{"id":20039,"date":"2026-01-30T18:56:33","date_gmt":"2026-01-30T08:26:33","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.entreeearlyyears.com.au\/?p=20039"},"modified":"2026-01-31T09:20:35","modified_gmt":"2026-01-30T22:50:35","slug":"3-year-old-preschool-is-coming-to-south-australia","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.entreeearlyyears.com.au\/3-year-old-preschool-is-coming-to-south-australia\/","title":{"rendered":"3-Year-Old Preschool Is Coming to South Australia"},"content":{"rendered":"

Give Your Child a Flying Start with 3-Year-Old Preschool in South Australia<\/span><\/b>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

From 2026, South Australia will begin rolling out a landmark reform in early childhood education, <\/span>teacher-led, play-based preschool for 3-year-olds<\/span><\/b>. Known as\u00a0<\/span>Flying Start for Kids<\/span><\/i>, this initiative is designed to help children build confidence,\u00a0curiosity\u00a0and essential learning skills well before they start school.<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Backed by the South Australian Government and informed by recommendations from the Royal Commission into Early Childhood Education and Care, the program\u00a0represents\u00a0a significant investment in children,\u00a0families\u00a0and the early learning workforce.<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Why 3-Year-Old Preschool Matters<\/span><\/b>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Research consistently shows that the early years are critical to a child\u2019s development. In South Australia, around\u00a0<\/span>23.8% of children are currently considered developmentally vulnerable when they begin school<\/span><\/b>. The introduction of\u00a0universal\u00a03-year-old preschool aims to reduce this figure to\u00a0<\/span>15% over the next 20 years<\/span><\/b>, giving more children the best possible start.<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

The program focuses on high-quality, teacher-led learning that supports children\u2019s social, emotional, cognitive and physical development, all through <\/span>play<\/span><\/b>, which is how young children learn best.<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

What Is\u00a03-Year-Old Preschool?<\/span><\/b>\u00a0<\/span><\/h4>\n

3-year-old preschool is a\u00a0<\/span>play-based early learning program<\/span><\/b>\u00a0led by a qualified early childhood teacher, supported by early childhood educators. Each day is designed to be engaging,\u00a0nurturing\u00a0and developmentally\u00a0appropriate.<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

A typical preschool day may include:<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

    \n
  • Purposeful play that builds social skills,\u00a0curiosity\u00a0and confidence<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n
      \n
    • Child-led exploration to support communication and learning<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n
        \n
      • A safe, inclusive environment that fosters emotional resilience<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n
          \n
        • Outdoor play to promote health and wellbeing<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n
            \n
          • Celebration of Aboriginal and other cultures<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n

            The goal is to help children arrive at school feeling confident,\u00a0capable\u00a0and ready to learn.<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

            When Will 3-Year-Old Preschool Be Available?<\/span><\/b>\u00a0<\/span><\/h1>\n

            The rollout of 3-year-old preschool will take place\u00a0<\/span>in stages from 2026 to 2032<\/span><\/b>.<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

              \n
            • From 2026:<\/span><\/b>
              \nThe program will begin in regional and remote areas, as well as\u00a0partnering\u00a0long day care services across the state. Aboriginal children and children in care will continue to have access to preschool from age three.<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n
                \n
              • From 2032:<\/span><\/b>
                \nUniversal access to 3-year-old preschool will be available for all families across South Australia.<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n

                Most children will be offered\u00a0<\/span>15 hours per week (600 hours\u00a0per year)<\/span><\/b>, with flexibility during the rollout period. For children who need\u00a0additional\u00a0support, up to\u00a0<\/span>30 hours per week<\/span><\/b>\u00a0may be available.<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

                Cost and Subsidies<\/span><\/b>\u00a0<\/span><\/h1>\n

                Fees will be set by individual providers. Families accessing 3-year-old preschool through\u00a0partnering\u00a0long day care services may be eligible for the\u00a0<\/span>Commonwealth Child Care Subsidy (CCS)<\/span><\/b>, helping to reduce out-of-pocket costs.<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

                Extra Support for Children and Services<\/span><\/b>\u00a0<\/span><\/h1>\n

                To ensure the success of the program, the government is investing heavily in both services and the early childhood workforce. Supports include:<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

