Foundation (Prep) enrolment
Please note: a new Foundation enrolment timeline was released to schools in Term 4, 2022. All Victorian government primary schools, including P–9 and P–12 schools, are required to implement the timeline in 2023 to support Foundation enrolments for the 2024 school year. The enrolment process for children commencing Foundation in 2023 remains unchanged.
Statewide timeline to manage Foundation (Prep) enrolments for the 2024 school year
The new statewide enrolment timeline provides Victorian government primary schools with clear timeframes for enrolling students who will commence Foundation in the 2024 school year.
This will be the first time that schools will use a statewide timeline for enrolments into the Foundation year. The timeline seeks to support schools and families by making the Foundation enrolment process simpler, clearer and fairer.
The timeline includes key dates, activity descriptions and an overview of responsibilities to help schools to plan for their Foundation enrolments. Key dates and activities for schools in the 2023–24 timeline include the following:
- Schools can receive enrolment applications from parents and carers from the start of Term 2, 2023. This follows the release of 2024 zones on the department’s Find my School and the publication of Foundation enrolment information packs.
- Enrolment applications from parents and carers are to be submitted by Friday, 28 July 2023.
- Schools notify parents and carers of the outcome of enrolment applications by Friday, 11 August 2023.
- Written non-placement appeals from parents and carers are to be lodged with schools by Friday, 25 August 2023.
- Schools notify parents and carers in writing of the outcome of non-placement appeals by Friday, 15 September 2023.
All primary schools are required to implement the timeline in 2023 to support Foundation enrolments for the 2024 school year.
Enrolment applications submitted after the application due date of 28 July 2023 will be processed by the school as they are received. Schools must manage enrolment applications in accordance with the department’s Placement Policy.
What schools need to do
To ensure that your school manages Foundation enrolments for 2024 in accordance with the new statewide timeline, schools must:
- download and read the timeline and procedures for 2023-24 and share it with relevant teaching and administration staff: Statewide Foundation enrolment timeline and procedures for 2023-24 (staff login required)
- update your school’s website using the template website content provided below, and remove any outdated information regarding enrolment dates and activities for enrolment into Foundation for the 2024 school year: Template website content (staff login required)
- direct parents and carers of children commencing Foundation in 2024 to the Victorian Government’s Enrolling in Foundation page for information and resources on when and how to apply to enrol their child in primary school
- download and share the enrolment information packs for schools and parents/carers when they become available in late Term 1, 2023.
The department’s Placement Policy must continue to be applied in the placement of students into Foundation. The statewide timeline will not apply to primary schools exempt from the Placement Policy, such as specialist schools or those with special entry criteria.
Enrolment packs
Enrolment information packs for schools, the early childhood sector and parents/carers will be available in late Term 1, 2023.
The pack for parents/carers and the early childhood sector will be publicly available via the Enrolling in Foundation (Prep) .
The Foundation enrolment information pack for schools will be available to download from the Resources tab. The pack will include standard templates to support schools during the enrolment process, such as template letters for schools to notify families of the outcome of their enrolment application, as well as responses to FAQs. The pack also includes resources to support schools to communicate about the enrolment timeline, such as a template newsletter article.
Reviewed 05 December 2022