Enrolment Process
(for Enrolling in primary school
Your child’s birthday will dictate when they can be enrolled in a South Australian primary school for the first time.
Before you begin
In South Australia placement in a school is based on a child’s residential address.
You may be asked to provide the following information as proof of residence.
If you own your home:
If your child is living with a relative or friend, you will need to provide supporting documentation stating that the relative/friend is the legal guardian of the child. This documentation must include a parenting order from the Family Court, which states that the relative/friend is the formal full-time carer of the child.
The school principal is responsible for determining whether proof of residence has been satisfied.
School zoning for Ardtornish Primary School
A school zone is a defined area surrounding a school from which the school accepts its core intake of students. In South Australia a small number of primary schools that have experienced enrolment pressure are zoned and Ardtornish is one of these.
You can find your local zoned or un-zoned school on the Department for Education website. If you live in a 'shared zone' the map will show more than 1 school. Please contact the school, if you are unsure if it is your local (zoned) school.
Registering interest to attend Ardtornish if you live out-of-zone for the school
Depending on available places, Ardtornish is able to accept applications from non-local families for their child to start school (eg Foundation) for the coming year. In some cases, the department provides automatic entry to children living outside the local area, such as children with older siblings attending the school or children that may be the subject of a custody or guardianship order under the Children and Young People (Safety) Act 2017 (SA). These applications are considered in the first round of offers that occur beginning August each year.
Children within our zone, or with sibling rights will receive enrolment forms in August (Term 3, Week 5) of the year before they begin school. All other non-local applications are considered in the second round of offers that occur beginning September of each year.
When demand from non-local families exceeds the available places, applications will be considered with respect to distance, social and family links, curriculum needs, and transport and locality convenience.
Acceptance into a particular school is subject to the school’s capacity. The principal of the school will advise you if they have available places.
When to register to start school
You can register your interest with more than 1 primary school. Registration of Interest forms at our school are available after attending a school tour or meeting with Leadership.
If you are considering a number of schools for enrolment, make sure you have submitted registration of interest to each school, including your local school by the end of Term 2, in the year before your child is due to start school. We do not take Registration of Interest forms until the year before your child is due to start school. Note: late registrations may result in limited opportunity to attend a non-local school.
Parents in South Australia can transfer their child to public primary schools at any time during the year, if the new school is able to accommodate the request. Transfer enquiries should be made directly with the school.
How to enrol in a primary school
Once a vacancy is offered, many schools will ask parents and students to attend a pre-enrolment interview or information session. During the pre-enrolment interview/information session, a staff member can help you complete the school enrolment form and answer any questions.
What you will need to bring
For your application to proceed you must provide the school with proof of the child's identity and date of birth such as:
Other information you may need
You may be asked about:
What you will receive
The school will provide or direct you to information covering topics which may include:
Public primary schools provide free tuition for all students.
A materials and services charge is set each year. This fee covers the cost of books, computer technology and other essential items and services used by students during the course of their study.
Each school sets their own charges based on the cost of the items and services provided to the students to undertake their curriculum for the school year. Contact your school directly for further details on the charges. Financial assistance, including the School Card, is available to help eligible families with the materials and services charge.
School Tours
Parents are invited to attend a school tour. Please telephone the school to find out about the next school tour. An expression of interest form will be provided to all parents of children outside of the zone who will be starting the following year.
Enrolment of five year old children living outside the zone are confirmed by the Principal by Friday of Week 5 in Term 3 the year before they are due to start school.
ZONING POLICY
The school is zoned and students from outside of the zone may not be able to gain a placement if the school is full. See the Department for Education enrolment processes.
An exception to this will be for siblings of students already attending Ardtornish Primary School.
Students attending The Ardtornish Children's Centre (ACC) , who live outside the zone, do not have automatic entry to Ardtornish Primary School.
Parents who have children in the zone or whose children fit the criteria above should fill out an Ardtornish Enrolment Form when they begin at the ACC.
This is to enable suitable arrangements to be made in the school’s organization.
TRANSITION PROCESS
For Foundation students we hold three transition visits in the last weeks of Term 4, prior to the child attending the school in the following year. The first two transition visits include parent information sessions with both the Principal and the child's future teacher.
The zone boundaries for Ardtornish Primary School, Saarinen Avenue, St. Agnes, are as follows:
North East Road, to the eastern boundary of Tea Tree Plaza Shopping Centre,
Smart Road up to Australia Avenue, to Armbuster Street, then onto Pegasi Avenue,
to Austral Avenue and on to Grand Junction Road, up Maderia Avenue and left onto Mataro Road, onto Toovis Avenue, then Mumford Avenue, back onto Smart Road, then up Tolley Road back to North East Road.
Your child’s birthday will dictate when they can be enrolled in a South Australian primary school for the first time.
- If your child turns 5 before 1 May, they can start primary school (Foundation) the first day of term 1 of that year.
- If your child turns 5 on or after 1 May, they can start primary school (Foundation) the first day of term 1 of the following year.
Before you begin
In South Australia placement in a school is based on a child’s residential address.
You may be asked to provide the following information as proof of residence.
If you own your home:
- a copy of the contract of sale for the property or a recent council rates notice, and
- recent a gas or electricity bill for that property.
