Prep

Prep enrolments for 2024

Who is eligible to attend Prep in 2024?

Students born between 1 July 2018 to 30 June 2019

From 2017, it is compulsory for all Queensland children to undertake prep prior to commencing year 1.

Non-catchment

A school’s local catchment area is the geographical area from which the school is to have its core intake of students.  A catchment defines the area for Emerald State School.

To check your address, the Emerald State School catchment area can be viewed online.

or contact the school’s administration office on (07) 4983 9666 to confirm.

Families residing outside the school’s catchment area, are able to submit an “Application for Enrolment” and supporting documentation from 8 March 2023 for 2024 prep enrolment.

Supporting documentation required:

• Original Birth Certificate
• Details of any relevant Family Court or other court orders
• Where relevant, details of any medical conditions
• If the child is in the care of the State

Acceptance and assessment process

Out of catchment enrolment applications will be recorded in order of receipt, by date and time. These applications will remain current only for the school year in which they are applying to enrol.

If you reside outside the “catchment area” you are very much encouraged to apply for enrolment here at Emerald State School as some of our enrolments come from outside the “catchment area”.

In-catchment

Any student, whose principal place of residence is within the school's catchment area/s, is (subject to the Education (General Provisions) Act 2006) eligible for enrolment at the school.  The school Principal will hold places for students who relocate to within the catchment area throughout the school year.

Parents or legal guardians who wish to enrol their child at the school will need to demonstrate that the student's principal place of residence is within the catchment area. Current proof of residency at the address indicated can be provided by way of one of each of the following:

• One primary source - a current lease agreement, or driver's licence, or unconditional sale agreement, and
• One secondary source - a utility bill (e.g. electricity, gas), or rates notice showing this same address and parent's/legal guardian's name

If the Principal is not satisfied that the documentation provided by an applicant demonstrates adequately that the address stated is the student's principal place of residence, then the Principal may request further sources of proof of residence, such as an additional utility bill (e.g. water) showing the same address.

The Principal may also request a properly sworn Statutory Declaration from the enrolling parent or legal guardian attesting that the student's principal place of residence is the place nominated in the enrolment application.

Applicants should note that a false statement / assertion about the student's principal place of residence may amount to an offence and may be reported to police. The school Principal may repeal a decision to enrol a student in such circumstances.

If you reside in our “catchment area”, your enrolment is automatic into Emerald State School.  When submitting enrolment forms, please come prepared with the correct documentation, otherwise the enrolment process cannot proceed.

Other students outside the catchment area deemed to be eligible for enrolment

The following groups of students will be deemed as eligible for enrolment, even though they may reside outside the school's catchment area:

• Children and young people who are subject to child protection orders that grant guardianship or custody to the Chief Executive Officer of the Department of Communities, Child Safety and Disability Services (Child Safety Services)
• Siblings of current students at the school (excluding siblings of Program of Excellence students). Where a school has both a primary and secondary campus, siblings are only eligible to enrol in the same campus as the currently enrolled student
• Students whose parent or legal guardian is employed by the school
• Students who live outside the catchment area and are verified with a disability can enrol in the school to attend the specialised disability program if it is the closest program to their home and meets their individualised needs
• Students who have been excluded from a school other than this school, dependent upon the conditions related to the exclusion, as determined by the Regional Director.

Decisions on enrolment

The Principal is responsible for all decisions on enrolments.

Where a Principal forms a preliminary view that an application will not succeed, parents will be notified in writing. Parents may respond to the Principal's preliminary view by making a submission to the Principal, no later than seven school days after receiving the preliminary view letter.

If no submission is received, the Principal's preliminary view will be treated as the final decision and no further notice will be provided.

If a submission is received, the Principal will consider the submission and make a final decision. A final decision notice will be provided to the applicant as soon as is practicable.

There is no internal review of the Principal's decision.

Further information

Application for enrolment documentation

Applicants should provide the following to the school upon enrolment:

• Copy of the child’s birth certificate (or alternative document such as passport or visa if birth certificate is not available) if enrolling for the first time in a Queensland state primary school. If not an Australian citizen, provide passport or visa details or other documents as requested by the school.
• Principal place of residence proof for in-catchment enrolments.
• Details of any relevant Family Court or other court orders, if applicable;
• If the child is in the care of the State, provide details to school of arrangements and/or order regarding the child’s care;
• Copy of a Transfer Note if received from previous school;
• Where relevant, details of any medical conditions, symptoms, management, medications or disabilities the child may have. Medical conditions may include (but are not limited to) seizures/epilepsy, fainting, diabetes, asthma, heart problems, anaphylaxis and allergies (such as food or insect stings).