ENROLMENT | rcps

NOTE: Enrolment applications for 2024 will be available in Term 2.

Age

To start primary school your child must turn five years of age, or older, by 30 April of the year that they will start school.

Zoning

To enrol a student at our school, Riddells Creek Primary School will need to be your designated neighbourhood school. Use findmyschool.vic.gov.au to search for your local government school. This is the official and most up to date school zones map. (If your child is already enrolled at a school and your local zone changes, you do not need to re-enrol at another school.)

Please click on this link above to download an enrolment form.

TRANSITION AT RCPS

At Riddells Creek Primary School, we provide a range of approaches to facilitate smooth transitioning for both Kinder/Prep and Year 6/7 students ensuring students are ready, comfortable and well-adjusted for their new school. We also have an internal transition program for current students moving up to their new year level.

The Transition to Primary School Program:

Is designed to assist your child in becoming familiar with the Riddells Creek Primary School environment.
Provides reassurance to the child (and the parent) that our learning environment is safe and friendly.
Allows your child to make new friends.
Enables you to meet our caring and dedicated teachers.
Gives you the opportunity to learn about the programs we have developed to enable every child to succeed.
Provides us with the opportunity to discuss your child's needs.

ORIENTATION FOR PARENTS & CARERS

Choosing a school can be a big task and we believe that it is important for parents to feel just as comfortable at school as the children do. To help parents and carers make a well-informed choice, we offer:

Guided tours throughout the year
Parent/ carer information sessions for new parents in term 4.

ORIENTATION FOR STUDENTS

Providing students’ the opportunity to become familiar with their new education setting is an important part of the transition from kinder to school. Our orientation days consist of:

A series of 4, play based activities in term 4.
Buddy activities with their senior student buddy.
Familiarisation of the school environment.
The opportunity to meet teachers, office and support staff.

Students with additional needs may be offered the option of extra orientation days.

Please contact the office for more information.

BEFORE STARTING SCHOOL

Some ways that you can assist your child before they come to school include:

Provide opportunities for your child to play and socialise with other children.
Encourage them to complete a task – to finish one thing before starting on something new! (E.g: put away toys and books after use or prior to starting a new activity).
Walk or drive to school with your child to make them familiar with the route between home and school.
Encourage children to dress themselves and to feel more independent. Show them how to take off their own jumpers, coats, open their lunchbox etc.
Teach children how to recognise their name on their belongings. Show your child that their possessions are labelled so that they (and others) can identify them easily. Please label everything!
Emphasise the importance of personal hygiene. Ensure your child always flushes the toilet and washes their hands with soap and water after going to the toilet.
Read stories and picture books to your children on a daily basis. This is a great way to build language skills and pre-reading literacy skills.
Provide opportunities at home for your child to draw, paint, use scissors, and build things from scrap materials.
Check their eyesight, hearing, and general health. If you are at all unsure of some aspect of your child’s health, please see a doctor for a check-up.
Taking turns and sharing with others during various activities is also an important skill to develop. Play games which require children to take turns or share equipment.

TRANSITION FROM PRIMARY TO SECONDARY SCHOOL

In year 6 we begin the transition to the next stage of learning and focus on fostering the social, emotional and academic skills necessary for a successful transition to Year 7. Leadership, independence, organisation and time management skills are also important skills for our children to acquire in their preparation for secondary education.

TRANSITION PACKAGE

A Transition Package is sent to all Year 6 parents in Term 2. The package contains important information for parents on the Year 6 – 7 Transition process and includes an ‘Application for Enrolment’ form.

Secondary Schools hold Information Evenings and offer tours of their school and these will be advertised locally. All ‘Application for Enrolment’ forms must be returned to the school by the advised due date.

ORIENTATION DAY

An Orientation Day for all students enrolled at a Government Secondary College is held in Term 4 where Year 6 students attend their new school for the day. Private schools also hold orientation days for students and you will be advised of these dates by the schools themselves.