Mid-year intake restored to SA schools after decade-long hiatus
About 4400 five-year-old children had their first day of school today, as the mid-year intake returned to South Australian schools after a 10-year absence.
The mid-year intake caters to children born between May and October who will have an additional two terms of reception, while those born later will join the following year's intake.
Despite initial nerves, particularly among parents, the potential benefits of the mid-year intake were evident.
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The mid-year intake caters to children born between May and October. Nine
Mother Samantha Nielsen said the extra two terms of school freed her family from daycare fees, as well as offering more education for her son.
"Knowing he's going to learn faster and a lot more a lot faster will be fantastic," she said.
Around the state, close to 200 new staffing roles have been filled to facilitate the extra kids, and in some cases extra classes
"Mid-year intakes wIll join an existing cohort of receptions. But we'll also have extra teachers and extra SSOs to help with that," Ascot Park Primary School Principal Sam Kennedy said.
The reintroduction of the mid-year intake addresses a decision made over a decade ago by the former Labor government to eliminate it as a cost-cutting measure.
Despite initial nerves, particularly among parents, the potential benefits of the mid-year intake were evident. Nine
Education Minister Blair Boyer acknowledged the decision by a previous Labor government to abolish the intake a decade ago, was a mistake.
'The feedback we got around mid-year intake is bring it back," he said. "And the non government sector did the right thing and introduced it."
This article was produced with the assistance of 9ExPress.
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