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The youngest learners in Victoria and NSW will have access to an extra year of education under new plans from both state governments.

Over the next 10 years every child in NSW and Victoria will get the chance to experience a full year of play-based learning before they start school.

Billed as the biggest education reform in a generation, the state governments said the universal pre-kinder and pre-prep programs will ‘change lives’.

“It will mean that, in the next 10 years, every child in Victoria and NSW will experience the benefits of a full year of play-based learning before their first year of school,” a joint statement detailed.

“A year dedicated to growing and learning, new friends and new experiences. A year devoted to helping our kids be the very best they can be. Giving them the skills they need for school, but just as importantly, the skills they need for life.”

Extra year of kindergarten

The announcement touted the knock-on benefit as helping more parents return to work.

“We’re ensuring our youngest learners thrive by introducing a full year of preschool education before Kindergarten, as we know how important it is to have a strong educational foundation, said NSW Premier Dominic Perrottet.

The extra year of learning will be free, but not compulsory in both states for all four-year-olds. Victoria is aiming for a 2025 start date, with the extra year of education to be known as pre-prep, and run for 30 hours a week.

NSW is planning its program, known as pre-kindergarten, to start from 2030.

  • Sirely anything like this should be Australia wide

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  • So this is good for working parents, but I still think children benefit from learning at home as well. It seems it may be a bit too young to send children to a formalised learning environment.

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  • I actually love this idea!! It is so beneficial for little ones to start socialising at a young age.

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  • Fabulous, look forward to the results & other states following suit

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  • Wonderful news and will make such a difference.

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  • What a great idea, I wish this was around when my daughter was younger. Would have fit in well with shift work life too.

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  • This is such a good move – definitely better late than never!

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  • This is such a great idea for those families that would miss out otherwise. I wish it were happening sooner! But better late than never.

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  • Wonder if this is going to be like Pre School!

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  • This is such a great idea and a fantastic way to get kids to enjoy the school environment

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  • Sounds wonderful. I think staffing is a worry as teachers are in short supply. They have plenty of time to address that.

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  • So many benefits of play based learning.. just a shame the wait is so long for it to begin

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  • I’m all for play-based learning and think this initiative will be great, especially for kids who may not have been able to go to preschool. I hope it is free or at the very least affordable to endure every child has a chance to attend a year.

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  • If it’s 30 hours a week, I’m guessing it will be 9-3 like standard primary schools, or is that no longer the standard? If it’s the same hours as the primary school, it would at least make drop off ok if you have children in different years.

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  • Its a bit long-time to wait to happened.

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  • NSW, it’s way too late to only offer this 8 years later! Pretty much all the kids of parents on MoM currently will already be part way through primary school or even high school by the time NSW gets it together. Even the curriculum would have changed by then and it’ll be another 10 years before something positive happens

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  • We want it to start now!! Not after 10 years ????

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  • Play based learning is so important! It’s great to have the option for free from the age of 4. Shame it’s not starting for such a long time though

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  • I’m looking forward to seeing more details about this. There has been a recruitment drive for Early Childhood Educators over the last few years in preparation for this. Play based learning is so important for this age group. I’m hesitant about the amount of time per week though as it’s a lot for little ones but can understand how it would benefit some working parents with flexible jobs

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  • Play based learning is the best way to learn.

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