Balwyn North Primary School

Strive. Inspire. Belong.

Enrolment

Process and Forms

Our school zone is available on findmyschool.vic.gov.au which hosts the most up-to-date information on school zones in Victoria. Students residing within our school zone are guaranteed a place at our school, which is determined on the basis of your permanent residential address.

Our school manages enrolments using the Placement Policy to ensure that students have access to their designated neighbourhood school and may enrol at another school, if there are available places.

For more information, you can:

Foundation (Prep) enrolments

The Department of Education has a statewide Foundation (Prep) enrolment timeline. A new statewide timeline will apply for children starting Foundation in 2025 and further information, including enrolment forms will be updated soon.

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

You can find information and resources about the enrolment timeline at: Enrolling in Foundation (Prep).

Application for Enrolment

Department of Education Guidance

For DET guidance on starting primary school, including types of schools, finding your school zone, enrolment, or changing schools please click here.

School Tours

We would love to meet you and show you around – and a tour will provide you the opportunity to see our school in action to truly get a feel for the environment. You will also meet some of our students and staff and ask any questions you may have regarding the school. Please contact the school office to arrange a time.

School Uniforms

Balwyn North Primary School has a compulsory uniform that can be purchased from Dobsons retail store located at 274 Doncaster Road, North Balwyn. Uniform can also be purchased online. 

Before and After School Care

Balwyn North Primary School has partnered with TheirCare to provide before and after school hours care for students if required.

Lunch Orders

If families choose to do so, lunches can be ordered from Classroom Cuisine on Mondays, Wednesdays, Thursdays and Fridays.

Foundation Transitions

Welcome to our future Foundation students and families!

We are thrilled that you are thinking of joining our school community. At Balwyn North Primary School, we pride ourselves on our commitment to developing the whole child, with a strong focus on both learning and wellbeing.

We encourage all our prospective Foundation students to attend a Transition Program towards the end of the year prior to starting school. This helps our future students to become familiar and more comfortable with the school environment, routines and people.

Our Transition Program has been carefully planned to make the step up to ‘big school’ as smooth as possible.

Bookworms

Throughout the year, we regularly invite four-year-olds and their carers to our popular Bookworms sessions that are held either in our wonderful library or online. These sessions are facilitated by our Foundation teachers and include fun activities such as storytelling, singing, and arts and crafts. Please contact the school office to find out details of the next session.

Intra-School Transitions

Balwyn North Primary School’s Intra Transition program ‘Step Up’ occurs during the year to support students moving through each year level. It gives all students the opportunity to familiarise themselves with the next year level’s processes and routines in preparation for a smooth transition to the following year. 

The first sessions usually occur in Term 3 or early Term 4 and involves each year level being matched with a class from the year level above, for instance a Year 2 with a Year 3 class. The session would be a ‘Q & A’ Forum style where the lower class would have developed questions and be able to ask students from the level above. Conversely, all students have the opportunity to be the ‘experts’ of their year level and be the ones answering the questions from the year level below.

The second sessions occur early-to-mid Term 4 and involves students being immersed in the year level above, usually for a whole morning session. They would be taught a ‘typical’ lesson for that year level by a teacher who would normally teach in that level and in the rooms that would have been used by that year level.

The last session, named ‘Up Day’, usually occurs in the last week of the school year and involves the students going to their actual class for the following year, meeting their new classmates and teacher. Welcome letters would be handed out with some familiarisation activities and questions answered.

Year 6 to 7 Transition

All students enrolled in government primary schools go through the DET Transition process when they are in Year 6. Families receive a ‘Year 6 to Year 7 Transition Information Pack’ from their primary school in Term 2. This will be packed full of information about the process involved, what to do and when to do it. Year 7 placements are determined by secondary schools, however, all communication about your child's application and placement will be with the Transition Coordinator at your child's primary school. Notification of your child’s placement offer usually occurs in Term 3.

The transition from primary to secondary school is an important and exciting time for students and their parents. It is the next stage in a lifelong educational journey leading to new experiences, opportunities and challenges. After the familiar and regular routines developed during primary school, it can be daunting and challenging moving to a secondary school where there are so many new people, places, experiences and processes to navigate.

Balwyn North Primary School has many initiatives in place to ensure the transition to secondary school is a positive experience for our students and their parents:

Secondary School Visits

Every year our Year 6 students visit a secondary school, typically Balwyn High School. Our relationship with them is very strong being next door neighbours. This visit occurs usually mid-year and involves meeting all relevant Balwyn High teachers, especially year level co-ordinators and leaders. Students have a taste of a ‘typical’ lesson in a secondary school subject area, such as science or music. There is also a Scavenger Hunt around the school grounds, and the highlight of the visit is a trip to the canteen where students are allowed to buy snacks. There is also a ‘Q & A’ session involving a Forum of former BNPS students who are now in Year 7, allowing current Year 6 students to ask questions about the secondary school experience.

Teacher Collaboration

We collaborate with secondary schools to ensure the transition period is managed easily. This is achieved through verbal and/or written communication between the child’s Year 6 teacher and a representative from the secondary school. We have developed excellent professional relationships with our colleagues in secondary schools.

Teaching & Learning Strategies

Units of Inquiry and learning programs are also developed throughout the Year 6 year to prepare children for the different teaching methods of secondary school. We use a variety of team-teaching strategies to ensure that the children develop skills in connecting and collaborating with a variety of teachers and students. Further, self- and time- management skills and responsibility are a focus throughout the year being explicitly taught and practised regularly during Year 6.

Wellbeing

All work to ensure a smooth transition to high school is underpinned by our strong commitment to Student Wellbeing. The entire learning program advocates the development of children’s ability to express and overcome fears, build self confidence, resilience and personal leadership skills.

Orientation Day

All government secondary schools host an Orientation Day in December for all Year 6 students.

Useful Resources

Local secondary schools