01 FebPre-Prep to begin rolling out in regional Victoria
This week the Premier’s office and the Minister for Early Childhood and Pre-Prep Ingrid Stitt announced the roll out schedule for Pre-Prep a program of 16-30 hours each week of teacher-led play-based learning. This rollout will start in 2025 in Ararat Rural City, Gannawarra Shire, Hindmarsh Shire, Murrindindi Shire, Northern Grampians Shire and Yarriambiack Shire. Other LGAs will follow in the roll-out over the following seven years.
ELAA is pleased to see that vulnerable children will receive access to additional kinder regardless of where they live. Regional Victorian children and families experiencing disadvantage will be the first to benefit from 30 hours of free Pre-Prep each week. This will be the next step for the Best Start, Best Life early childhood education reform.
Those able to access Pre-Prep from 2026 include children from a refugee background, children known to child protection and Aboriginal children. Children whose families hold Commonwealth concession cards will be eligible for Pre-Prep from 2028.
Children in metropolitan Melbourne will be able to access Pre-Prep from 2030, starting at 16 to 20 hours each week – and from 2032, all children across Victoria will be eligible for 30 hours of Pre-Prep each week.
As the Best Start, Best Life roll-out continues, ELAA invites members to attend our all-member forum on February 14th. This will be an opportunity for members to participate in asking the Kindergarten Expansion and Pre-Prep Reform Division of the Department questions about the reforms. It will also be an opportunity to learn about consultation opportunities that will help to inform how best to facilitate the reforms.
RSVP to the Best Start, Best Life forum by CLICKING HERE.
To read the full press release about the roll out, please CLICK HERE.
