NSW preschools set for upgrades in $15m government cash splash

Eighteen preschools across the state will benefit from $15.5 million in upgrades aimed at cutting wait lists. SEE THE LIST.

There will be an extra 600 places created at 18 community preschools across NSW.

The $15 million upgrades to centres will allow hundreds more to attend a program at least two days per week, and cut wait times for prospective families.

This will include centres across Sydney, the Hunter, the Illawarra and the state’s northwest.

Early Learning Minister Sarah Mitchell said the spend was the ­latest round of the Start Strong Capital Works program.

“We want every child in NSW to have access to a quality preschool education, no matter their background or location,” Ms Mitchell said. “This funding will support a range of improvements, including new builds, extensions and renovations of centre-based community preschools.”

North Ryde Community Preschool will receive $200,000 in upgrades. Picture: Sam Ruttyn

North Ryde Community Preschool will receive $200,000 in funding to build a new children’s bathroom, storeroom, therapy room, staffroom and accessible ramp.

Centre director Laura Tava-Petrelli said the upgrades would create an additional 25 places.

“We have a reputation for working closely with special needs children, so demand is huge,” Ms Tava-Petrelli said.

“I think our wait list for all children is about 200 and these upgrades will let us offer more positions, which is a relief for us and also for families.”

Ms Mitchell said the NSW government had created more than 1800 additional preschool places across the state since 2018.

The 2022-23 state budget included more than $15 billion in early childhood commitments, including universal pre-kindergarten and an affordable childcare package.

Early Learning Minister Sarah Mitchell said the funding would create an extra 600 preschool places. Picture: James Gourley

The budget also promised an additional 18,000 childcare jobs to address a crippling staff shortage in the sector.

Thousands of preschool educator roles are vacant across the state, forcing some centres to close rooms and many to scrap child-to-carer ratios.

“Our vacancy rates have gone up exponentially, with one in 10 permanent roles unfilled, and that’s higher in NSW than other states,” Goodstart Early Learning head of advocacy John Cherry told The Saturday Telegraph last month.

“We have an immediate crisis that’s going to get worse next year when new childcare subsidies take effect, then again when the state rolls out its pre-kindergarten plan.”

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