Enrolment – Starting preschool

Information for families enrolling in a government preschool

Children who turn 4 before 1 May are eligible to start preschool at the beginning of the year before they start school. If you would like your child to attend a government preschool you can be assured of a place.

Children are able to access a government-funded preschool for 1 year. If you are uncertain about the best time for your child to attend preschool, or feel your child may benefit from delaying starting preschool until the following year, please talk to your preschool director or school principal about your options.

How to enrol

Submit a ‘preschool registration of interest’ form at your local and/or preferred preschool(s). Refer to www.education.sa.gov.au/findaschool to determine your local preschool catchment area.

All government preschools will prioritise enrolment applications for children living within the preschool’s local catchment area.
Where there are more children seeking to enrol in a preschool than places available, the preschool will allocate places using the department’s priority of access criteria. You can ask your preschool director or school principal for more information about this.

Timeframe for offers

At the beginning of August (early in school term 3) there will be a first round of offers to families of preschool-aged children who live within the preschool’s local catchment area.

If you are offered a place, you will receive a letter or email from the preschool. To accept the offer and secure the place, you will need to reply within the timeframe requested, and complete the ‘preschool enrolment form’. At the time of enrolment you will be asked to provide evidence of your child’s date of birth, residence and immunisation status.

A second round of enrolment offers will commence in the beginning of September to families not living in the local catchment area, if vacancies are available.

Places at a preferred preschool

If more children are seeking to enrol in a preschool than places available, some families will be offered a place in a nearby preschool. When accepting an enrolment offer, you can request to remain on the enrolment registration list at your preferred preschool. This means you will be contacted if a place becomes available before the beginning of the school year.

For further information visit Department for Education | Starting preschool or contact your local preschool.