                  \n
                • Preschool Boost funding<\/span><\/b>, allowing services to better meet the needs of children and families, including access to therapies such as speech or occupational therapy<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n
                    \n
                  • Paid professional development<\/span><\/b>\u00a0and backfill support for teachers and educators<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n
                      \n
                    • Quality uplift support<\/span><\/b>\u00a0for services needing\u00a0assistance\u00a0to meet National Quality Standards<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n
                        \n
                      • A\u00a0<\/span>Preschool Toolkit<\/span><\/b>\u00a0with teaching and learning resources for all\u00a0centre-based services<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n
                          \n
                        • Over\u00a0<\/span>$100 million invested in workforce development<\/span><\/b>, including leadership pathways<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n
                            \n
                          • $40 million in infrastructure funding<\/span><\/b>\u00a0to support new and expanded early learning facilities<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n

                            Integrated Children\u2019s Hubs<\/span><\/b>\u00a0<\/span><\/h1>\n

                            As part of the reform,\u00a0<\/span>20 integrated hubs<\/span><\/b>\u00a0will be\u00a0established\u00a0across South Australia. These hubs bring together preschool, health,\u00a0wellbeing\u00a0and education services in one location, making it easier for families to access the support they need.<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

                            The first hub will open at\u00a0<\/span>Port Pirie West Children\u2019s Centre by Term 4, 2025<\/span><\/b>, with additional hubs planned from 2027<\/span><\/p>\n

                            How to Find a Service<\/span><\/b>\u00a0<\/span><\/h1>\n

                            Families can use the\u00a0<\/span>Flying Start Service Finder<\/span><\/b>\u00a0or starting-preschool calculators to check when services in their area will begin offering 3-year-old preschool and to estimate their child\u2019s potential start date.<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

                            A Stronger Start for South Australian Children<\/span><\/b>\u00a0<\/span><\/h1>\n

                            Flying Start for Kids represents a long-term commitment to improving outcomes for children and families across South Australia. By investing in early learning, qualified educators and wrap-around support, the program aims to ensure every child has the opportunity to start school, and life, with confidence.<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

                            As the rollout begins, families are encouraged to stay informed, explore local\u00a0services\u00a0and take advantage of the\u00a0supports\u00a0available to give their child a truly flying start.<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

                            This reform will also have a significant impact on early learning services and educators, with increased demand for qualified early childhood teachers, workforce planning support and flexible staffing solutions as the rollout progresses. Entr\u00e9e Early Years works closely with centres across South Australia to support recruitment, workforce transitions and compliance needs, helping services prepare for change while maintaining high-quality care and education.<\/p>\n

                            Reference <\/span><\/h2>\n

                            https:\/\/www.earlychildhood.sa.gov.au\/<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

                            Give Your Child a Flying Start with 3-Year-Old Preschool in South Australia\u00a0 From 2026, South Australia will begin rolling out a landmark reform in early childhood education, teacher-led, play-based preschool for 3-year-olds. Known as\u00a0Flying Start for Kids, this initiative is designed to help children build confidence,\u00a0curiosity\u00a0and essential learning skills well before they start school.\u00a0 Backed…<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":24,"featured_media":20035,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_seopress_robots_primary_cat":"none","footnotes":""},"categories":[1],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-20039","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-news"],"acf":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.entreeearlyyears.com.au\/af-api\/wp\/v2\/posts\/20039","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.entreeearlyyears.com.au\/af-api\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.entreeearlyyears.com.au\/af-api\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.entreeearlyyears.com.au\/af-api\/wp\/v2\/users\/24"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.entreeearlyyears.com.au\/af-api\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=20039"}],"version-history":[{"count":7,"href":"https:\/\/www.entreeearlyyears.com.au\/af-api\/wp\/v2\/posts\/20039\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":20049,"href":"https:\/\/www.entreeearlyyears.com.au\/af-api\/wp\/v2\/posts\/20039\/revisions\/20049"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.entreeearlyyears.com.au\/af-api\/wp\/v2\/media\/20035"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.entreeearlyyears.com.au\/af-api\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=20039"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.entreeearlyyears.com.au\/af-api\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=20039"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.entreeearlyyears.com.au\/af-api\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=20039"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}