Prep is the first compulsory year of schooling and all Queensland children are required to undertake Prep prior to Year 1. Prep is a fulltime program that requires students to attend 5 days a week from 9am until 3pm.
Prep provides the foundation for your child's success at school by developing:
- the knowledge, understanding and skills detailed in the Australian Curriculum for English, mathematics, science and history (Foundation Year)
- a positive approach to learning
- independence and confidence
- creativity and problem-solving skills
- physical abilities, including gross and fine motor skills.
In Prep, teachers support children's learning by making connections between school and their experiences at home, kindergarten or childcare. Prep students are taught the Foundation Year of the Australian Curriculum for all key learning areas.
At Aramac State School, prep students are taught in a multi-age early years classroom (K – 2). Your child will have opportunities to learn in many different ways. This includes active learning such as play based and enquiry-based approaches. They make decisions, solve problems, develop thinking skills, collaborate, communicate and develop a positive sense of self.
Children learn about:
- speaking, listening, reading and writing
- mathematics and problem solving
- science, exploring interesting and important questions about the biological, physical and technological world
- history, beginning to examine and enquire about the past to develop curiosity and imagination.
Prep children also learn about:
- negotiating rights, roles and responsibilities and developing social skills for working and playing with others
- diverse social and cultural practices of people in their community
- making healthy choices
- experimenting with materials in a variety of creative, imaginative and innovative ways
- technology in everyday life
- music and movement.
Our teachers plan to ensure they use a variety of educational approaches to support your child's learning and development in Prep.
When does my child start Prep?
Your child must be aged 5 years by the 30th of June in the year they start Prep. Please see the below table for the year your child will begin Prep. Use the
online calculator to see when your child can start Prep.
| Year Born | Prep
| Year 1 |
| 1 July 2015 – 30 June 2016 | 2021 | 2022 |
| 1 July 2016 – 30 June 2017 | 2022 | 2023 |
| 1 July 2017 – 30 June 2018 | 2023 | 2024 |
| 1 July 2018 – 30 June 2019 | 2024 | 2025 |
| 1 July 2019 – 20 June 2020 | 2025 | 2026 |
| 1 July 2020 – 30 June 2021 | 2026 | 2027
|
Enrolment age variations
Parents enrolling their child in school have the option of an early or delayed start. Enrolment age variations may be due to a child's development and readiness, and could improve their ability to learn.
Early entry to Prep is only possible if the child meets all the legislative conditions set out in Part 4, Section 17 of the Education (General Provisions) Regulation 2017 .
A child who is younger than the prescribed age for Prep is only able to commence school early if:
- they turn 5 years by 31 July in the year they propose to attend Prep and the school principal is satisfied that the child is ready for education in the Prep year
or - they have started education in another state or country that is equivalent to the Prep year and the school principal is satisfied that the child is ready for education in the Prep year.
A program that is equivalent to the Prep year is a program that is full-time, school-based, and has a defined curriculum in the year prior to Year 1.
A parent who is interested in early entry to Prep should contact our school to discuss the requirements with the school principal.
For further information regarding the application process for early entry to Prep:
Delayed entry to Prep for children who have not previously been enrolled in Prep
Parents may delay their child's entry to Prep (and subsequently Year 1) if they feel that the child is not ready to start school. For example, the child is still developing their social and emotional skills. The child can then commence Prep when they are of compulsory school age (6 years and 6 months).
No formal documentation, assessment or approval is required for delayed entry to Prep.
Principals do not make decisions on delaying a child's entry to Prep. While some parents may choose to discuss their decision to delay entry with the principal, it is not necessary for them to do so.
Enrolling at our school
Contact the school office for an enrolment program and attend our Prep information sessions. Parents and children will attend an enrolment interview with the Principal to get to know children and their families.
Aramac State School runs a Prep transition program in Term 4. Children and families are invited to open classroom days, and to participate in transition days at the school where children are invited to spend time in the Early years classroom meeting the teachers and teacher aides working in the early years classroom. Families are also encouraged to get to know our school by joining our mailing list, attending school events such as Under 8s day and Playgroup (every Friday at 9am).