Catholic schools across South Australia have recorded a surge in mid-year reception enrolments amid a $22 million funding boost in the federal budget. Source: The Advertiser.
Private schools that allow reception students to enrol mid-year will share in $22 million over two years to cover the cost of providing an extra six months of tuition to the state’s youngest pupils.
South Australia was the only state to receive the extra funding in the federal budget, announced earlier this month.
The mid-year start for students in reception allows students who turn five on or before October 31 to begin school in Term Three.
Those students spend 18 months in reception before progressing to Year One, which according to Catholic Education SA, leads to higher than average academic results in phonics screening and NAPLAN testing.
There were 1815 reception students who started in Term Three at SA Catholic schools last year, up more than 10 per cent on 2024 enrolments.
St Francis de Sales College in Mount Barker will welcome 33 new reception students in Term Three this year.
Principal Andrew Baker said the mid-year intake helped the school stay “inclusive and affordable”.
The first two terms of reception for students starting mid-year has been waived at many Catholic schools since 2021 due to cost of living pressures on families.
“Parents are telling us they appreciate the flexibility this approach offers and that the two free terms make a real difference when it comes to managing the cost of living in today’s world,” Mr Baker said.
“As a Catholic school we have always been focused on being inclusive and affordable.”
Catholic Education SA executive director Neil McGoran said the sustained increase in mid-year enrolments was “encouraging”.
“We are seeing positive academic and social benefits for those students who are spending an additional six months in reception,” Dr McGoran said.
“The initiative has been extremely popular in previous years.
“We remain committed to ensuring our schools are accessible for all families seeking a Catholic education for their children, as well as improving educational and wellbeing outcomes for every student in our schools.”
The mid-year option was scrapped at public schools in 2014 but reinstated in 2024.
FULL STORY
SA Catholic schools see mid-year reception boom amid $22m funding boost (By Shashi Baltutis, The Advertiser)
