Kids left in limbo over preschool zone rules

TERRITORY parents are battling to place their kids into preferred preschool destinations. Long waits at Larrakeyah preschool have left children like Jessica Turner in limbo.

Her father Christopher Turner said Larrakeyah preschool was full, and the wait list was 21 children long.

While Larrakeyah would be Mr Turner’s preferred preschool destination for his daughter, he said a big issue for parents was a lack of access to preschools due to catchment zones. These zones — linked to a home address — determine the preschools parents are eligible to send their children to.

“One of the things that troubled me was that every school I called in a 10km radius first asked me where I lived,” he said.

“I understand Larrakeyah is full, but there are other schools in the area with capacity and they won’t take my child due to the catchment zones.” CHRISTOPHER TURNER

Mr Turner said Parap preschool admitted that if he lived in the school’s catchment area, Jessica could have attended preschool there.

“I know there are lots of people who are complaining with the same thing,” he said.

After being turned down at multiple inner suburban schools including Larrakeyah, Stuart Park, Ludmilla, Parap and Millner, Mr Tuner said he would have to go further afield to find a preschool for Jessica.

In a thread on Facebook last week, parents discussed just how difficult the enrolment process can be for their kids. “I missed a spot for my nearly 4yr old at our local preschool. She will have to start next year now,” wrote Stevie D Gusmao. Another parent, Clare Summers, said at one point her child was last on the waiting list for Larrakeyah preschool. “Our daughter was number 21 on the waiting list at the start of the year. She’s now number 4,” she wrote.

Mr Turner said the waiting lists at local preschools, coupled with the inability of schools with spare places to take on kids out of their catchment zones, amounts to a broken system.

“every school ... first asked me where I lived”