Your options for kindergarten in WA
On this page:
Long day care vs school-based kindergarten
The benefits of long day care kindergarten
Outside school hours care (OSHC)
Early learning tailored to your child
Designed for confident school transition
Inclusion and educational support
WA kindergarten
To start kindergarten in Western Australia (WA), your child needs to turn four on or before June 30 of their kindergarten year. Kindergarten programs are part-time, and most schools offer at least 15 hours per week during the school term.
Kindergartens are on school grounds, and while it's not compulsory, it marks the first year of formal school—new classroom, school, teacher and friends.
These changes can be a lot for some little learners; this is where we can help.
LDC vs school-based kindergarten programs: What's the difference?
We're a long day care (LDC) program provider, we operate five days a week, 52 weeks a year, except on public holidays. Our government-approved kindergarten programs undergo the same strict approval process as a school-based kindy.
All kindergartens, LDC and school-based, must do the following to get government approval:
- Deliver a quality early childhood education program to children aged three and above.
- A kindergarten or early childhood teacher (ECT) with a bachelor’s degree in early childhood education designs and delivers the program.
- The program must be play-based and follow the Early Years Learning Framework.
Our programs meet these criteria and run during extended LDC hours. This means your child gets extra kindy enrichment led by an ECT all year round.
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Benefits of attending our LDC preschool program
We know we're not free, and school-based kindy is great if your lives fit around the hours and the add-on days outside of these. But a lot of families struggle with that.
Here are the benefits of enrolling at an LDC kindergarten:
- Your family's routines stay the same from childcare into kindy.
- Our extended hours fit around your work and life commitments.
- Your child stays in one centre all day, every week, until they start transitioning to school.
- Your child can form deep connections with their educators (and their educators with them).
- The security that comes with consistency and the opportunity for your child to grow another year in a learning environment where they feel safe.
Our LDC kindy program is excellent if your child (or you!) isn't a fan of big changes and transitions.
Outside school hours care (OSHC)
If an LDC program isn't an option, you can enrol your child in our kindergarten on the days they can't attend their school-based kindy. This way, your child can attend Goodstart on the days not covered at your government preschool.
Your CCS will discount any out-of-pocket fees paid outside your free government preschool hours.
Play-based learning that's government-approved
Our programs follow the Australian Early Years Learning Framework or EYLF. The EYLF is play-based and supports children to grow the following skills in preparation for their transition to school:
- Social skills, like making friends and respecting others.
- Participation in groups and learning to take turns.
- Emotional regulation and naming how they feel.
- Empathy, like reading and understanding the feelings of others.
- Communication skills, like saying what they need without getting frustrated.
It's easy to see play-based learning as 'just having fun'. But it's important to remember that it's not 'just playing'. Children learn through play. You can read more about play-based learning and the EYLF.
Choose sessions that work for you
We provide flexibility and convenience for busy families with:
- longer opening hours, Monday to Friday
- nine-hour, 10-hour and all-day sessions
- extra hours of early learning because of our long day care (LDC) format.
Choosing an LDC format for preschool means your child's early learning goes beyond the five hours a day they'd get if they went to a school-based kindergarten. These have four terms and operate during school hours. This is great if you've got the flexibility to work around school hours and can take school holidays off. But this isn’t possible for most families.
At Goodstart, you can drop them off on your way to work and pick them up on your way home. If you have more than one child in care, this means there’s only one pickup and drop-off, too. You don't need to max out your annual leave to take off school holidays, either.
We'll support your child's unique learning journey
- We'll meet them where they are developmentally.
- We assess and review their progress throughout the years leading up to school and ensure everything is on track.
- We explore their passions with them so they feel seen and valued. We offer extra educational support if it's needed.
At Goodstart, we appreciate your child for who they are and where they're going.
Our programs are designed to ease confidently into school
Getting a child ready for school is a team effort. We'll work with you and their future school to make the move seamless and fun. We use Transition to School Statements to communicate to schools about your child, who they are, and how they learn. These documents are carried with them from kindergarten to school. They help their new teacher prepare for the best possible year ahead. We often have school transition activities with local schools throughout the preschool year so your child feels comfy on their first day.
We offer inclusive learning environments
Inclusion is everything to us. Every child deserves to feel seen and valued for who they are. We work hard to create environments and support networks that welcome all children and their families to our centres. We take reconciliation seriously, walking with our families, children, and communities on this journey.
Save your preschool spot for next year!
We hope we’re a good fit for you and your family in this exciting early learning stage. If you'd like to know how we can support your child from kindergarten to school, call our Family Services team or book a tour of your local Goodstart Early Learning below.
Kindergarten enrolments are open for next year!
Make a booking to visit a Goodstart near you. Meet the team, stay for a play and save a spot for your little learner.
Make a bookingGet your guide to kindergarten!
Learn more about our kindergarten program and what your child will learn by downloading our handbook!
Download your guideEvery kindergarten moment counts at Goodstart
Your questions answered:
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In WA, your child can start kindergarten at the start of the school year (late January) if they turn four by 30 June of that year. Some children may be eligible to start earlier, including children who identify as Aboriginal, children in care, or children with a disability or additional needs. Your child can start pre-Kindy from three years of age.
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Our dynamic, vibrant and inspiring kindergarten programs are designed and delivered by bachelor-qualified early childhood teachers (ECT) to prepare your child for school. We use a play-based learning approach that helps children to:
- discover
- socialise
- create
- develop cognitive, physical and social skills
- practice early literacy and numeracy skills.
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Our centres offer longer hours and more flexible options than many other kindergartens, including nine hour, 10 hour and all day sessions, five days a week, 52 weeks a year. This means greater flexibility for parents, and more opportunity for us to tune in to when your child learns best.
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Our kindergarten program receives government funding of up to 15 hours a week per child), as well as the Child Care Subsidy (CCS) to reduce your out-of-pocket costs.
Working out costs get confusing and it's different for each family. If you need a hand navigating the child care subsidy (CCS) system, just leave us a message and we'll call you back.
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If needed, we also assist families to access support services in the areas of:
- speech and language
- behaviour
- social skills
- general development.
If you're concerned about any aspect of your child’s development or learning, please speak to your child’s teacher.
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At Goodstart, we're a long day care (LDC) program provider. We operate five days a week, 52 weeks a year, except on public holidays. We also offer federal government-approved kindergraten programs and undergo the same rigorous approval process as government kindergartens. Every Goodstart program needs to:
- deliver a quality early childhood education program to children aged three and above
- have the program delivered by a bachelor-qualified early childhood teacher (ECT) as per the National Quality Framework (NQF)
- use the Early Years Learning Framework.
Our programs meet these criteria and run during LDC hours. Your child gets extra kindergarten enrichment led by bachelor-qualified professionals over and above 600 free hours all year round.
As a working parent, I found Goodstart Kindergarten to be the best option for our family as our child was cared for up until 6pm every day. It was great to know that he was learning the same curriculum as other Kindy’s with a qualified Teacher; he learnt so much and I feel he has been very well prepared for school in terms of independence and social skills.
Backed by research
Backed by government
Find a centre
At Goodstart Early Learning, we welcome you to visit our early learning centres so you can meet our team and view the learning environment.
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