An artist’s impression of what to expect inside the new preschools. Image: School Infrastructure.
Public preschools under construction at Cringila and Lake Heights are among the 25 new facilities in NSW now accepting enrolment expressions of interest for their first cohorts, with all 100 of the state’s new public preschools on track to open by early next year.
Fee-free early education is one step closer for many families across the region, who can now express their interest in a place at two of Illawarra’s new public preschools.
Work on six preschool facilities earmarked to open in 2027 is still underway, with the sites co-located at Berkeley West, Barrack Heights, Lake Illawarra South, Lake Heights, Cringila and Hayes Park primary schools.
Public preschools will also be part of the construction of new public schools at Wongawilli and Calderwood.
“The first 2000 days of a child’s life are a critically important period in their learning and development, and the development of social, emotional and cognitive skills in preschool is crucial to this,” Minister for the Illawarra and South Coast Ryan Park said.
Now children who are set to attend school in 2028 can put their names down to be considered for two of the new sites, with enrolment expressions of interest open for Cringila and Lake Heights.
The preschools will operate during the school term and hours, excluding public holidays, with Lake Heights already revealing the operating hours for its facility will be 8:55 am to 2:35 pm.
Each school will have two classrooms and accommodate 40 children per day, in a five-day fortnight attendance pattern where children attend three days one week and two days in the alternate week.
They are designed for children to attend for one year only, in the lead-up to starting primary school, but students may attend for an additional year in exceptional circumstances.
Children can enrol from the beginning of the school year if they turn four years of age before 31 July that year.
“Parents want to know their child is getting the best possible start, and they can be confident that their child can receive a high-quality, fee-free preschool education close to home,” Minister for Education and Early Learning Prue Car said.
Although only two local locations are at the enrolment stage, unlike primary schools, there are no enrolment boundaries for public preschools, so being out of the schools’ catchment areas doesn’t mean you’ll automatically be excluded from the running.
While any eligible family can express interest, offers are prioritised for Aboriginal and/or Torres Strait Islander children, children living in low socio-economic circumstances, and children unable to access other early childhood settings due to disadvantage or financial hardship.
If places remain they are then offered to children living within the school’s enrolment intake area and then to children living outside the school’s intake area who have siblings enrolled at the school, before children living outside the school’s intake area.
Following this process, if vacancies exist, additional days may be offered to children already enrolled, or places may go to three-year-old children in consultation with the school Director, Educational Leadership (DEL) and the Director, Early Learners.
The other new Illawarra locations are still on track to open next year but are not currently accepting expressions of interest.
“With all 100 new public preschools on track to open in early 2027, the Minns Labor Government is continuing its work to expand access to public early learning and give more children across the state a strong start to their education,” Minister Car said.
In addition to the newly built facilities, the Illawarra already has public preschools in Fairy Meadow, Kemblawarra, Koonawarra, Mount Warrigal and Oak Flats.
Further details on expressing interest in enrolment is available on the specific public school’s website or by contacting it directly, with more information on the projects on the School Infrastructure website.
