If you are considering enrolling your child at Northcote Primary School as a Prep in 2025, we would love to have you. Enrolling your child into a school is as much about your family joining our school community as it is about the education of your child.
To support you in determining if Northcote Primary School is the best choice for you and your child, we recommend that you start by joining one of our school tours to come and see the school on a ‘business as usual’ day. Tours will commence on Tuesday the 20th of February at 9:15am. They are conducted fortnightly on Tuesday mornings and are lead by the school Principal, where information about all aspects of the school is discussed as we make our way through different parts of the school. You are also welcome to ask any questions that you may have at this time.
At the conclusion of the tour, you will be provided with an enrolment pack. This contains a range of information, an enrolment form, and a variety of other valuable documents we ask you to fill in to help us get to know your child and family – if you do decide to enrol at Northcote Primary School.
If you’re interested in booking a tour, please be sure to call the office and speak with our friendly staff to arrange a suitable time to visit our school.
2024 Tour Dates:
Term 2:
Week 1. Thursday 18th of April 4pm – 5pm
Week 3. Tuesday 30th of April 7pm – 8pm
Week 3. Thursday 2nd of May 4pm – 5pm
Week 4. Tuesday 7th of May 9:15am – 10:15am
Week 6. Tuesday 21st of May 9:15am – 10:15am
Week 8. Tuesday 4th of June 9:15am – 10:15am
Week 10. Tuesday 18th of June 9:15am – 10:15am
Week 11. Thursday 27th of June 4pm – 5pm
Term 3:
Week 2. Tuesday 23rd of July 9:15am – 10:15am
Week 3. Thursday 1st of August 4pm – 5pm
Week 4. Tuesday 6th of August 9:15am – 10:15am
Week 6. Tuesday 20th of August 9:15am–10:15am
The Department of Education has released an updated statewide Prep enrolment timeline for the 2025 school year.
The timeline advises families when and how to enrol their children into Prep at a Victorian government primary school, including Northcote Primary School.
All government primary schools will follow the timeline to support Prep enrolments.
We will start accepting enrolment applications from Monday the 15th of April 2024 (Term 2, Week 1).
Enrolment forms are due to be returned by Friday the 26th of July 2024.
Enrolment outcomes letters will be sent to parents and carers by Friday the 9th of August 2024.
Parents and carers will need to confirm enrolment with the school by Friday the 23rd of August 2024.
Our school follows the Department of Education’s Enrolment Policy for the enrolment, placement, and transfer of students.
Please download and complete all of the enrolment forms, including the additional information forms.
Our Alternate enrolment form, if required:
These forms are also available in hard copy from our school's office.
Locate your child’s birth certificate or passport to prove they turn 5 years of age on or before April 30th of the year they commence Prep. Have a copy ready to submit with your enrolment form.
Locate your child’s Immunisation History Statement that includes the statement ‘This child has received all vaccines required by 5 years of age’. Have a copy ready to submit with your enrolment form.
Provide the school with a Proof of Residence (i.e: copy of a rates notice, tenancy agreement or water bill). Have a copy ready to submit with your enrolment form.
Bring all documents to the school OR download the PDF, fill out, and return by email to: northcote.ps@education.vic.gov.au.
Use this checklist to ensure you have completed everything and return all forms and documents as outlined above to the school to enrol your child.
Confirmation of enrolment and first round offers will typically be made available late in June, generally before the end of Term 2. If you are enrolling outside of this timeframe, please contact the office to discuss.
The following Department of Education and Training (DET) links may be useful and interesting to parents and carers enrolling children at school for the first time. These sites provide guidance for parents on student enrolment, zoning, school costs, uniforms, leaving school early and getting involved with your child's learning.
Northcote Primary School has a school zone. The existence of a school zone enables all students to enrol for whom the school is nearest to their permanent residential address.
Where there are insufficient places for all students who seek entry, the following priority is used for determining which students should be enrolled:
Please note that the principal has the right to exercise discretionary judgement on matters relating to enrolments that are considered special circumstances.
To find out whether you live in our zone, visit findmyschool.vic.gov.au. This site hosts the most up-to-date information about Victorian school zones.
The Department of Education and Training's Placement Policy can also be viewed here.
The Department provides guidance to families to ensure that students have access to their designated neighbourhood school and the freedom to choose other schools, subject to facility limitations.
For more information and answers to frequently asked questions, you can:
-visit the following website https://www.vic.gov.au/school-zones
-call the Victorian School Building Authority (VSBA) on 1800 896 950
-email the VSBA at vsba@education.vic.gov.au
Transitioning to a new school, or to school from kinder, is an important milestone for your child and your family. The move from kindergarten to primary school and then primary to secondary school creates big changes in a child’s life, development, and education.
All of you will be experiencing changes as your child settles into a new learning environment, develops new friendships, and spends time with new teachers.
We realise the importance of a smooth transition for children when they enter our school and as they experience changes throughout their school life. We run a series of programs to support children to settle in and feel confident about school.
Good relationships between children, families and educators across early childhood and school settings are key to positive transitions. Positive transitions occur when children feel a sense of belonging and familiarity in their new learning environment.
To help parents and carers find out some of the important information about Northcote Primary School, we will be conducting an information evening. If you are thinking of enrolling, come along! At this session, you will meet the Prep teachers and receive important information about daily life at Northcote Primary School.
The information evening will be held for all parents/carers of children considering enrolling for Prep in 2025. The session will be held from 7pm to 8pm on Tuesday the 30th of April 2024 (Term 2 Week 3).
At this session, you will meet the Prep Teachers and receive important information. For example, our approach to literacy and our buddy program, you know, the important stuff! This will also be an opportunity to ask any questions you may have regarding your child’s orientation and starting school program.
To support our future enrolled students, we are offering an oppurtunity for students and their parents and carers to visit our library and start to make connections, listen to a story and start to become familiar with the school.
There will also be four onsite orientation sessions for all future enrolled students. During these sessions your child will participate in different activities and get to know their teachers, peers, the Prep classrooms and school. These sessions are such an important step in the transition between Kinder and school and help to support a smooth transition for your child.
During the final session, parents and guardians are also invited to attend a morning tea to meet other parents and have an opportunity to ask any further questions.
In December every year, towards the end of Term 4, we hold a whole school transition day. Students have the opportunity to ‘step up’ and experience the new year level and meet their new teachers and classmates. Students complete a range of activities during the day which gives teachers the opportunity to observe their skills and dispositions, e.g., team building, imagination, creativity. Learning about students’ interests and passions helps teachers plan for the following year’s learning experiences.
The Year 6 teachers work throughout the year to prepare our students for the transition into secondary school. Their focus is on developing each student’s self-esteem, time management skills and understanding of themselves as a learner so that they can achieve their hopes and dreams after they leave our school. For the move from primary to secondary school, our Year 6 teachers and Year 6 - 7 transition coordinator prepare students throughout their final year. We ensure all parents have full knowledge of the process involved and are guided by the Year 6 - 7 transition coordinator.
If your child is transferring from another school, whether it be local, interstate or overseas, the student and parent community will make them feel welcome from the get-go! A tour of the school can be arranged with notice to help them settle in. Please contact the school office to discuss how we can best facilitate the transfer.