Barker offers confirmed places to students applying to enter Pre-Kindergarten, Kindergarten, Year 3, Year 5 and Year 7 in strict order of date of application and subject to the School's priority list.
Securing a Place
To hold the place once offered, a Confirmation Fee is payable within 14 days of the offer being made. The non-refundable Confirmation Fee, which is currently $2250, represents the first moiety (50%) of the Barker College Admission Fee, the balance of which is then payable prior to the student's entry to the School.
There is high demand for the limited places we offer in both Barker's Junior and Middle Schools and places are filled a number of years in advance. If positions are available we will offer a Confirmed Place immediately on receipt of your completed Enrolment Registration in order of date of application. Students who do not have a Confirmed Place will be placed on a Waiting List by order of date of application and subject to the School's priority list. Students who are not offered a place will have their application rolled over to the next year.
A student commencing at Barker is expected to be turning the appropriate age for that school grade by 31 March of that year - e.g. a student entering Kindergarten, is expected to be turning 5 by 31 March in the year in which they enter Kindergarten. See Year of Entry Guide. However, if your child has already commenced school we will enrol them in the corresponding year group.
On application you will be required to pay a non-refundable fee of $385 complete the Registration Form, submit a copy of the child’s birth certificate (or evidence of Australian citizenship) and a photo of the child. Completion of the Registration Form places a student on the School’s database from date of application.
Junior School entry (Pre-Kindergarten, Kindergarten, Year 3 and Year 5)
All students holding confirmed places in Pre-Kindegrarten, Kindergarten, Year 3 and Year 5 will be asked to complete a formal application, providing the School with a complete all-round view of the student's achievements and interests.
This includes a personal information data sheet, two written family references, an information questionnaire about interests and activities both in and out of school, latest two school reports (Years 3 & 5 only), most recent NAPLAN results (Years 5 only) and other supporting documents demonstrating attainments in both academic and co-curricular activities. For Pre-Kindegrarten and Kindergarten students this may include formal Preschool reports and/or informal observation documentation.
Once the School has received and reviewed all requested documentation then a formal offer will be sent to confirmed place holders.
All students holding confirmed places in Pre-Kindegrarten and Kindergarten will be asked to accept their place by paying the balance of the Admission Fee (currently $2250) during Term 2 of the year prior to entry.
Year 3 will be asked to accept their place by paying the balance of the Admission Fee (currently $2250) one year prior to entry. The School will contact you in Term 4 of the year prior to your child’s entry to supply their most up to date school reports.
Students holding confirmed places in Year 5 will be asked to accept their place by paying the balance of the Admission Fee (currently $2250) approximately eighteen months prior to their entry to the School. The School will contact you in Term 4 of the year prior to your child’s entry to supply their most up to date school reports and NAPLAN results.
Children who have particular learning needs (academically advanced &/or learning support), social, emotional and/or physical needs, or have another area for discussion, can request an interview prior to accepting their confirmed place offer.
Please note - Families with children entering Pre-Kindergarten and/or Kindergarten will have an in-person conversation with a member of the Early Stage 1 team in Term 4 of the year prior to entry, as part of their child’s scheduled Orientation.
Families with children entering Year 3 and/or Year 5 can request an in-person meeting in Term 4 of the year prior to entry to discuss any particular needs their child may have. This requested meeting would be in addition to their child’s scheduled Orientation.
Middle School Entry (Year 7)
All students holding confirmed places in Year 7 will be asked to accept their place by paying the balance of the Admission Fee (currently $2250) two years prior to entry. They will have a pre-entry interview with their Head of House in Term 4 of Year 6 just prior to entry. Children who have particular learning needs (academically advanced &/or learning support), mental health, physical needs, or have another area for discussion, can request an interview prior to accepting their place. Students entering Year 7 are also be required to take a placement test in the term prior to their entry to the School, to ensure they are able to be grouped with other students appropriately for their academic development at that stage.
Alternate year entry
If a student wishes to enter in a non-intake year (ie not Pre-Kindergarten, Kindergarten, Year 3, Year 5 or Year 7) they will be placed on the waiting list until a position becomes available. Positions become available when a current student withdraws. There is no guarantee that a student will be offered a place from the waiting list.
Boarding entry (Year 10)
Coeducational boarding is a unique experience offered to our senior students, starting in Year 10.
Families can consider keeping their children closer to home until the end of Year 9 and then elect to enter boarding from the start of Year 10. Barker offers a range of programs that aim to support the boarders to find their role as citizens of the world. The programs have a focus on the development of life skills, personal resilience, mental fitness and encouraging students to develop their individual strengths.
With a long history of supporting country families, we give preference to students who are coming to Barker from rural and regional areas.
Country families are encouraged to get in touch with our Enrolments Office to arrange a tour of the campus and our boarding facilities.
Year of Entry Calculator
