Paper Petition

Queensland residents draw the attention of the House to the following
issues regarding Preparatory year in state schools:

• Reduced teacher-aide time for prep year from 30 hours (current pre-
school allocation) to 15 hours per week is in breach of the Child Car
Regulation 2003 requiring a minimum of two trained staff at all times for
no more than 25 four to six year olds.
• Part-time attendance not offered as an option for children and families
who believe full-time attendance is not in the best interests of their
child/children.
• No appropriate outside play area adjacent to the prep room at Milton
State School.
• Toilets away from the prep site resulting in serious problems of access
and supervision for young students and their teachers.
• Prep rooms not resourced as well as current pre-schools compromising
play based curriculum, forcing a more formal, static learning environment
totally unsuited to such young children.

Your petitioners therefore request the House to ensure:

• Teacher-aide time minimum of 30 hours per week with consistent aides
and immediate replacement as required.
• Part-time attendance option offered for prep year.
• Six child-height toilets installed for up to 50 children in or adjacent
to prep rooms within line of sight for the teacher,
• Minimum of 3.4sqm per child unencumbered learning space mandatory for
all prep rooms.
• Allocation to ensure prep year is resourced with the following minimum:
sandpit; playground climbing frame; physical skill equipment eg.
carpentry table, watertrough, perceptual motor program equipment.