Proposed amendment to section 15(1) of the Queensland Education (General Provisions) Regulation 2006

Eligibility - Queensland residents
Principal Petitioner:
C M Widmaier
36 Rawnsley Street
DUTTON PARK QLD 4102
Total Signatures - 17
Sponsoring Member: The Clerk of the Parliament
Posting Date: 11/9/2013
Closing Date: 14/10/2013
Tabled Date: 15/10/2013
Responded By: Hon John-Paul Langbroek MP on 12/11/2013
TO: The Honourable the Speaker and Members of the Legislative Assembly of Queensland

Queensland residents draws to the attention of the House Section 15(1) of the Queensland Education (General Provisions) Regulation 2006 which prohibits parents from enrolling their children in the preparatory year (prep) if their child is born after 30 June prior to the year they are due to enrol in prep.

 

Children who are born days after the 30 June deadline are unnecessarily penalised, as s.15(1) gives parents no ability to enrol their child in prep.  Often, these children will then repeat a Queensland Government Kindergarten program instead of attending prep where they would learn new and more sophisticated concepts.

 

There is discretion given to parents who wish to delay their children's entry into prep.  Parents should have the same discretion to seek early entry for their child into prep.

 

Your petitioners, therefore, request the House to cause the amendment of section 15(1) of the Regulation, regarding age for enrolment in the preparatory year, by allowing a school principal to enrol a child in the preparatory year at the school if the child will be at least 5 years and 6 months on 31 December in the proposed year of attendance; or if the child will be at least 5 years and 5 months on 31 December in the proposed year of attendance and the child has attended a Queensland Government approved Kindergarten program in the year prior to the commencement of the preparatory year and the parent petitions the principal to enrol their child in the preparatory year.