[Bec1981]

DDs fyos will be in 2014. We live in Sydney. We live in a highish socio-economic area, our local public primary is tiny. Less than 30 kids, there are only two classes k-2 and 3-6. A lot of parents I've spoken to think we are lucky and DD will have a great education with small class sizes

We don't think this school will suit DD. the director at her Kindy said "oh don't to that, going to a small school would kill her". I agree DD needs to be surrounded by people, the more the merrier. So we want to send her to an out of area school one 5 min drive or the other 10 min drive.

Our director said we might have more luck as we are applying due to her local school not being suitable rather than trying to send her to a school in a better area.

I had heard that they don't want to know about you until the year before you start so have not contacted the schools yet. We recently did the 4 year old health check at the gp and she said DD is ready to start school now. Should I give a copy of this report to the school when I apply to show them that DD should be an easy kid to have in the school.

Has any one got into an out of area school? What do you think for you in? Any advice?

Thank you

[Mamabug]

We did. You need to call the school and there is a form you need to fill in.

Some schools also require an interview.

There are certain criteria to meet to request out of area, try and address the ones that apply as clearly as possible. Get a report from the daycare to support your view that she would need the stimulation/challenge of a greater cohort than available at your area school.

(in my case it was access to childcare that suited my work hours - the kids already went to a centre that also provided b/a school care that was right across the road from a public school. There were no other centres in the area that opened at 6am, which allowed me to get to work by 7.30am.)

[No girls here]

It might also be worth talking to the school about whether they do offer many out of area places. I know of at least 4 schools in my area that are just not accepting out of area placements because of the large number of in area enrolments.

[qak]

Our local (out of area) school had a specific application period for out-of-area placements. From memory it was around May of the year before. You will need to contact the actual schools to see what their requirements are.

I suggest you will want to come across as a parent/family the school will want - ie willing to contribute time, being active in the community and so on. Also pickup and deliver the forms in person so the office staff can check you out!

[sophiasmum]

We applied & got accepted into an out of are school (didn't end up going there in the end) & the reasons we stated were such as bus from our door to the school was available rather than having to walk to the other school. Before & after school care available for when I work as opposed to the other school who only offered after school care. But in the end we chose the other, smaller school for different reasons, & have been very happy there.

[tibs]

Wow I've never heard of such a small school in Sydney! One of our local primaries has 1000 students and the rest 600-700!!! But our area is like that described by a PP, nigh on impossible to get in out of area. If you live in area and move out before your younger children start school they won't even take the siblings as they are out of area

[mumto3princesses]

I would give them time to settle in with the new school year and current enrolements and then ask them. As pp said some schools wont accept out of area enrolement applications no matter what. Then others may take them about 2nd term while others may take them earlier. Some will want an interview and others wont.

We used to be out of area for the primary school when DD#1 started. I just stated my reasons for want her to go there and had no problem. But I heard they had a huge intake of in area students the following year and if she had started school then, then they wouldn't have been able to take her. We were also out of area when DD#2 & DD#3 started but they got in easily enough because DD#1 was there. But we initially wanted another primary school as they had an excellent reputation but they wont accept out of area applications no matter what your reasons are.

Wow tibs, they are seriously huge primary schools!! Our primary school usually has around 360.

[qak]

What is your local public school? I am amazed there are any that small in Sydney, thought it would have been closed by now! That's another reason you can give on your out of area form

[Bec1981]

Thank you for your comments so far. I heard that one of the schools didn't take out of area until a few years ago.

I heard there was 22 students at our local primary school this past year. I went on to the myschool website and checked the previous years enrolments

2008. 49
2009. 42
2010. 34
2011. 29
2012. 22

Looks like it might be closing soon. It looks like a country school from their very informative website. Lots of garden beds and paddocks.

[tibs]

Wow tibs, they are seriously huge primary schools!! Our primary school usually has around 360.

Yep bigger than I'd like, the one with 1000 has the OC classes for the area (Hills District) and you can't get in out of area for love or money but the others are also big and getting bigger.