Welcome to Blackburn Lake Primary School. If you haven't already we invite you to take a tour of our school by viewing our Virtual Tour Video. 

Foundation Transition @ Blackburn Lake Primary School

Starting school is a major milestone for your child and your family. At Blackburn Lake Primary School we understand that although an exciting time, it can be an emotional time and needs gentle consideration and careful preparation.

At Blackburn Lake Primary School, we want to help make the transition to primary school and our school community a smooth and positive experience for your child and your family.

We understand that the kind of experiences children have as they become familiar with their new surroundings, routines and procedures can affect their transition to school. At Blackburn Lake Primary School, through our school Transition program we aim to build collaborative partnerships between families, early years’ educators and school staff in order to support your child with their transition to our school.

Transitioning to School

Our Foundation Transition program aims to prepare children for their new learning environment and to build strong communication and positive relationships with our families.

Student Transition

2024 Transition Website with basic information

Term 4 2023

As part of our 'School Transition Program' for Foundation 2024 Students enrolled in Blackburn Lake Primary School, we are offering four Friday sessions from 2:15 pm - 3:15 pm on

• Friday 13 October
• Friday 27 October
• Friday 10 November
• Friday 1 December

where Foundation 2024 students can come along and experience school life for a short time.

Each session focuses on a different learning area and the last one will be for your child to 'Meet your 2024 Classroom Teacher'.

Parent Transition

In addition to our student focussed transition sessions, we provide parent information sessions  on these afternoons that address:

• Student Wellbeing
• Literacy
• Numeracy
• Preparing your Child for School
• Our School Community

Supporting your Transition

In addition to these student and parent transition sessions we also:

• Provide a ‘Being in Foundation’ transition story that answers questions about school life at BLPS in the weeks leading up to starting school.
• Provide a School Transition Showbag which provides optional activities to support your child’s transition to school.
• Provide a BLPS Parent Information Handbook and a Foundation Information Handbook for parent reference.
• Visit local Pre-Schools to exchange information between pre-school and school teachers.

Starting School

As a result of our Transition program, when the children finally start school, they will have already met their Foundation teacher and be familiar with our school. Their teacher will be very aware of supporting the children and their families at this time, as will all of the staff.

To help with settling in, we provide:

• Teacher contact details to support home / school communications
• Half day attendance for the first week of school
• Tea and Tissues morning tea welcome for Foundation parents on their child’s first day of school
• Different play and lunch times for Foundation students
• No school on a Wednesday’s for the first 5 weeks to allow for Early Years Assessment testing
• Welcome Assembly led by our student school councillors where each student is presented with a native plant gifted by our Parent’s Association
• Curriculum Focus in Term 1 that supports the students to develop a sense of belonging in our school community with strong connections to both teachers and peers

Our Commitment

At Blackburn Lake Primary School we are committed to providing an enriching, supportive and motivating learning environment across all year levels that challenges the school community to strive for their personal best and optimise learning opportunities for all students.

We pride ourselves on delivering an education that balances academic, social and emotional growth for all. The school motto, “learning together” encompasses the emphasis that reflects the high importance that is placed on making all members of the school community welcome, safe, engaged, informed and enriched.

Foundation 2024 (Prep) Enrolments @ Blackburn Lake Primary School

The Department of Education (DE) has released a new statewide Foundation (Prep) enrolment timeline.

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

The new timeline will apply for children starting Foundation (Prep) in 2024. All government primary schools will follow the new timeline in 2023 to support Foundation (Prep) enrolments for the 2024 school year. 

You can find information and resources about the new timeline, including factsheets, at: Enrolling in Foundation (Prep). You can also download the ‘Foundation (Prep) Enrolment Information Pack for Parents/Carers for the 2024 school year’ from the Starting School webpage (available from 24 April 2023).

Please note: You will be able to apply to enrol your child in Foundation (Prep) 2024 at Blackburn Lake Primary School from 24 April 2023. Tours are running now, please book into a school tour to gain a greater understanding of the opportunities available at Blackburn Lake Primary School. 

What you need to do:
Contact our school Blackburn Lake Primary School to book a school tour or to learn more about our school and the enrolment application process. 
Download the Foundation (Prep) enrolment information pack from Enrolling in Foundation (Prep) (available from 24 April 2023)
Submit an enrolment application for Foundation (Prep) by Friday 28 July 2023
You will be notified of the outcome of your application by Friday 11 August 2023. If you receive an offer of placement, you should contact our school to accept the offer by Friday 25 August 2023
Take part in enrolment information and transition sessions during Term 3 and 4, 2023.
Your child will start Foundation (Prep) from Tuesday 30 January 2024.
Enrolment applications submitted after 28 July 2023 will be processed by our school as they are received, in accordance with the department’s Placement Policy.

Our School Zone

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:
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

Age For Enrolment

A child is admitted to school at the beginning of a year if his/her fifth birthday falls on or before the 30th April of that year.

Documentation Required for a New Enrolment

1. Completed school enrolment form along with the following documents.

2. Your child’s birth certificate.

a)We require a copy of your child’s birth certificate (translated to English if in another language)
b)If your child was born overseas, we also require your child’s passport and visa

3. Your child’s Immunisation History Statement.
As of 28 February 2018, an Immunisation History Statement from the Australian Immunisation Register will be the only form of documentation accepted as proof of a child's immunisation status.
a) If you have a Medicare card you will need to contact the Australian Immunisation Register on 1800 653 809 to have them post you a copy of your child’s Immunisation History Statement.
b) If you do not have a Medicare card or if the Immunisation Register does not hold any information for your child, you will need to take your child’s immunisation information to a doctor to have it uploaded to the Australian Immunisation Register.

Please complete this form and return it to the school office with the Birth Certificate and Immunisation History Statement:

• In school zone/sibling - Form to Enrol in a Victorian Government School
• Out of school zone - Application to Enrol in a Victorian Government School

Enrolling your child for Foundation 2025

School tours for Foundation 2025 will start on 20th March 2024.

Enrolment Queries

Please contact the office on (03) 9894 2855 or email us blackburn.lake.ps@education.vic.gov.au if you have any enrolment queries.