In 2023, approximately 97 thousand children were enrolled in a preschool program in the Australian state of Victoria. New South Wales had over 104 thousand children in preschool, while Tasmania under eight thousand children attended preschool that year.

The Preschool Education industry has shown improved performance in recent years. Revenue is expected to climb at an annualised 0.5% over the five years through 2025-26 to $3.9 billion. This includes a 0.5% slump in 2025-26, resulting from a strengthening Child Care Services industry, a direct competitor to preschools. Federal funding, like the National Quality Framework (NQF), provided clear national standards for early childhood education and care and has aided in elevating preschools’ revenue, but strict staffing ratios through the NQF have kept growth in check. Facilities can’t add new students to their classes without hiring more staff, which restricts profit margins. Changing social dynamics like a net positive migration rate and a growing population have also seen more students enrolled in preschool education. A growing number of women in the labour force has helped fuel demand, as more households need preschool services. Preschools' main competitors are child care centres, which have been increasingly offering preschool education alongside their standard services as they attempt to expand their customer base. Child care centres not only offer more flexible hours but also receive more subsidies than preschool education facilities, making them an appealing alternative to budget- and time-restricted families. The Preschool Education industry is on track to expand its revenue at an annualised 2.2% through the end of 2030-31, to $4.3 billion. Rising birth numbers and an expanding population will result in more preschool-age children in the community, while easing economic pressures will grant households more disposable income, allowing more budgetary room to engage with preschool education. Preschools that use technology, like interactive learning tools, educational programs and digital learning platforms, are predicted to outperform in a competitive market. Partnerships with edtech businesses are expected to grow, as will an emphasis on STEM, language immersion and digital literacy. The NQF will continue to raise preschool standards.

In 2023, over *** percent of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander children in the year before formal school age cohort were enrolled in a preschool program in Australia, representing an increase from 2022. The number is over 100 percent as the data underestimates the number of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people in the years after the 2016 Census.

Proportion of children enrolled in an early childhood education program. Sourced from ABS Preschool Education Australia and ABS Estimated Resident Population data.

This dataset shows the proportion of 4 and 5 year old children enrolled in a quality early childhood education program. A quality early childhood education program is defined as a structured, play-based learning program, delivered by a degree qualified teacher, aimed primarily at children in the year or two before they commence full-time schooling. This is irrespective of the type of institution that provides it or whether it is government funded or privately provided.

Mid-year number of children enrolled in a preschool program that is run by a NSW government school. These government preschool classes provide full-time or part-time schooling at pre-primary level.

Data notes

• Figures reported are children enrolled in a preschool or an Early Intervention program that is run by a NSW Government school. These government preschool classes provide full-time or part-time schooling at pre-primary level.

• In NSW, most children receiving a preschool education or early intervention are enrolled at a government funded community preschool or in centre-based service which offers a preschool program.

• Children aged 3 to 6 years may be enrolled in a preschool program, although programs are typically delivered to 4 and 5 year olds, on the basis that they will be starting school the following year.

• From 2022 data that shows less than 10 students is included in the next age category for privacy reasons

Data source

Schools and Students: Statistical Bulletin. Centre for Education Statistics and Evaluation.

As of 2023, approximately 7.6 thousand Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander children aged 3 to 6 years old were enrolled in a preschool program in the Australian state of New South Wales. In comparison, there were just 268 Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander children enrolled in preschool programs in the Australian Capital Territory.

In 2023, the majority of children in Australia were enrolled in preschool programs for 15 hours or more per week. Only around five thousand children were enrolled in preschool programs for between 10 and 14 hours per week.

In 2023, the preschool fees for 47 percent of children in Australia were between one to four Australian dollars per hour. The preschool fees for just over 31 percent of children cost nothing after government subsidies.

Proportion of children enrolled in preschool in the year before full-time school.

In 2023, over 45 thousand children attending government preschools paid no hourly fees in Australia. Overall, the majority of children across all preschool program types paid no more than four dollars per hour.

