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About primary schoolChoosing a primary schoolAbout primary school
Government primary schools are often called public primary schools and they are all mixed-sex schools (co-educational).
Most children attend four terms of preschool (kindergarten) and then begin school in reception at the age of five. Primary school usually covers the period from reception to year 7.
- Reception is the name given to the first year of schooling.
- Children attending government schools usually attend the school closest to where they live.
- Parents can send their children to another school, if places are available.
- Some primary schools have an enrolment management plan in place that means only students living within a designated area can attend. These are called zoned primary schools.
A number of primary schools are located on the same site as a high school. These schools may be called:
- R-12 schools - reception to year 12
- area schools - government schools located in rural areas
- colleges - not all colleges are R-12 schools.
Some schools offer services from birth to year 12.
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Choosing a primary school
Starting school is a major milestone for young people and their families, so the decision you make about their education is an important one.
The
school directory helps you find the government primary schools in your area, their contact details and website addresses. You will also find zoning and other applicable information.
Some factors that may help you choose a school include:
- size of the school
- teaching methods and classroom environment
- support programs for students with special needs
- uniform policy
- specific educational programs or school curriculum focus
- assessment and reporting procedures
- homework expectations
- available resources
- extracurricular activities
- communication between home and school
- location of out of school hours care and the learning programs it offers
- student participation and leadership opportunities
- opportunities for parental involvement.
To help you decide which school is best for your child:
- view school websites
- for information about school performance, mission, staffing, funding and resources visit the My School website
- visit the schools in your area
- make an appointment to meet the principal and staff
- see the school facilities
- request copies of annual reports, behaviour management policies and school rules.
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More information
On this site
School zones
Enrolling in primary school
Starting primary school
School life
Transferring to another school