South Australian families can submit registrations of interest from today for midyear entry for preschoolers in 2023.

The announcement is a significant milestone in the Malinauskas Labor Government’s election commitment to ensure families have earlier access to high quality education for their children.

Parents and carers will be able to register their interest in enrolling their children from now until 30 September 2022, at the link here: https://www.education.sa.gov.au/preschool-enrolment

An online calculator is also available to help in determining whether their child can be enrolled at the start of the year, or midyear.

The State Government today announced 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.

Public schools stopped offering multiple school intakes in 2014.

Resuming the midyear intake, alongside the January one, 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.

This means from 2023, children who turn 4 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

Quotes

Attributable to Peter Malinauskas

It is in the early years of life that the seeds of success are sown.

I’m proud to see the progress of this key commitment that aims to support every child to get the most out of their school experience with the midyear intake an important step in ensuring children have the best opportunities at the right time.

Families want flexibility and this will mean that children born in the middle of the year won’t have to wait an additional six months to have access to this important educational stepping stone.

Attributable to Blair Boyer

In recent years, research on early childhood has made it clear how crucial the years before school are to the rest of a child’s life.

It’s now understood that around 90 per cent of adult brain development and growth occurs in the first five years of life.

This makes the educational support children get before school vital.

This is an exciting and important step forward as we support our youngest South Australians and their families.

All preschool children will continue to receive 600 hours of preschool across four terms, regardless of whether they start at the beginning of the year, or through the midyear intake.