Enrolment

2023

Moama & District Preschool Centre Inc.
Initial Enrolment Form for 2023 preschool year.

Parents/carer’s need to complete and return this Initial Enrolment Form by the June 30th closing date. Forms returned after the closing date will be placed on the waiting list as per priority of place as outlined in the Enrolment Policy. Incomplete forms will not be processed until all information requested is received.

This is the application stage only and does not guarantee a position. Positions are determined according to funding, staffing, space within our Centre and the priority of access service funding guidelines. Our priority is always given to applications for prior to school groups, according to our Enrolment Policy. If application numbers for this group allows the Centre to run sessions for other age groups, then this is considered.

All successful and unsuccessful applicants will be notified via email in week 2 of Term 3. Successful applicants will be asked to return a n a c c e p t a n c e slip with a deposit to secure their place within 14 days of notification.

Applications are accepted according to the Preschool’s Enrolment Policy, which is attached to the back of this form. Victorian residents are encouraged to also apply for positions at Victorian preschools as a place is not guaranteed at our Centre.

Allocation of 2023 groups and sessions/days are decided in week 3 of Term 4. This occurs after all places have been accepted and a budget is approved by the Committee of Management.

Please direct enquires to the Nominated Supervisor
Narelle Blachford
Phone: 5482 1224
Email: nbmoamapreschool@bigpond.com

Max. file size: 50 MB.
Max. file size: 50 MB.
Max. file size: 50 MB.
Max. file size: 50 MB.

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Please tick if the child falls into one of the priorities of access service funding guidelines as defined by the Department of Education and Communities, NSW(Required)
FOUR YEAR OLD GROUP PRESCHOOL (PRIOR TO SCHOOL) -15 HOURS PER WEEK.
YOUNG FOUR YEAR OLD GROUP PRESCHOOL 15 HOURS PER WEEK.
Consent
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Consent
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Proof current residential address: (Current Rates notice or rental notice not older than 3 months)
Copy of current up to date (AIR) Australian Immunisation History Statement
Forms signed by parent/guardian

PRESCHOOL ENROLMENT POLICY –

INTRODUCTION:

Our Centre is open to children of all denominations and nationalities; this includes culturally and linguistic diverse children, children with disabilities and/or additional needs, children who are at risk of harm, and Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Descent children

We are a double unit Preschool Centre situated in New South Wales and are on the border of Victoria/ New South Wales. Echuca is the Victorian town and community that offers many fantastic preschool programs across its town and is funded by Victorian State Department. We welcome applications from families residing in Victoria, however, we do need to follow our NSW funding agreements and Priority of Access guidelines.

Our Centre accepts children with disabilities and/or additional needs at the discretion of the Director. Final acceptance of the aforementioned from the Director will be dependent upon the degree of the disability and the Preschool having adequate physical, financial and human resources available. This can be reviewed by the Director also if sufficient information about the child is not supplied at the time of enrolment.

Once the Director has investigated all options thoroughly, a fair decision will be made.

Our Centre is licensed to have 40 children in attendance at any one time within our two rooms. This number has been approved by the Department of Education and Community Services and must be strictly adhered to for funding agreements and guidelines.

We will maintain group sizes of up to 20 children, and if needed due to lack of relief staff some classes may be restricted to 19, to enable the Committee of Management to enforce the Education and Care Services National Regulation regarding having one appropriately trained staff member to 39 children, in a short-term situation to ensure the preschool children still have access to the educational program.

RATIONALE:

This policy has been developed to ensure the Centre complies with the Priority of Access Guidelines set by Family Assistance Law and defined by NSW State Government Funding Agreements. Failure by our service to meet these guidelines is a breach of the conditions of the continued approval for receiving State Government Funding from the Department of Education and Community Services.

This policy will endeavor to meet the needs of the children and families ensuring that all children have access to the Centre and that those children who will commence school in the following year have first priority. We also aim to make this policy clear for families when completing an initial enrolment application to ensure equity and consistency for the community.

GOALS:

Our Centre wants to provide high quality preschool programs to all NSW children eligible within our community who will be attending school the following year.

When there is space within the Centre’s enrolment numbers, we will offer a Young Four-Year Old group.

The Centre must follow the Priority of Access Guidelines AT ALL times when enrolling children. The waiting list applications will reflect these guidelines to ensure that the educational program is provided to families using these priorities.

Our waiting list will also reflect New South Wales residents as next in line, after the Priority of Access
guidelines are followed, as we are a New South Wales funded Preschool. Additionally, we feel Victorian residents do have access to high quality preschools in their home state and will encourage these families to enrol in their local Victorian funded preschool.

STRATEGIES – HOW WILL IT BE DONE?

We will follow the Priority of Access Guidelines and our policy to ensure places are offered fairly and
legitimately.

The Priority of Access Guidelines followed by State Funded preschools are defined by NSW State funding agreements. In no particular order, these are:

  • children who are at least 4 years old on or before the 31 July in that preschool year and not enrolled or registered at a school
  • children who are at least 3 years old on or before 31 July in that preschool year and from low income and/or Aboriginal families*
  • children with English language needs
  • children with disability and/or additional needs
  • children who are at risk of significant harm (from a child protection perspective)
  • NSW Children in their year before school (with highest priority given to children closest to school entry)

*the Centre does not currently have space to offer 3 year old preschool

The Centre endeavours to meet the needs of the children and families in our community while complying with the above guidelines.

Four-Year-Old Group Preschool (prior to school group 15 hours attendance per week)

The Centre also needs to ensure that children attending Four-Year-Old Group sessions must turn 4 before 31st July in that year of attendance. This ensures that the child will fall in line with school starting age as set out by the New South Wales Department of Education. Children in this category attending 15 hours per week also ensures the Preschool attracts NSW Start Strong Funding.

