General Enrolment Information 

Starting primary school is an exciting time for children and parents and carers.  In Victoria, the first year of primary school is called Foundation or Prep.  At Portarlington Primary School, we refer to this first important year as the Prep Year.

To start Prep in 2027, your child will need to turn 5 years old by 30 April 2027.  School is compulsory for children who have turned 6 years old.

Victorian government primary schools follow the same timeline to enrol children starting Prep in 2027.  The timeline does not apply to government specialist schools. For information about enrolling in a government specialist school, you should read Enrolling in school.

If you are seeking to enrol your child for the 2026 school year, you should also read Enrolling in school.

Once your child is enrolled, read the department’s tips for starting primary school to learn how you can support your child.  If you have further questions, you can contact Portarlington Primary School or a Community Liaison Officer in the Department of Education.

If you are wishing to transfer your child from another school into Grades 1 – 6 please contact our school administration to arrange a discussion or meeting with our Principal.

Zone Information and Placement Policy 

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 based on 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:

• visit School zones for answers to frequently asked questions

• call the Victorian School Building Authority (VSBA) on 1800 896 950

• email the VSBA at vsba@education.vic.gov.au

Enrolment Checklist – What to do

1. Contact our school to book a school tour or to learn more about our school and the enrolment application process.
2. Request from us or download the Prep enrolment information pack from Enrolling in Foundation (Prep).
3. Submit an enrolment application to the school for Foundation (Prep) by Friday, 31 July 2026.
4. You will be notified of the outcome of your application between Monday, 3 August and Friday, 14 August 2026. If you receive an enrolment offer, you should contact our school to accept the offer by Friday, 28 August 2026.
5. If your application is not accepted you will be provided with information at the time which includes the reason the application was denied, and the process to appeal the decision. Applications are only denied based on the Placement Policy and any Enrolment Management Plan in place, as set by the Department of Education.
6. Take part in enrolment information and transition sessions during Term 3 and 4 (information will be sent to your email address).

See the ‘Foundation (Prep) Enrolment Information Pack for Parents and Carers’ guide for further information.

Transition Program

We know that starting school is a big change for our students and families, so we offer a transition program for our future Prep students.  

Our transition program aims to build confidence and a sense of belonging for our newest Portarlington Primary School community members where our Prep students will engage in a range of fun learning experiences to give them a taste of what to expect at school.  For parents and carers, we offer a chance to connect with others and to hear from some of our staff members about what to expect as a parent or carer of a first time primary school student.

Information regarding our transition program will be shared once enrolments have been confirmed later in the year.