How to enrol - a step-by-step guide

How to enrol - a step-by-step guide

All children from Pre-primary to Year 12 are guaranteed places at their local public school.

You can apply to enrol your child in a public school which is not your local public school, however they are not guaranteed a place at that school.

If your child is a temporary resident, make sure you read the information below under Enrol your child if they are not an Australian citizen.

Follow these easy steps to enrol your children:

Step 1

For an application for enrolment form, contact your local public school. The school can help you with your application.

Step 2

Submit your application for enrolment at your local school as soon as possible along with copies of:

  • your child's birth certificate (telephone the Registry of Births, Deaths and Marriages on 1300 305 021 if you do not have one)
  • your child's Immunisation History Statement (for instructions on how to obtain this statement visit the Department of Health​​​​​)
  • proof of your current address (such as a recent electricity, water, telephone or bank statement)
  • copies of Family Court orders for confirmation of proof of name or custody arrangements.
Step 3

You will receive a letter from your local school either offering a place (as per the School Education Regulations 2000) or indicating that no place is available.

Step 4

If you have an offer of a place and want to accept it, visit the school to complete the enrolment process.

Applying for Kindergarten

Western Australia now has immunisation laws that will help to better protect our children and the wider community from vaccine-preventable diseases.

When you enrol your child in Kindergarten you will need to provide your child’s current Australian Immunisation Register (AIR) Immunisation History Statement, which shows your child is ‘up-to-date’ with all the scheduled immunisations (according to the National Immunisation Program) for their age. This Statement must be no more than 2 months old.

If you would like to know more about the immunisation requirements, obtaining an AIR Immunisation History Statement or how to access immunisation services go to HealthyWA.

In most cases, your child will be offered a place at your local public school or a community kindergarten linked to your local school. However, if the number of Kindergarten enrolment applications exceeds the number of places available, you may be referred to a nearby kindergarten that has places available. Every effort is made to accommodate your child in a school as close as possible to your home.

A year of part-time kindergarten is available at your local public school or community kindergarten.

While it is not compulsory, almost all parents enrol their children so they get the best start to learning at school.

If your child is 4 years old by 30 June 2023 you can apply to enrol them in Kindergarten for 2023.

Visit your local school and apply to enrol as soon as possible. Find your local public school. 

In most cases, your child will be offered a place at your local public school or a community kindergarten linked to your local school. However, if the number of applications for enrolment exceeds the number of places available you may be referred to a nearby kindergarten which has places available. The School Education Regulations 2000 specify how kindergartens and community kindergartens must prioritise enrolments.

Every child of Pre-primary age is required to attend school and is guaranteed a place at their local school.

If your child is 5 years old by 30 June 2023 you need apply to enrol them in Pre-primary for 2023.

If your child is currently enrolled in Kindergarten at your local school and you plan to stay at that school for Pre-primary, you still need to complete an application to re-enrol.

Visit your local school and apply to enrol as soon as possible. Find your local public school. 

These are considered to be new enrolments and you will need to re-enrol your children if they change schools. All children of compulsory school age (Pre-primary to Year 12) are guaranteed places in their local schools.

Enrolment options for children who are not Australian citizens depend on their, or your, visa subclass number. You will need to provide evidence of your visa subclass and status at the time of enrolment and advise the school of any subsequent change of visa conditions.

Children granted a bridging visa will generally enrol under the conditions of their substantive visa. 

Find more information and advice in the Enrolment framework for students with a visa in public schools.

If your child has a special educational need, you need to provide the school with additional information when you apply to enrol them. Make an appointment with the principal to take them through your child’s needs and requirements including:

  • your child’s specific diagnosis
  • the nature of your child’s special educational needs
  • whether your child requires assistance to navigate school grounds
  • specialised equipment your child may need
  • your child’s personal care and medical needs
  • any previous intervention or therapy programs your child has participated in and what the outcomes were.

The strategies you use at home may be of great help to your child’s teacher so be prepared to talk with them about what you are doing at home.

Don’t forget to ask questions like:

  • how an individual education plan, if required, can be tailored to meet your child’s needs
  • the system of communication between you, the school and other professionals who work with your child
  • specialist support services and resources available for your child
  • your child’s eligibility for enrolment in an education support school or centre
  • how your child can participate in school excursions and activities such as swimming lessons
  • transport to and from school, and if your child is entitled to any assistance.

There's a public school near you

There's a public school near you

Use our 'Find a school' tool to search for your local public school by name or suburb. The tool will provide contact information as well as some brief background information about the school.

Find a school