Preschool programs in South Australia

South Australia has universal enrolment of 4 year olds in preschool. Enrolment rates in early childhood education and care (ECEC) and preschool for 3 year olds are slightly lower than the national average.

Key facts

• 61 per cent of 3 year olds are enrolled in ECEC (in long day care, sessional preschool and family day care)
• 17 per cent of 3 year olds are enrolled in preschool programs
• 100 per cent of children are enrolled in kindergarten programs in the year before full time school
• 74 per cent are attending for 15 hours or more
• The majority of children attend in government school-based preschools in SA, although a high and growing proportion are attending preschool programs in long day care.
• Total per-child expenditure in SA is considerably higher than the national average. Fees paid by families vary depending on the setting where the preschool program is being delivered.

Proportion of 3 year olds enrolled in all ECEC and preschool

Graph text alternative:

Graph showing the proportion of 3 year olds enrolled in all ECEC and preschool. The data shows that in South Australia, 61% of 3 years olds are in ECEC and 16.6% of 3 year olds are in preschool. By comparison, Australia-wide 66% of 3 year olds are in ECEC and 21.3% of 3 year old are in preschool.

Fact sheets in this series

• An additional year of preschool - an achievable reform
• Designing a preschool program
• Preschool programs for 3 year olds
• International preschool programs for 3 year olds
• Kindergarten programs in Queensland
• Kindergarten programs in Tasmania
• Kindergarten programs in Victoria
• Kindergarten programs in Western Australia
• The impact of two years of preschool
• Two years are better than one
• Preschool programs in the Northern Territory
• Preschool programs in New South Wales
• Preschool programs in South Australia
• Preschool programs in the ACT.