Mt. Dandenong Pre School Inc

Mt. Dandenong Pre School Inc.

Enrolment Policy

Date of Approval:June 2008Date of Review: November 2009

Circulation:Policy Handbook, Staff, Committee of Management andParents.

Scope

This policy applies to committee, staff and parents enrolled at this preschool. Parents who wish to enrol their children who do not fall within the criteria listed in this policy may write to the committee of management stating their case.

Definitions

Children with additional needs: Children whose development or physical condition needs specialist support.

Deferrals: A child who does not attend in the year when the child is eligible for a funded preschool place or officially withdraws from the preschool on or before the last day of term one. These children are considered by D.H.S. not to have accessed a year of funded preschool and are therefore eligible for D.H.S. funding the following year.

D.H.S.:Department of Human Services

Enrolment Application Form: A form to apply for a preschool place. This does not guarantee the child a place and does not commit the parent to sending the child to this preschool.

Enrolment Form: A form, which collects details about the preschool child. This is completed after a place has been offered by the preschool and accepted by the applicant.

Fees: A payment for a place within a program at the preschool. These include the deposit to confirm a place and term fees.

Funded preschool: Four year old preschool.

Letter of Confirmation: Letter to confirm that the child has a place at the preschool.

Letter of Offer: A letter mailed to all parents who have completed an enrolment application form, to offer them a place at the preschool. This needs to be returned to the preschool with a non-refundable deposit equivalent to Term 4 fees and levy by the date specified.

Selection Criteria: The criteria under which applications for the enrolment of children are accepted by the preschool and places in the preschool are allocated.

Policy Statement

Values

This preschool is committed to:

Equal access for all children other than where selection criteria determined from time to time by the Committee of Management gives priority of access.

Compliance with Children’s Service Regulations 1998.

Compliance with the D.H.S. funding requirements relating to the enrolment of children in government funded preschool places.

Maintaining confidentiality in relation to the details on the enrolment forms.

Purpose

This policy will outline for current and future users and staff and committee:

The criteria for enrolment at the preschool.

The procedure to be followed when enrolled a child at the preschool.

Enrolment for the Four Year Old Program

Whist we encourage at least one year in a quality preschool program, it is noted that this service is neither compulsory nor free.

A child’s enrolment will not be accepted unless the parent has authorised the preschool to seek emergency medical, hospital or ambulance service and a specific “Contract for the Payment of Fees” is completed and signed.

The number of four year old places will be a maximum of 25 children per session. Group sizes will be determined each year by the director and Committee of Management.

The hours of attendance are 10.5 hours per week, which is three sessions of 3.5 hours each.

Children turning six in their year of preschool and those wishing to enter school before they reach the eligible age must request an exemption from the Department of Education, Employment and Training.

Selection Criteria for Four Year Old Children

All children must meet one of the following D.H.S. enrolment requirements to be considered for enrolment;

Children who have turned four years of age by 30th April in the year they would attend preschool.

Children who have received funding for a second year of four year old preschool.

Children who were eligible to attend in the previous year but deferred or withdrew from the preschool on or before the last day of term one.

Other criteria in order of priority

Receipt of the Letter of Offer and deposit paid.
Children who attend the preschool in the previous year.
Children siblings at the preschool during the same.
Children whose siblings attended the preschool in the previous year.
Residents of Mt Dandenong, Olinda and Kalorama.
The oldest eligible child.
Outstanding bad debt at the preschool.

Enrolment in the Three Year Old Program

Whilst we encourage at least one year in a quality preschool program, it is noted that this service is neither compulsory nor free.

A child’s enrolment will not be accepted unless the parent has authorised the preschool to seek emergency medical, hospital or ambulance service and a specific “Contract for the payment of Fees” is completed an signed.

The number of three year old places will be a maximum of 21 children per group per session. However, group sizes will be determined each year by the director of Committee of Management.

The hours of attendance are 2x2 hour sessions per week. Parents have the option of choosing one or two sessions for their child.

Children who are not eligible for four year old preschool the following year will not be able to enrol in the three year old program after the beginning of term three.