If families of Victorian children are offered places then these families will also be made aware of Victorian Department of Education law that the child must turn 5 years of age at school prior to 30th April in that year.

Young Four-Year-Old Group Preschool

This group was introduced to the Centre in 2014 to meet funding expectations as set out by the Department of Education and Communities, who are our funding body. This group can be offered if there is space and resources within our room set-up and we are not running four prior to school groups.

To be eligible for this group, children must turn four years of age between January 1st and July 31st of that preschool year due to the Centre receiving funding for these children. The preschool’s ultimate aim would be for this group to also attend 15 hours per week as this attracts NSW Start Strong Funding.

This group is not geared towards school readiness. Families who are successful in gaining a position in this group will be made aware of this.

Other:

Applications will be accepted for Victorian children who have attended the Preschool in the year prior to this enrolment. However, families must remember that these children will also need to apply for a position in their own state. It is their own responsibility to read the policy and be familiar with this. Additionally, attendance at the Preschool in the previous year will not guarantee acceptance the following year.

These applicants will be given priority by the Director over other Victorian children who have not attended our Centre the previous year, only after we take into consideration the State Governments priority of access guidelines and NSW residency and if there places available.

Sources:

  • Early Learning Australia (CELA), priority of access policy 2015
  • Department of Education and Communities Funding Agreement (Statutory Legislation)

ENROLMENT PROCEDURES

  1. In May and June, applications for enrolments are to be advertised internally (email, newsletters, preschool noticeboards) and externally through local media (newspaper), the preschool website, social media and sent to the database of families who have enquired (email). Applications will always close on 30 June the year prior to placement.

    Families are expected to provide the following on the application form or e-form stating the child’s details:
  • full name
  • other names by which the child is known
  • current local address (at time of enrolment)
  • date of birth
  • indication if the child falls into a Priority of Access
  • parent/carers names
  • contact number
  • email address
  • school to attend (if this age group)
  • any additional needs/concerns you may have
  • Staff sited copy of the child’s original birth certificate, which is to be retained on file as part of the enrolment process as required by National regulations
  • Families to accept and sign the parent code of conduct

Staff will be required to sight proof of current local residential address (last three months at time of enrolment), driver’s license is not sufficient. In all instances, current rates or rental notice is required. (REFER TO APPENDIX 1 for application form).

Those wishing to enrol but live outside the local council areas of Campaspe, Murray River, Moira and Edward River, cannot proceed to the enrolment list until proof of local address is presented. Applicants moving to NSW or Victoria must be residing before the child’s name can be listed for enrolment. If building, a letter from the builder certifying that place of residence being built and signature on a letterhead will be acceptable. Copies of purchase of a house need to be sighted by staff for the child to go on application list or a copy of a rental agreement.

A copy of the child’s current Immunisation History Statement must be provided. The enrolment application cannot be accepted without all of these documents.

At this point of enrolment, families will be notified that children MUST be toilet trained to commence preschool. That is, adequately able to toilet themselves in a hygienic manner without requiring adults help. Exceptions are made for children with disabilities or medical conditions.

Successful applicants are notified via email in week 2 of term 3 regarding a position for their child, a follow up phone call will be made by the Preschool for those who haven’t accepted their position on day 10, families need to confirm their child’s enrolment within 14 days of the original notification email being sent along and ensure payment of the enrolment fee is completed by day 14. Failure to accept the position and pay the enrolment fee by day 14 will pass the position onto the next child on the waiting list.

  1. After the confirmation of acceptance as per Enrolment Policy, a date is organized by Week 3 of Term 4 for families to complete a detailed confidential enrolment form regarding individual children (REFER TO APPENDIX for copy of Confidential Enrolment Form).

    Families will also be given details of group session times, Centre information, a copy of the information handbook, starting dates, a copy of the fee policy and fee information in an Information Pack (REFER TO APPENDIX for copy of Information Book) and a date for the Family Information Night

    Enrolment Fee:

    Families will be notified in week 2 term 3 regarding a place for the following year. Families will be required to confirm acceptance of the position within 14 days along with payment of the enrolment fee.

    A standard letter of acceptance for families to respond will form part of the letter to families.

    Failure to return the application form and enrolment fee within the 14 days will mean the position will be passed to the next child on the waiting list. This enrolment fee is determined by the Committee of Management each year prior to enrolments opening.

    All families must pay for the full 2.5 days per term for Four-Year-Old groups even if they are going to send their children for less hours/days.

    Waiting list:

    In the situation where the Centre cannot place all those who have enrolled by the closing date and cannot offer a position in the first round of offers to all those who applied, a waiting list will be created. The waiting list will follow the above priority of access guidelines and policy at all times.

Families are welcome to make applications after the closing date of 30 June these will go on the waiting list and positions offered as per the policy.

NOTIFICATION OF PLACEMENT FOR APPLICATIONS ON WAITING LIST

The Preschool will be responsible to notify families of a position by email and telephone giving 7 days for contact to be made. If no response is forthcoming in this time the position will be offered to the next child on the waiting list.

TERMINATION OF ENROLMENT

A position will be declared vacant in the following instance;

  • After a 2 week absence without notification, a phone call will be made to the family asking for an explanation.
  • If there is no contact made by a phone call, then a letter will be sent via registered mail asking for interest in the position.
  • If no response is received within 14 days of the mail being sent, the position will be given to the next child on the waiting list.
  • The families/carer will be responsible for the payment of fees up until the termination of the position. This will be explained in the letter of interest.

*Please see fee policy regarding further information about this policy