Bush preschool in Inverell gets funding boost from NSW Government

Bush preschool, located in the Northern Tablelands of New South Wales and run by Inverell District Family Services (IDFS) has received a $14,000 funding boost from the New South Wales government to install a shade structure and a second stage for performing arts and play in the service’s playground.

The popular program, which supports 15 local children to access a bush preschool experience at Ross Hill Reserve, one day a week, will benefit greatly from the improvements, local MP Adam Marshall told The Inverell Times. 

Work to install both the shade sail and the stage will take place at the end of 2020, so that the facilities are ready to go for the start of the 2021 school term.

While in the area Mr Marshall and IDFS CEO Nicky Lavender also inspected progress on the expansion of Inverell’s Kindamindi Pre-school, funded by the State Government, with the new room at the preschool scheduled to open in coming weeks. 

Several months in the making, the Kindamindi project has employed nine local trades, under the head contractor Danbuilt Pty Ltd, have transformed a former office space into an additional preschool room, to cater for children between the ages of three and five years.

Once the room is opened, it is hoped that the New South Wales Department of Education will allow the service to increase enrolment numbers from 48 to 60 children per day, which would also see three new educator positions, which have already been recruited for, maintained by the service. 

Overall, Ms Lavender said the $297,873 project had benefited not just IDFS but the entire Inverell community.

“It has created much needed additional care positions for local families while also generating new employment opportunities in early-childcare and work for local trades,” she told The Inverell Times.

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