Payment of term fees for children who have not turned three at the beginning of the kinder year will be pro-rata; e.g.the parent pays term fees from the date the child turns three and attends the Pre School.

Selection Criteria for Three Year Old Children in Priority Order

The following children are eligible:

Children must have turned three by the 30th April in the year of attendance at the preschool. Those children who have not yet had their third birthday prior to the commencement of the program, due to D.H.S. regulations, cannot attend until such time as they are three. This will also depend upon on the availability of a place once the child turns three.
Children who were eligible to attend in the previous year but deferred or withdrew from the preschool on or before the last day of term one.
The oldest eligible child.
Receipt of the letter of offer and deposit paid.

Children who attended the preschool in the previous year (3 year old preschool).
Children with siblings at the preschool the previous year.
Children whose siblings attended the preschool the previous year.
Residents of Mt Dandenong, Olinda and Kalorama.
Outstanding bad debt at the preschool.

Procedures

Procedure for Normal Enrolment

All applications must be on the standard Enrolment Application Form. These are available at the preschool. They can be accepted any time after the child’s second birthday.
A separate application from must be completed for each child for each proposed year of attendance at the preschool.
Children assessed by the D.H.S specialist services team as having additional needs may access a second year of funded preschool once their application has been approved by D.H.S. Strict eligibility criteria apply to the second year funded preschool. (Refer to the D.H.S. preschool funding criteria).
Parents of children applying for a second year of funded preschool must submit an Enrolment Application Form for a second year. This needs to be clearly marked second year.
Any parent wishing to defer their child’s year of attendance for four year old preschool may do so at any stage before the commencement of the preschool year. Written notification to the Enrolment Secretary is required.
Parents of children in three year old wanting to change sessions need to complete a “Request to Change Sessions” form available from the Enrolment Secretary. These have to be signed by both the parent and the Enrolment Secretary and copies sent to the Director and Book Keeper.
A change in the year of attendance for four year old preschool due to deferral means the child is given a priority preference the following year.
An “Open Day” will be held at the preschool. All parents attending on this day and parents of children currently attending the preschool will be given a letter and an Enrolment Application Form. This letter will require a response from parents to confirm if a place is required for their child and will also contain relevant information regarding enrolment procedures and deferrals.
A letter of Offer indicating a place for their child at the preschool will be mailed to all parents who returned the Enrolment Application Form. The Letter of Offer needs to be accompanied by a non-refundable deposit equivalent to Term 4 fees and levy and be returned to the preschool by the closing date specified on the letter. Positions will be confirmed by a first returned fist allocated basis. Late replies will be treated as late enrolments.
After the closing date, enrolments will be confirmed as per selection criteria. Parents will be mailed a “Letter of Confirmation” advising them of their child’s place at the preschool. Should there be any vacancies those who have not responded will be contacted on a first enrolled (i.e. the date the Enrolment Application Form was received) first called basis. A record of contact made is to be kept. If after 7 days a deposit has not been received, all remaining places will be declared open. Further enrolments will be accepted and confirmed only on receipt of a deposit until all groups are full.

In the event of there being insufficient places for all children, those children’s names will be placed on a waiting list. They will be allocated a place once it becomes available in accordance with the selection criteria. Deposit will be refunded to those not offered a place. If waiting list reaches 12 in number a rotational program will be considered by Director and Committee of Management.
One place is to be kept free in the three year old group until the end of February in case any four year old child is found not ready for that group.
Any parents wishing to enrol their child for a second year of three year old preschool must state this on either the Enrolment Application Form or Letter of Offer.
In November a “Parent Information Night” will be held to give parents an opportunity to meet the staff, committee and other parents and to be informed about the preschool’s policies and programs.

Key Responsibilities

The Enrolment Secretary is responsible for the day to day implementation of this policy, which includes:

Dealing with any questions or concerns that arise in relation to any aspect of the policy.
Reporting to the committee regarding the status of enrolments and any difficulties encountered.
Offering places in accordance with the policy and providing parents with the appropriate forms and information.
Keeping accurate records of all correspondence and deposits received in order to maintain a viable enrolment register and waiting list.
Maintaining the confidential status of the Enrolment Application Forms and the information contained within them.