Early learning centres at private schools: Search to find out where cost meets quality

Shelling out for a private school’s preschool can be worth it but may not always buy the best quality. Search the table to see how they stack up.

Team leader/educator Jess Neves with Agnes, 2, and Mihail, 2 at Nazareth Early Childhood Centre which has received an Excellent rating by the Australian Children’s Education and Care Quality Authority. Picture: Tom Huntley

Private schools are increasingly offering preschool and long daycare through early learning centres – but experts warn the most high-profile names aren’t always synonymous with top quality.

UniSA Associate Professor education futures dean Victoria Whitington said parents were often surprised to find private school-based centres were no more expensive than regular childcare options.

But she warned they were “not necessarily” of the highest quality.

According to the Australian Children’s Education and Care Quality Authority, Christian Brothers College ELC is rated overall as “working towards” the national benchmark.

The latest assessment of its ELC, in 2019, found it was not meeting the national standard in two of seven quality areas – education program and practice, and children’s health and safety.

Dr Whitington also noted the ELC at Walford – one of the state’s most expensive schools, charging $27,900 for Year 12 this year – was “meeting” the national standard in six out of seven areas, while “exceeding” it in only one.

Walford’s last assessment was in 2017. Both schools declined to comment.

By comparison, many school-based ELCs are “exceeding” national standards in all seven areas, including St Peter’s College and St Peter’s Girls, which Dr Whitington said had both enjoyed a “very good reputation for a long time”.

She said private schools were providing early learning not so much for the money at that level, but to get the jump on competitors for Reception enrolments.

“They want a pathway for children to … be enrolled in the school,” she said.

“That’s where the money is, not in early childhood. But it is good, in terms of a ‘pipeline effect’ – that’s why they do it.”

Where little ones already have older siblings at a school, an ELC offers the convenience of a single drop-off for parents.

Dr Whitington encouraged parents to tour ELCs with their child, and to make sure they took into account their child’s reaction, if they are old enough at the time, as well as their own when making a decision.

“Go to the place, book a tour and see how you feel, you know your child best,” she said.

“I’m always very interested in how adults in these sites respond to children. So if you’re there with your child, what are they doing with your child? And how are they speaking to other children as you walk around?

“How do you actually feel, what is your body telling you? Is this a nice place to be, an interesting place, a place my child would like to come every day or a few days a week?

“And what is your child saying? I’d be prepping the child too, depending on their age, of course. But how are they feeling, how are they responding to it as well, to make a decision together.”

UniSA Education Futures dean, Associate Professor Victoria Whitington. Picture: Supplied

However, to secure a place at some popular ELCs, parents may have to make applications years in advance.

She said it was important to check operating hours because some offered long daycare, equivalent to childcare, while others ran to school hours and may or may not offer out of hours care for an extra fee.

If the centre is an approved child care provider, eligible families can access the Australian Government Child Care Subsidy (CCS) for assistance with fees.

Editor’s note: An earlier version of this report conflated Gawler River ELC with Trinity, which was incorrect