We are considering introducing cohort entry for our new entrants and are interested in your views on this initiative.
Cohort entry means one start date for a group of tamariki at the beginning of the term after they turn 5. Currently, we encourage this but do not mandate it. Ao Tawhiti being the school it is, we will continue to support families to start their new entrants on a date that suits their child and whānau, however, we want to explore the idea of cohort entry because it has many benefits. These include, but are not limited to:
- Cohorts of new entrants begin building relationships with the group from the first day
- Cohorts can be more settled and less disruptive
- Routines can be quickly established
- The 10 week literacy teaching blocks allow students continuity of learning through the whole block
- The unsettling nature of having students start throughout the term as they turn 5 can be avoided
In order to present a balanced argument, there are points against cohort entry:
- Students who may be school-ready having to remain at preschool
- A potential added cost for whānau who are paying for preschool, although the child qualifies for 20 hours free ECE until they start school
- Impact on early childhood services as more children stay for longer, and leave in groups
