Starting preschool is an exciting time for families. All 4-year-old ACT children are entitled to 15 hours of free preschool a week at an ACT public school.

Below is a guide to explain the preschool starting age.

If your child turns four on or before 30 April, they are eligible to start preschool from the first day of term 1 that year.

If your child turns four after 30 April, they will be eligible to start preschool the first day of term 1 of the following year.

The Preschool Pathways program provides resources to assist you to support your child in their transition to preschool.

While all four-year-old ACT children are guaranteed a place in a public preschool, enrolment at your preferred preschool is subject to prioritisation criteria and capacity. You are encouraged to apply for your local primary school’s preschool (or NSW Pathway school for NSW residents), which offers you the greatest continuity for the transition to kindergarten. All preschools offer a high-quality early childhood education.

Preschool applications are prioritised using the following prioritisation criteria (not on a ‘first come, first served’ basis):

1. Individual circumstances based on student wellbeing.
2. ACT-resident siblings of students concurrently enrolled in the primary school (i.e: applicants who will be attending the school in the same year as a currently enrolled student).
3. Children living within the Priority Enrolment Area (PEA) of the primary school, up to the limit of available places.

Where there are not enough places for all children living in the PEA of the primary school, applications will be allocated by proximity of residential address to the preschool which is measured in a straight line.

A number of preschools are experiencing high demand from their local families. At these high-demand preschools, applicants who apply by 7 June 2024, and who do not meet the prioritisation criteria, will be allocated to:

• the preschool of the primary school in their Priority Enrolment Area, where there is available capacity, or
• the closest preschool to their residential address, with capacity.

After 7 June 2024 high demand preschools may, if they have capacity after prioritising applicants who meet the criteria, enrol applicants who do not meet the criteria.

Preschools not designated as high demand may consider applications which do not meet the prioritisation criteria, subject to capacity.

*This preschool may enrol applicants from Gungahlin who do not meet criteria, subject to capacity and for preschool year only.

Students who attend the preschool attached to their Priority Enrolment Area primary school, an Early Childhood School or NSW Pathway school (for NSW residents) will be automatically enrolled into kindergarten for the following year.

Students attending preschool outside their Priority Enrolment Area may need to submit a new enrolment application for kindergarten in the following year. Your letter of offer for preschool will indicate if you need to reapply for kindergarten. Every ACT child is guaranteed a place at the school in their Priority Enrolment Area. Every effort will be made to ensure a smooth transition to kindergarten.

Early Childhood Schools offer a preschool to year 2 program. For eligibility please see Enrolling in an Early Childhood (preschool to year 2) School - Education (act.gov.au).

Kindergarten enrolments for kindergarten to year 6 primary schools outside of a Priority Enrolment Area are subject to kindergarten to year 12 out of area enrolment criteria.

Can I apply to more than one preschool?

Each student can have only one active enrolment application at any time. Any new application submitted for the same student will override all earlier applications and offers.

Why didn’t I receive an offer from my preferred preschool?

If you did not receive an offer from your preferred preschool, it may be because your application did not meet the preschool prioritisation criteria, or your preferred preschool did not have available capacity.

Your preschool application will be forwarded to your Priority Enrolment Area school or the nearest preschool with available capacity.

If you are not satisfied with an enrolment decision you can request a review of the decision. More information is available on the Review and Appeal process page.

Who can I call to confirm that my application has been received?

You should contact the preschool to which you applied.

What should I do if I submit an application that contains errors?

You should contact the preschool to which you applied. You may be asked to submit a new form.

What if my child doesn’t live with me or only lives with me part of the time?

Your child’s local school is determined by your child’s usual place of residence. If your child spends time between households, then they can apply using either address, unless there are court orders to the contrary.

What if the other parent doesn’t consent to the application?

Should there be disagreement between parents/carers about an ACT public school application, it is a matter for the parents/carers to resolve. If the child is already enrolled at an ACT school, then the child will be required to stay at that school until the school is directed otherwise by agreement of both parents, or through a legal document such as a Court Order.

Does my child have to change preschool if we move house?

If you move house your child can continue at their current preschool. If you wish to enrol in a different preschool, you will need to submit an Online Enrolment Form . Enrolment will be subject to capacity.

Can I defer an Offer until next year?

Offers cannot be deferred. You can only accept or decline an offer of place. Schools do not hold or defer preschool places. If you wish to enrol your child next year, please submit a new application when enrolments open for the following year.

I live in NSW. At which preschool can I enrol?

NSW students will be allocated to their NSW Pathway preschool.

In limited circumstances only, ACT schools that are not designated as Pathway Schools can consider NSW student enrolments. These circumstances are:

1. Where there are individual circumstances based on student wellbeing that mean the student cannot attend a pathway school.
2. At ‘Category B’ schools only and subject to capacity after meeting the needs of ACT residents, where the student lives in NSW and has a sibling concurrently attending the school (i.e. applicants who will be attending the school in the same year as a currently enrolled student).

Non-NSW Pathway School enrolment requests should be submitted via the Review Request form after receiving a letter of offer from the Pathway School. For more information refer to NSW students enrolling in ACT Public Schools.