Preschool programs in the ACT

The ACT has one of the highest proportions of 3 year olds in early education and care (ECEC) and is performing above the national average for the proportion of 4 year olds enrolled in and attending preschool.

Despite the large number of 3 year olds in ECEC, the proportion of 3 year olds in a preschool program is slightly below average.

Key facts

• 71 per cent of 3 year olds are enrolled in ECEC (in long day care, sessional preschool and family day care)
• 19 per cent of 3 year olds are enrolled in preschool programs
• 100 per cent per cent of children are enrolled in preschool programs in the year before school
• Nearly 90 per cent are attending for 15 hours or more
• The majority of children attend school-based government and non-government preschool in the ACT
• A number of families are accessing preschool programs in Long Day Care
• Total per-child expenditure in the ACT is slightly above the national average

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 the ACT, 71% of 3 years olds are in ECEC and 19% 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.