At Ascot State School, one of Brisbane’s most highly regarded public schools, classrooms are starting to look emptier at the senior end of primary. In just one year, the number of students moving from year 4 into year 5 dropped from 114 to 74.
Read: Ascot State School: A Century of Learning and Growth
For parents and educators, this is more than just a numbers game. It reflects a growing shift in how families plan their children’s schooling.
Why Parents Are Moving Earlier
Many parents in Ascot see year 5 as the ideal moment to move their children into private or Catholic schools. The reasoning is both practical and emotional. Some believe that smaller classes and specialist facilities at independent schools will give their children a stronger foundation, particularly in subjects like science, music and sport. Others see it as a way of giving their children extra time to settle into a new environment before the bigger jump to high school.
Parents like Tahana Lee said her son had loved Ascot State School and gained a strong foundation there, but she felt he needed more challenges and opportunities. She decided that moving him in year 5 to St Laurence’s College in South Brisbane would give him access to stronger academic programs and elite sporting pathways. She explained that age differences within cohorts were also a factor, as many families were holding their children back at Prep, leaving younger students at a disadvantage.
A Broader Trend
Data from the Non-State Schools Accreditation Board shows Ascot is not alone. Across Brisbane, senior years of primary school are shrinking as families take up year 5 entry offers at private colleges. Catholic schools in particular are reshaping the pathway, with some campuses opening junior schools for years 5 and 6. St Rita’s College in Clayfield introduced year 5 entry in 2022, while Brisbane Girls’ Grammar will follow suit in 2026.
At other schools, the effect is even more dramatic. Our Lady of Mount Carmel at Coorparoo saw its year 5 boys drop from 48 to just one in a single year. At St Anthony’s School in Kedron, the number of boys fell from 69 in year 4 to zero in year 5.
What Experts Say
Griffith University’s Professor Donna Pendergast said this pattern had been building for years but accelerated after year 7 officially moved into high schools in 2015. She noted that parents were motivated by both access to facilities and the chance to maintain friendships if many classmates were also moving on. She added that structured transition programs were critical, helping children adapt socially and academically when they left primary early.
Read: Therapy Dog in Training Introduced to Ascot State School Students
The Trade-Offs
The shift is not without cost. Families must take on higher school fees earlier, and children who leave in year 5 miss out on leadership opportunities such as being school captain or sports captain in their final primary years. For some, moving into a bigger and more competitive environment too soon can also be overwhelming.
In Ascot, the departure of dozens of students in a single year has left smaller cohorts in the senior grades, raising questions about how the school community will adapt. Yet for many parents, the decision is framed as an investment in their child’s future, one that cannot wait until year 7.
Published 1-September-2025
