Starting school is one of the biggest milestones in a child's life. At Warrnambool West, we work hard to make sure that first day feels familiar, not frightening, for every child and every family.

Is my child ready to start?

To begin Foundation, your child needs to turn 5 years old by 30 April of the year they start school. School is compulsory for all children who turn 6 during the calendar year.

When to enrol

The Department of Education sets a statewide Foundation enrolment timeline each year. We recommend enrolling as early as possible. You can find current enrolment dates and information at Enrolling in Foundation on the Victorian Government website.

Come and see us

We hold information sessions and school tours for prospective Foundation families in Term 2 each year. If you can't make a scheduled session, tours are available any time on request.

How we help your child get ready

We don't wait until Term 4 to start building connections. Here's how we support your child's transition from kinder to Foundation throughout the year:

From Term 2, our Foundation teachers visit local kindergartens to become a familiar face. Kinder groups also visit us at least once a term, joining in events like Book Week, National Simultaneous Storytime and Science Week.

In Term 3, enrolled Foundation students and their families are invited to our School Readiness afternoons. We run three to four sessions where children get a taste of school life, and Allied Health professionals from South-West Healthcare join us to offer advice and support to families. It's also a great chance for parents to meet each other and our staff.

In Term 4, our Foundation teachers visit kindergartens again to spend extra time with their future students and connect with kinder staff about each child's individual needs. We then host three separate one-hour visits at our school, where children are encouraged, when they feel ready, to come in without a parent. The year wraps up with the Statewide Transition Day, a three-hour session for students, while families are invited to our Information Session on site. Every child goes home with a bag of goodies, including a free school t-shirt and hat.

Ready to take the next step?

Head to our How to Enrol page for the forms and documents you'll need, or call (03) 5561 3161 or email warrnambool.west.ps@education.vic.gov.au and we'll help you get started.