|
Cohort Entry
|
|
We have Mid Term and Start of Term Cohort Enrolment:
Western Heights School has cohort entry .
Children do not have to start school until they are six, but the earliest they can start at a cohort entry school will be the first day of term, or the mid point of term, after their fifth birthday.
We have two intake periods each term - at the start of term and at mid term.
The exception to this is Term 1, when new entrant children enrolling are Year 1, and it is best they start as soon as possible to maximise their learning. Children who enrol from term two onwards are classified as Year 0 and therefore have a lot longer time in the junior school.
Cohort Entry - What You Need To Know:
The Education Act 1989 has been amended to allow schools to adopt and enforce a cohort entry policy after consulting with their community. Cohort entry refers to children starting school as a group, at the beginning or mid point of a term, AFTER THEIR FIFTH BIRTHDAY as opposed to starting school on their fifth birthday.
Parents choosing not to start their child until the age of six must ensure they start school on their sixth birthday, regardless of a school’s cohort entry arrangements. A child already enrolled at one school who moves to another does not have to wait for the next cohort intake.
Children enrolling at the start of terms one would be considered Year One students for the year. Children enrolling at the start of terms two, three and four would be considered Year Zero for the year and would be in Year One the following year.
Some of the Reasons Behind cohort entry are as follows:
Having children start as a group at the beginning, or mid point of the term allows a consistent and progressive induction, rather than the induction process being repeated every week throughout the term as new individuals start.
This way our children are all receiving the same message at the same time about being school children and working together.
It supports their teacher to best meet the social and emotional needs that children have when they’re transitioning to a new environment. We can assimilate them into our school as a whole group so the transition process is much better, their peers and friends are going through the same experiences and can support them.
It helps us as school leaders to better plan to meet our staffing needs. Previously we have asked parents to hold off so we could start a class with a reasonable group of children, rather than just one or two who were eligible to start at the start of the term.
If you have questions, concerns or thoughts to share on this important issue, please send them by email to [email protected].
Thanks.
The Education Act 1989 has been amended to allow schools to adopt and enforce a cohort entry policy after consulting with their community. Cohort entry refers to children starting school as a group, at the beginning or mid point of a term, AFTER THEIR FIFTH BIRTHDAY as opposed to starting school on their fifth birthday.
Parents choosing not to start their child until the age of six must ensure they start school on their sixth birthday, regardless of a school’s cohort entry arrangements. A child already enrolled at one school who moves to another does not have to wait for the next cohort intake.
Children enrolling at the start of terms one would be considered Year One students for the year. Children enrolling at the start of terms two, three and four would be considered Year Zero for the year and would be in Year One the following year.
Some of the Reasons Behind cohort entry are as follows:
Having children start as a group at the beginning, or mid point of the term allows a consistent and progressive induction, rather than the induction process being repeated every week throughout the term as new individuals start.
This way our children are all receiving the same message at the same time about being school children and working together.
It supports their teacher to best meet the social and emotional needs that children have when they’re transitioning to a new environment. We can assimilate them into our school as a whole group so the transition process is much better, their peers and friends are going through the same experiences and can support them.
It helps us as school leaders to better plan to meet our staffing needs. Previously we have asked parents to hold off so we could start a class with a reasonable group of children, rather than just one or two who were eligible to start at the start of the term.
If you have questions, concerns or thoughts to share on this important issue, please send them by email to [email protected].
Thanks.