In 2009, Australian governments made an agreement to provide all four-year-olds with access to preschool delivered by a trained teacher from 2013. We’re a long way from this goal.
First, a child must have access to a preschool in their local area, and a family willing and able to enrol them.
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The promised returns on investment in preschool won’t just happen. They depend on a complex chain of events, from preschool through to adulthood, involving the child and their family.
Early results of a targeted intervention program suggest it’s possible to fix brokenness early.
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Australia is far from having an early childhood sector that delivers what children and families need. The government can look to these three areas to ensure access for all Australian children.
Contact with nature is a crucial part of sustainability education in preschool.
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The global environmental crisis is overwhelming, but showing children how they can take care of their immediate environment can empower them to feel like they can make a difference.
Australia is making significant strides in early childhood education, but we need more commitment if we’re to meet the evidence.
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Investing in early childhood education and care can save more money in the long run – in areas including health care – than dealing with these issues later in life.
At two to three years, children should be able to play alongside other children with the same toys.
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2018 was a mixed bag for schooling policy in Australia, with new ministers, a new organisation and auspicious anniversaries. It’s worth reflecting on the year that’s been.
Research shows two years of preschool has more impact than one.
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We know from research children benefit from two years of preschool, rather than one. Universal access to preschool would also return benefits to the economy, and help parents with childcare costs.
Jeff and MacKenzie Bezos are becoming bigger donors.
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The US$2 billion that the Amazon founder and his wife are donating to help the homeless and educate young kids may appear selfless. But this money may also soften calls to raise taxes on the rich.
The right age for your child to start school will vary, depending on their readiness, your family situation and the readiness of the school for the child.
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There are a number of questions parents should be asking to determine what age is best to send their child to school.
Making preschool free will dramatically improve affordability for families across Ontario, Canada, and lead to a predicted increase of 40,000 parents in full-time employment.
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Research shows play-based learning programs enhance children’s learning outcomes and teaches them skills relevant to the 21st century, such as problem-solving and creativity.
Parents can effectively manage their children’s relationships with schools in many positive ways.
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Encouraging positive associations with school, good temperament and keeping communication open between parents, children and teachers can help your child (and you) be more ready for this transition.
Research suggests long-term academic gains for children when they attend programs where their preschool teachers hold a bachelor’s degree.
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Overall, we’ve seen huge improvements, particularly for children aged three to five years, but now we need a universal approach to quality education and care for our youngest children.
Australia still lags behind comparable OECD countries in the participation of younger children – particularly three year olds.
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Despite good progress in recent years, there is still more to do, including improving access to early childhood education for three-year-olds.
Children living in the most disadvantaged areas will average half the NAPLAN scores in reading, writing and numeracy tests than those living in the least disadvantaged areas.
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