Eligibility Criteria
To ensure our program is the right fit for your child, certain criteria must be met before a placement can be offered at a Language Development Centre (LDC).
To be considered for placement, your child must:
- Have a diagnosed language disorder as their main area of difficulty (not due to other factors)
- Show average cognitive ability (confirmed by a cognitive assessment)
- Display appropriate adaptive behaviour (can manage typical classroom routines and social interactions)
LDC placement is not suitable for children whose language difficulties are mainly due to:
- Autism
- Intellectual disability
- English as an additional language
In these cases, other support services within the Department of Education may be more appropriate. All children referred to the LDC must be able to participate fully in our intensive, language-focused learning environment.
Referral Process
Referrals are accepted for Kindergarten, Pre-Primary, and Year 1 entry.
Kindergarten Referral Requirements:
- Speech pathology assessment
- Completed parent questionnaire
- (A cognitive assessment is highly recommended. This gives us a clearer picture of your child’s overall learning profile.)
Pre-Primary and Year 1 Referral Requirements:
- Speech pathology assessment
- Cognitive assessment (non-verbal IQ test)
- Behaviour checklist
- Teacher questionnaire
Assessments can be completed through public or private services. Public services often have long waitlists, so we recommend beginning the referral process as early as possible. You do not need a GP referral to access private speech pathology services.
Referral Deadlines for 2026 Entry:
- Kindergarten: Wednesday 24th September 2025 (Week 10, Term 3)
- Pre-Primary / Year 1: Friday 12th September 2025 (Week 8, Term 3)
All referrals are reviewed by the SELDC Placement Committee, which includes the Principal, Deputies, School Psychologist, and Speech Pathologists.
Families are typically informed of placement decisions by mid-Term 4. All placements begin at the start of the following school year, as we only accept new students once a year.
Which Campus
Cloverdale Campus
Our Cloverdale Campus is co located with Belmay Primary School and currently has eight classes.
Children from these metropolitan suburbs attend the Cloverdale Campus:
| Ascot | Gooseberry Hill | Queens Park |
| Beckenham | High Wycombe | Redcliffe |
| Belmont | Kalamunda | Rivervale |
| Bentley | Karawara | Salter Point |
| Burswood | Kensington | South Perth |
| Cannington | Kenwick | St James |
| Carlisle | Kewdale | Victoria Park |
| Carmel | Lathlain | Walliston |
| Cloverdale | Lesmurdie | Waterford |
| Como | Maida Vale | Wattle Grove |
| East Cannington | Manning | Welshpool |
| East Victoria Park | Pickering Brook | Wilson |
| Forrestfield | Piesse Brook |
Maddington Campus
Our Maddington Campus is co located with East Maddington Primary School and currently has six classes.
Children from these metropolitan suburbs attend the Maddington campus:
| Gosnells | Huntingdale | Southern River |
| Maddington | Martin | Thornlie |
| Harrisdale | Orange Grove |
Armadale Campus
Our Armadale Campus is co located at Kingsley Primary School and currently has four classes.
All Kindergarten students enrolled for Armadale currently attend our Maddington campus for their Kindergarten year and then transfer to Armadale for Pre‑primary and beyond.
Children from these metropolitan suburbs attend the Armadale campus:
| Armadale | Forrestdale | Piara Waters |
| Bedfordale | Haynes | Seville Grove |
| Brookdale | Hilbert | Roleystone |
| Byford | Kelmscott | Westfield |
| Camillo | Mount Nasura | Wungong through to Serpentine |
| Cardup | ||
| Champion Lakes |
