Childcare centres earn favourable report card

TASMANIA’S Education Minister has pledged kindergartens will be held to the same high standards as childcare centres under changes to the school starting age.

TASMANIA’S Education Minister has pledged kindergartens will be held to the same high standards as childcare centres under changes to the school starting age.

Tasmania’s childcare sector has received a favourable report card from the Australian Children’s Education and Care Quality Authority’s February quarterly report.

Ninety-five per cent of Tasmanian centres received a quality rating.

One in four were working towards the national quality standards, 40 per cent were meeting the standards and 35 per cent were exceeding the standards.

No Tasmanian centres required significant improvement.

Education Minister Jeremy Rockliff welcomed the report but said the State Government remained concerned that not enough Tasmanian children were able to access the benefits of early learning.

The State Government wants to change the voluntary school starting age to 4½ for prep, which would also enable children to begin kindergarten at 3½.

“Not every Tasmanian child has access to quality early learning for a range of reasons,” Mr Rockliff said.

“That is why we are changing the system, to ensure every Tasmanian child has access through voluntary earlier access to prep and kindergarten.”

He said from 2020 all kindergartens would be assessed against the same quality standards as early childhood education and care providers.

The childcare sector has warned lowering the school starting age will force many childcare centres out of business.

Originally published as Childcare centres earn favourable report card