Increase the proportion of children developing well

Background: Childhood obesity is an important public health issue. Approximately 20% of 2–4 year olds are overweight or obese, meaning 1 in 5 Australian children start school above a healthy weight. In the state of New South Wales (NSW) the combined prevalence of childhood overweight and obesity is significantly higher among children from low socioeconomic status backgrounds and children from regional, rural and remote areas. This paper describes implementation of a healthy eating and active play program (Munch & Move) for center-based early childhood education and care (ECEC) services aimed at influencing healthy behaviors in young children in NSW, Australia. It shows changes over time including a focus on disadvantaged, Aboriginal and remote communities. It also discusses the challenges and future opportunities for the program.Methods: Routine data in relation to service delivery (reach) and implementation indicators are collected by Local Health District staff. Fifteen implementation indicators (known as practices) were introduced to monitor the implementation of Munch & Move (six related to promoting and encouraging healthy eating, four related to improving physical activity, two related to small screen recreation; and three related to quality of service delivery).Results: As of 30 June 2017, 88.4% of ECEC services have staff trained in Munch & Move. Of the 15 practices related to promoting and encouraging healthy eating, increasing physical activity and improving the quality of service delivery 13 practices saw significant improvements between 2012 and 2017. This was consistent for services with a high proportion of Aboriginal children and for services in disadvantaged and remote communities. There has been a statistically significant increase in the proportion (37.6–81.0%, p < 0.0001) and type of ECEC services (preschools 36.1–81.3%, p < 0.0001, long day care 38.6–81.0%, p < 0.0001, and occasional care 34.0–74.6%, p < 0.0001) that have implemented the program since 2012 as well as in services with a high proportion of Aboriginal children (33.6–85.2% p < 0.0001), services in disadvantaged communities (37.4–83.3% p < 0.001), and services in remote communities (27.8–59.4% p < 0.0139).Discussion: This paper demonstrates that Munch & Move has seen large improvements in the delivery of training, practice achievements and program adoption in ECEC services across NSW including services in disadvantaged and remote communities and that have a higher proportion of Aboriginal children.

This dataset captures the diversity of students with a language background other than English (LBOTE) who are enrolled in NSW government preschools.

Data Notes:

• LBOTE students are those in whose home a language other than English is spoken by the student, parents, or other primary caregivers.

• Preschools include all preschools attached to government primary/infant schools, Dubbo School of Distance Education, School of the Air and the John Brotchie Nursery School. Government funded community preschools and NSW Centre-Based services that provide a preschool program in NSW are not included.

• Students include children enrolled in a preschool or an Early Intervention program that is run by a NSW government school. These government preschool classes provide full-time or part-time schooling at pre-primary level.

• LBOTE enrolment figures are collected in March of each year. Most other collections use enrolment data that are collected as part of the Mid Year Census in August.

• Indian and Chinese Languages are included as a combined total, and also as separate distinct languages. Therefore Indian and Chinese data appears twice in the table.

• Due to rounding issues, the total percentage for Indian and Chinese Language groups may be slightly different to the sum of the distinct languages. ‘Other language groups’ includes languages with small enrolments. The total number of languages included in ‘Other language groups’ is specified in the notes at the bottom of the table.

Data Source:

• Schools: Language Diversity in NSW

SA2 based data for the number of Early Childhood Education/Care Enrolments by Service type in Queensland, 2013. The information is based on the Early Childhood Education and Care Service Census collected by the Queensland Government Department of Education and Training. Early Childhood Education and Care (ECEC) services are provided to children aged 0 to 12 in the forms of:

• long day care

• kindergarten

• limited hours care/occasional care

• pre-prep

• eKindy

• outside school hours care

• family day care

• vacation care access The department also provides special education programs to a small number of children with disabilities around the state. This data is by SA2 2011 boundaries. For more information visit the Queensland Government Department of Education and Training.

Summary statistics for the GWR model coefficients with global p-values from an ordinary least square regression model (OLS), with major cities as a baseline for remoteness factor.