STUDENT enrolments have varied in numbers around the district as schools prepare for the 2003 teaching year.

With less than three weeks until school resumes, school principals around the region have been preparing for yet another busy year.

Students in Years 1 to 6 at Inverell Public School will start lessons on Thursday, January 30, and Kindergarten students will have their first day on Friday, January 31.

Principal Bob Neich said he was very pleased with the number of Kindergarten students, standing at 49.

Inverell Public had a small Kindergarten class last year, and lost about 80 Year 6 students who had progressed to high school, so this year's high enrolment was very encouraging for the school.

Holy Trinity will have record student numbers in 2003 with about 530 students. Principal Tim Newberry said the school would have the highest enrolment ever.

The school's Kindergarten class is full with 54 students in two classes for the second successive year.

"That's all we can take,” Mr Newberry said.

Mr Newberry said enrolments had been rising for 10 to 12 years, and credited this to the staff's professional abilities and Holy Trinity's name as a good family school.

The first day of school for Years 7 and 12 at Inverell High School will be Thursday, January 30. All newly enrolled students are to attend on this day as well. Years 8, 9, 10, and 11 will return on Friday, January 31. Principal Paul Alliston said the school would be open on Wednesday, January 29, for any enquiries regarding enrolments.

All students at Tingha Primary School, including Kindergarten students, will resume school on Thursday, January 30.

Principal Jenelle Neich said the school had run a six-week orientation program at the end of last year where potential Kindergarten students attended the school for an hour each week.

The program had appeared to have paid off as enrolments had increased at the school. "We've got more Kindergartens than we got last year,” Mrs Neich said.

© 2003 Inverell Times

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