South Australia puts out call for families to enrol children now for 2021 preschool year

South Australian families with children eligible to start Government preschool next year are being encouraged to enrol their child this month, with those who turn four years of age before 1 May 2021 eligible to attend preschool from the beginning of next year. 

First Nations children, and children who are, or who have been, in out of home care are eligible to attend once they turn three years of age, information provided by the South Australian Department of Education noted. 

Enrolment applications are prioritised for families living within a preschool’s catchment area, meaning children can attend their local facility. Where possible, families are encouraged to register their interest with their local preschool by June 30, although interest can be expressed at any time during the year.

SA Education Minister John Gardner said preschool represented an important beginning to the educational life of a child. 

“High-quality early education gives children the best start in life, providing important opportunities to learn and develop skills for learning success such as language, motor and cognitive skills, and social behaviours,” he said.

“A child’s experiences in the early years establish the building blocks for their learning in the future, helping to establish positive foundations and learning patterns from the beginning of their educational journey,” Mr Gardner added, outlining the role of early childhood educators in supporting children to develop critical skills such as talking, reading, thinking and writing, and as places where children “begin to see literacy and numeracy as part of their everyday experience”.

Further information about preschool choices is available on the Department’s website.