Admin Corner

Welcome back to another instalment of the Admin Corner!

Today, I will be providing an insight into two core office functions that support our wonderful school community – the Camps, Sports and Excursions Fund (CSEF), and the Year 6-7 Transition Process. I hope following this article, you can walk away with a sound understanding of both.

Year 6-7 Transition Process

An exciting cornerstone of the Year 6 calendar is the Year 6-7 Transition Process. Commencing from the first week of Term 2, this process facilitates Year 6 students’ applications to government high schools.

The process is relatively straightforward:

• From the first week of Term 2, government primary schools distribute application packs to the families of year 6 students. 
• From here, families have until the 12th of May to complete the application forms and return them to their primary school office. The application forms allow the preferencing of secondary school destinations from 1st down to 3rd (if that many preferences exist).
• Following the 12th of May, schools collate applications and begin the process of liaising with preferred secondary school destinations, in attempting to place as many students at their first preference choices as possible, with this process continuing down the preferences until all students are placed into a secondary school for next year. If no preferred choice schools are in a position to take a particular child’s enrolment, that child will be provided a placement offer from their designated school, which is the school that their place of residence falls closest to.
• On the 19th of July, families of Year 6 students will be notified of their child’s placement offer, with parents then able to accept / appeal / decline for an independent school placement thereafter.

Before this process commences, it is imperative that we have on file your families’ most up to date address, as this will determine your child’s designated school. Using the student enrolment information data sent out recently, we ask all current Year 6 families to please check, and ensure we have your most up to date address in our system. If your address requires amending, please either email the school with your new address, or come and see our helpful office staff.

Independent and Catholic school applications are sought out directly by applying families.

Camps, Sports and Excursions Fund (CSEF)

The Camps, Sports and Excursions Fund is a government-based initiative, implemented to support lower-income families in participating in camps, sports and excursions each year. To be eligible, families require a means-tested concession card, with special consideration applications, and temporary foster parent applications, also available. A list of means-tested cards that are accepted are as follows:

• ABSTUDY - Schooling Applicant (ABA)
• ABSTUDY - Secondary/Tertiary (ABY)
• Age Pension (AGE)
• Austudy Payment (AUS)
• Bereavement Allowance (BVA)
• Disability Support Pension (DSP)
• Health Care Card (HCC)
• Job Seeker (JSP)
• Newstart Allowance (NSA)
• Non-Agency Payment (NAP)
• Parenting Payment Partnered (PPP)
• Parenting Payment (PP)
• Partner Allowance (PTA)
• Sickness Allowance (SKA)
• Special Benefit (SPL)
• Widow Allowance (WDA)
• Widow B Pension (WID)
• Wife Pension Age (WFA)
• Wife Pension Disability (WFD)
• Veterans Card (Gold)
• Youth Allowance (YAL)

Families may apply for CSEF over Terms 1 and 2. Families successful in applying will receive $125 to be held by the school, and used to offset the cost of future camps, sports events and excursions. Previously successful applications will be reapplied for by the school each year, with new students joining the school requiring their own new application.

To apply, a CSEF application form can be filled out and provided to the office. You can retrieve an application form from our office, our recent CSEF Compass post, or online.

I hope following this article you now have more of an insight into how the CSEF and Y6-7 Transition Processes run. As always, if you have any further questions regarding the above, or on any other matter, please see any of our lovely office staff, who will always be pleased to assist you.

I hope you have a lovely day!

Daniel Itsines

Enrolment Officer