Koori Preschool set to expand in ACT with 100 additional places

Callan Morse
Callan Morse Published July 24, 2023 at 3.30pm (AWST)

More Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander three year olds in the Australian Capital Territory are set to have access to the Koori Preschool, with the number of sessions set to increase at multiple Koori Preschool campuses.

It comes as the ACT government announced 100 additional Koori Preschool places, increasing the capacity at Ngunnawal Primary School, Narrabundah Early Childhood School and Richardson Primary School, three of the state's five Koori Preschool campuses.

The announcement is part of the ACT government's plan for all three-year-olds to have access to one day per week free preschool in early childhood education and care centres, beginning in 2024.

ACT deputy chief minister and early childhood development minister Yvette Berry said expanding access to preschool for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander children and families is a high priority for the government.

"When children participate in quality early learning, they are more likely to make a successful transition to school, stay longer in school, continue to further education and fully participate in employment and community life as adults," Ms Berry said.

The government said in a statement that the announcement builds on their Koori Pre co-design process, which produced the Koori Pre Cultural Safety Framework and Koori Pre Curriculum, launched earlier this year and being implemented across all five Koori Preschool sites.

Koori Preschools also operate at Wanniassa and Kingsford Smith Schools, offering culturally safe, play-based learning for children aged three to five.

Eligible children can attend up to 15 hours of Koori Preschool per week in addition to a local preschool enrolment.

Parents and carers can enrol Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander children in Koori Preschool at any time between the age of three and five.

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