Dutton Park State Schoool
Enrolment FAQs
We live in catchment. Is our place guaranteed?
Yes, your place is guaranteed. You will have to
show some residence evidence. The sooner you
enrol, the better we can plan for 2023. School
numbers affect our budget and ability to
provide quality programs and security for our
educators.
What about siblings?
Siblings of current students are guaranteed
enrolment. Please enrol your siblings as soon as
you can to help us plan and budget.
Does going to Dutton Park guarantee
a place in Grade 7 at Brisbane State
High or BSSSC?
No. These schools have their own catchment
rules. Our school has strong relationships with
these schools and our students share classroom
experiences and other educational activities
provided by BSSSC and State High.
We live out of catchment.
Will we get a place?
If you hurry, yes! Currently for 2023, we have
some capacity in all years except Year 6. You
won’t get a place in Year 6 if you are out of
catchment. You need to put in an Expression of Interest.
We may accept out of catchment enrolments if we have sufficient
spare capacity and plan for in catchment. This is
a decision for the Principal. It depends on timing
and in-catchment enrolments.
I work near the school. Can my kids enrol?
Yes. Your application will be treated under the
out-of-catchment rules.
Sign me up!
Hyperlinks to take you to our forms:
To enrol, fill in a student enrolment form.
To get some help through the process or to get
your out-of-catchment process started,
fill in an Expression of Interest.
Enrolment Timing
I need certainty. What date can you tell
me if my out of catchment enrolment is
accepted?
For 2023, if you lodge an out of catchment EOI:
- Prep, we will tell you in 1 to 2 weeks if you
are accepted, or if we need to put you on a
waitlist. - Years 1 to 5, within 1 to 2 weeks.
- Year 6, we will need to put you on a waitlist.
When is my application due?
As soon as possible. Out-of-catchment
applications are considered in the order we
receive them.
Early in-catchment applications allow us to plan
our resourcing for 2023. School numbers affect
our budget and our ability to provide quality
programs and job security for our educators.
I put in my application and haven’t heard
anything yet…
We are currently considering applications as they
come in.
Call us if you do not hear anything within 2
weeks, or 1 week if you are anxious. We are here
to help and to make you feel welcome to our
family!
What can my child expect from Dutton
Park?
Our school has three expectations: Be Safe, Be
Respectful and Be a Learner.
Our vision is to empower students to acquire,
demonstrate, articulate and value knowledge
and skills that will support them as life-long
learners. Students will grow to participate in
and contribute to the global world, and practise
the core values of the school, respect, kindness
and resilience.
Why Dutton Park?
Does size matter?
Our families think so. Our ideal size is 2 classes
per grade. The maximum size of our school is set
at 380 students by our Enrolment Management
Plan.
We think this is small enough to care about each
child individually, and big enough to deliver a
quality education and environment that
encourages children to challenge themselves
and to thrive.
Our Principal knows every child; our families
know and look out for each other. Our parents,
carers and grandparents are actively involved
through volunteering in the classroom and
through our P&C.
How do I know Dutton Park will be right
for my child?
If you are joining in Prep, our interview and
orientation process will give you a lot of
opportunities to meet teachers and other
families.
When enrolling in other grades, you will have the
opportunity to talk to the Principal in the
process.
If you feel you need more, ask to talk to
someone. We can line up teachers or other
families to help you feel welcome and make
your decision.
Does Dutton Park share my values?
What’s important to you? We are guided by
our families in setting our values and delivering a
quality education to your children.
Will my Preppie feel welcome?
Yes! Interviews and orientation will help your
child feel comfortable with their teacher and
classroom. Orientation mornings in November
include information sessions for parents/carers.
Play dates get organised, and uniform
purchases can help get children excited about
their transition.
The P&C will coordinate a prep parent
WhatsApp group to keep you in the loop. We will
get this underway in 2022 to ease your
transition. Details will be circulated during the
2022 Prep events.
All Preps wear a white ribbon on their hat to
help teachers and older grades look out for
them. Our grade 6 leaders run a buddy program.
Each Prep has a buddy or two of their own and
our grade 6s enjoy the responsibility of
mentoring their charges.
What should I know about the curriculum?
All Queensland schools have some common
requirements in their curriculum.
At Dutton Park, Philosophy is key to our students
becoming lifelong learners who are successful
academically and socially. Our students have
weekly philosophy lessons as part of the
curriculum.
3 mornings a week our whole school starts the
day together on the oval with 15 minutes of
movement activities or a “magic mile” run by our
Grade 6s. We say hi, feel part of the school
community, and get our bodies moving, ready to
learn.
Music, art, PE, library and digital technology are
an important part of the children’s weekly
activities. Children in all grades have weekly
art/digital technology, music and PE lessons.
French is taught from grade 3.
Our curriculum is also supplemented with
activities, some of which are funded through our
P&C. For example, swimming lessons, “Make and
Meld” workshops (a combination of arts, design
technology, science), NAIDOC, Book Week and
environmental presenters.
Do you have before and after school care?
Yes. We have an external provider, Jabiru which
provides before and after school care and
vacation care on school grounds. You can
organise permanent or last minute bookings
depending on your needs: jabiru.org.au
Do you have a tuck shop?
No. We encourage our kids to bring a healthy
lunch. Our P&C regularly organises food orders for
special events which the kids love eg French Day,
Under 8s Day, for sports carnivals etc.
What sort of extra-curricular activities do
you offer?
We offer a variety of programs before and after
school that children can sign up to such as chess
club, choir, ukulele ensemble, band and “Budgie
Cup” (a sporting competition between 4 local
primary schools across 3 different team sports).
Some activities are organised by external
providers on a fee-paying basis and others are
organised by the P&C or teachers. Examples
include: touch football, Make and Meld workshops
(craft/ science based workshops), tennis lessons,
Auskick; dancing, Tangalooma Ecomarines.
How can I learn more?
Call the office and ask to talk
to someone: (07) 3010 8333
We’d be happy to answer your questions or put
you in contact with some parents/carers through
our P&C: www.duttonparksspandc.org.au
Follow Dutton Park State School and our Dutton
Park School P&C Community Facebook pages:
www.facebook.com/duttonparkstateschool
www.facebook.com/duttonparkschoolcommunity
Can I get involved?
Yes. We would love to have you involved. You can
volunteer to help in your child’s classroom and/or
on an ad hoc basis for events like sports days,
excursions, swimming lessons. You are welcome
to attend our weekly assembly and teachers will
often give parents/carers notice if their child will
be recognised.
We have an active P&C which supports the
school, and we are always looking for interested
volunteers to help occasionally or on a systematic
basis.
I have lots of responsibilities. I can’t get
involved.
That’s fine too. Involvement is not expected, just
appreciated. Your role is to support your child
and the school in providing an education in the
way that is right for your family.
How do I track my child’s progress and get
information from the school?
Each teacher has an email address so you can
email your child’s teacher directly. The school
uses a combination of email, electronic
newsletters and physical forms which we send
home with children. Payments for ad hoc
expenses (like special food days, incursions and
excursions) are organised electronically.
The P&C organises “class parent reps” who will
help with the information flow and liaising with
your teacher on matters that concern all
parents/carers.
The P&C also manages secure WhatsApp groups
for parents/carers of each year level which you
are free to join. The P&C will get the Prep 2023
group underway through the 2022 enrolment
process to ease the transition. No system is
perfect, and each means operates as back up for
the others.