starts pre entry next term and his day care run a free bus from the centre to the kindy and back so I dont need to worry about the different locations, like many people have mentioned already. He loves the day care centre and has many friends there who will now go onto kindy and school together.

 

Everything will fall into place for you when you get here and I am sure the kids will adapt well as my boys have. I know your daughters excited about starting school but what could be more exciting for her than to start Kindy in Australia instead!?

 

Its a nerve wracking experience booking the flights but something you have probably waited long enough to do?

 

All the best

[Guest RazandKaz]

Thanks SJS for the advice - I think you are right and I should book the flights. I know the kids will settle and they are constantly talking about Australia and how much they love it there. We have some agents coming to look at the house to confirm its renatbility next week. So hopefully after that it will be all systems go!

 

Karen