- a rental agreement and a bond receipt lodged with Consumer and Business Services showing the current place of residence - the rental agreement should cover at least the first 12 months the child will be attending the school, and
- a recent gas or electricity bill for that property.
If your child is living with a relative or friend, you will need to provide supporting documentation stating that the relative/friend is the legal guardian of the child. This documentation must include a parenting order from the Family Court, which states that the relative/friend is the formal full-time carer of the child.
The school principal is responsible for determining whether proof of residence has been satisfied.
School zoning for Ardtornish Primary School
A school zone is a defined area surrounding a school from which the school accepts its core intake of students. In South Australia a small number of primary schools that have experienced enrolment pressure are zoned and Ardtornish is one of these.
You can find your local zoned or un-zoned school on the Department for Education website. If you live in a 'shared zone' the map will show more than 1 school. Please contact the school, if you are unsure if it is your local (zoned) school.
Registering interest to attend Ardtornish if you live out-of-zone for the school
Depending on available places, Ardtornish is able to accept applications from non-local families for their child to start school (eg Foundation) for the coming year. In some cases, the department provides automatic entry to children living outside the local area, such as children with older siblings attending the school or children that may be the subject of a custody or guardianship order under the Children and Young People (Safety) Act 2017 (SA). These applications are considered in the first round of offers that occur beginning August each year.
Children within our zone, or with sibling rights will receive enrolment forms in August (Term 3, Week 5) of the year before they begin school. All other non-local applications are considered in the second round of offers that occur beginning September of each year.
When demand from non-local families exceeds the available places, applications will be considered with respect to distance, social and family links, curriculum needs, and transport and locality convenience.
Acceptance into a particular school is subject to the school’s capacity. The principal of the school will advise you if they have available places.
When to register to start school
You can register your interest with more than 1 primary school. Registration of Interest forms at our school are available after attending a school tour or meeting with Leadership.
If you are considering a number of schools for enrolment, make sure you have submitted registration of interest to each school, including your local school by the end of Term 2, in the year before your child is due to start school. We do not take Registration of Interest forms until the year before your child is due to start school. Note: late registrations may result in limited opportunity to attend a non-local school.
Parents in South Australia can transfer their child to public primary schools at any time during the year, if the new school is able to accommodate the request. Transfer enquiries should be made directly with the school.
How to enrol in a primary school
Once a vacancy is offered, many schools will ask parents and students to attend a pre-enrolment interview or information session. During the pre-enrolment interview/information session, a staff member can help you complete the school enrolment form and answer any questions.
What you will need to bring
For your application to proceed you must provide the school with proof of the child's identity and date of birth such as:
- a birth certificate or extract
- a passport, or travel document such as a visa, citizenship certificate or ImmiCard
- official Centrelink documentation stating the child's name and birth date
- proof of the child's residential address
- copies of any relevant family law or other relevant court orders.
Other information you may need
You may be asked about:
- your child's interests
- emergency contact numbers
- custody and family dispute issues or court orders
- visa information
- immunisation records, medical information and health care needs
- friends already attending the school or starting at the same time.
What you will receive
The school will provide or direct you to information covering topics which may include:
- health and safety
- policies
- curriculum
- school times
- the canteen price list
- out of school hours care(OSHC)
- the role and obligations of volunteers in schools
- general school procedures.
Public primary schools provide free tuition for all students.
A materials and services charge is set each year. This fee covers the cost of books, computer technology and other essential items and services used by students during the course of their study.
Each school sets their own charges based on the cost of the items and services provided to the students to undertake their curriculum for the school year. Contact your school directly for further details on the charges. Financial assistance, including the School Card, is available to help eligible families with the materials and services charge.
School Tours
Parents are invited to attend a school tour. Please telephone the school to find out about the next school tour. An expression of interest form will be provided to all parents of children outside of the zone who will be starting the following year.
Enrolment of five year old children living outside the zone are confirmed by the Principal by Friday of Week 5 in Term 3 the year before they are due to start school.
ZONING POLICY
The school is zoned and students from outside of the zone may not be able to gain a placement if the school is full. See the Department for Education enrolment processes.
An exception to this will be for siblings of students already attending Ardtornish Primary School.
Students attending The Ardtornish Children's Centre (ACC) , who live outside the zone, do not have automatic entry to Ardtornish Primary School.
Parents who have children in the zone or whose children fit the criteria above should fill out an Ardtornish Enrolment Form when they begin at the ACC.
This is to enable suitable arrangements to be made in the school’s organization.
TRANSITION PROCESS
For Foundation students we hold three transition visits in the last weeks of Term 4, prior to the child attending the school in the following year. The first two transition visits include parent information sessions with both the Principal and the child's future teacher.
The zone boundaries for Ardtornish Primary School, Saarinen Avenue, St. Agnes, are as follows:
North East Road, to the eastern boundary of Tea Tree Plaza Shopping Centre,
Smart Road up to Australia Avenue, to Armbuster Street, then onto Pegasi Avenue,
to Austral Avenue and on to Grand Junction Road, up Maderia Avenue and left onto Mataro Road, onto Toovis Avenue, then Mumford Avenue, back onto Smart Road, then up Tolley Road back to North East Road.
