PREP 2026: Enrolment Enquiry

Thank you for your interest in Marnebek School.

PREP ENROLMENTS FOR 2026 WILL COMMENCE FROM 22-APR-2025.

Foundation (Prep) 2026 Enrolment Enquires:

To be able to enrol with us for 2026, your child must be turning five by April 30 of 2026.

The Department of Education has released an updated statewide Foundation (Prep) enrolment timeline for the 2025- 2026 school year.

The timeline advises families when and how to enrol their child into Foundation (Prep) at a Victorian government primary school, including Marnebek School.

You can find information and resources about the timeline, including factsheets and a poster at: Enrolling in Foundation (Prep). You can also download the ‘Foundation (Prep) Enrolment Information Pack for Parents and Carers’ from Enrolling in Foundation (Prep) (available from 15 April 2024).

What you need to know:

1.      Marnebek School is a Specialist School for students who have been diagnosed with an intellectual disability.

2.      Students enrolling at Marnebek School must have a cognitive assessment completed by a psychologist to ensure they are eligible to attend a Special School.  The Department of Education contract Students with Disability Assessment Service to do this at no cost to parents.

3.      The referral for the cognitive assessment is coordinated by our school Enrolment coordinator and it takes place at our school.

4.      To be eligible for Marnebek School, the cognitive assessment must show that the student has an IQ 70 or below and is diagnosed with an intellectual disability.

What to do next:

1.      If you are thinking of enrolling at our school, PLEASE CLICK ON THE ENROLMENT ENQUIRY  FORM LINK BELOW:

2.      Once you complete the online enquiry form, Our Enrolments coordinator will contact you have a chat about your child’s needs, eligibility to attend our school and answer any questions you have. We aim to do this within 7 days of the enquiry being submitted.  If for some reason you don’t hear from us, please feel free to call the Admin office on 5996 3858 and ask to speak to the Enrolments Coordinator.      

3.      We will organise a tour of our school for you to decide whether we might be a good fit for your child.  School Tours will also be available from 2nd May on Fridays at 9.30am.   To ensure we have minimal disruption for our current  students, this times is set.

4.      If after the tour you feel your child would benefit from a Specialist School setting, you will be asked to complete the cognitive assessment consent and parent referral forms.  These will be required no later than two weeks after being issued to you.

5.      You will also be asked to send in any other supporting documents such as:

  • a.      Letter from your child’s paediatrician supporting the referral

  • b.      Any other diagnosis letters

  • c.      NDIS plan

  • d.      Any reports from therapists that are working with your child currently.

  • e.      These reports are also required no later than two weeks after being given the referral forms.

6.      The early learning centre that your child attends will also be asked to complete an online vineland assessment and teacher referral document.  Please let them know that we will be contacting them.

7.      NB: If your child does not attend an early learning centre an alternative assessment will be required.

8.      Once all the forms are completed and sent back to us, they are sent to the Assessment Service who review all the documents. If there is sufficient evidence to suggest that the student may have an intellectual disability, then a cognitive assessment will be booked by a psychologist from the assessment service.

For information about referrals, visit Assessments Australia

9.      If after the assessment, your child meets the criteria of Intellectual Disability, we will proceed to enrolment.  All enrolment paperwork must be completed and returned to us no later than the 5th December.  This is to ensure that your child attends our transition sessions and Statewide Transition Day – our aim Is to try to make sure your child’s transition to our school is as smooth and happy as possible.

10.  At the transition sessions you and your child will meet the teacher and future classmates.  This is also an opportunity for the teacher to begin to understand your child’s needs.

Key dates:

·         School tours for preps start from  2nd May

·         Closing date for prep cognitive assessment referrals and enrolment enquiries- Friday 7th Nov

·         Prep info night Thursday 27th November (Prep parents are expected to attend this).

·         Transition days: Tuesday 2nd Dec and Wednesday 3rd December

·         Statewide transition day: Tuesday 9th December

·         All enrolment forms to be returned to us no later than 5th December if you wish your child to start with us in Term 1 2026.

 

For more information on enrolling in Specialist Schools Enrolment in specialist schools and other specialist education settings.

We look forward to hearing from you from 22nd April  2025

Click here to download Enrolment Documentation Checklist for Parents and Carers