Vogeltown School is considering whether to establish a cohort entry policy from 2021. This will allow new entrant children to start school in cohort groups on the first day of any term or at the midpoint of any term after their 5th birthday and before their 6th birthday, rather than on a child’s birthday (also known as continuous entry).  Children enrolling at the start or midpoint of term one and the start of term two would be considered Year One students for the year. Children enrolling at the midpoint of term two, or the start or midpoint of terms three and four would be considered Year Zero for the year and would be in Year One the following year.
Cohort entry allows new entrants to have an easier transition to school and helps them build friendships more easily. Children’s learning is benefitted, as they receive the same messages at the same time - new children don’t miss things because they started after the class had learnt that information. It also allows Vogeltown School to better plan its staffing requirements and minimises disruption for new entrant classes. Parents can still decide when their child is ready to start school and can choose a later cohort entry date if they feel that their child is not ready to start school directly after they turn 5.