Mid year intake for preschool opens for 2023 in South Australia

South Australian parents and carers are now able to register their interest in enrolling their children for mid-year entry into preschool for 2023.

This change will allow parents to enrol students born in the middle of the year in preschool, at a time that is more appropriate to their age and stage of development.

In 2014, South Australian Reception classes (the first year of formal schooling) in primary schools stopped offering multiple school intakes, which then flowed on to preschool settings which followed suit. 

Resuming the mid-year intake, alongside the January intake, aims to help reduce the large age gaps in early year classes and differences in students’ development.

While the midyear intakes will begin for preschool from 2023, it will start for Reception students from 2024.

Registration for the mid year intake is now open, and will remain open until 30 September 2022. 

An online calculator is also available to help families to determine whether their child can be enrolled at the start of the year, or mid-year, however in the broadest terms, the change means that from 2023, children who turn four years of age: 

• Before 1 May, can continue to start preschool at the beginning of the year
• Between 1 May and 31 October, can start preschool in Term 3 of the year
• After 31 October, can start preschool at the beginning of the following year.