By Anna Prytz
Emily Lang has one big reason she is not nervous about her daughter starting school next year.
The mother of two has been using Coldstream Primary School’s playgroup and kinder facilities for years and credits them with her five-year-old Elsie’s lack of worries about starting prep.
Emily Lang and her children Elsie, 5, and Billy, 3, attend Coldstream Primary School’s education precinct, which has been recognised for increasing access to early education.Credit: Joe Armao
“We all love it, everyone does. So many services are intertwined at the school,” Ms Lang said. “It’s been an amazing transition for my daughter, making friends with all the kids and being familiar with the grounds, so there is no issue about her starting school there.
“It’s really a place for the whole community.”
Coldstream Primary School’s education precinct, which also includes maternal and child healthcare, outside school hours care and a Foodbank, last week won a 2021 Victorian Early Years Award for improving access and participation in early learning.
Its playgroup was also one of 18 studied statewide for a research project between the Australian Catholic University and Playgroup Victoria to determine the features of a successful school playgroup.
Lead researcher Susan Edwards said the key was building strong relationships between families and the school.
“What’s happening in that school, because the playgroup is there the families are connecting. The children and the families feel really comfortable being in the school environment way before they even think about starting school,” she said.
“The stronger the relationships, the better the outcomes for the children.”
Professor Edwards said the study showed facilities in low-socioeconomic areas such as Coldstream could provide top-quality services.
“More often, local primary schools are hosting a playgroup on the school site ... because they recognise the really high value and benefit for children,” she said.
“What this research is signalling is that it’s within the capabilities of all schools to reap this benefit.”
The researchers have launched a set of resources to help other schools build similarly strong playgroup services.
It’s not only school playgroup programs that are thriving. Education during the first five years of a child’s life is getting increasing attention, research and funding, with a particular focus on helping disadvantaged children prepare for school.
“Those of us in the sector have known this for years and years, but there’s an increasing understanding and recognition in the community of just how critical those first five years are for children’s learning and development,” Professor Edwards said.
The state Education Department has recently invested more in early years education.
Over the next decade, funded three-year-old kindergarten will be rolled out across the state, starting with vulnerable children and those in rural and remote areas.
Last month, Early Education Minister Ingrid Stitt announced $53.9 million from the government’s School Readiness Funding initiative would go to kindergartens, to help train educators across all their interactions with children, with a focus on communication and social and emotional wellbeing.
Ms Stitt said the funding would ensure high-quality programs that supported all children.
“The School Readiness funding is needs-based, and aims to improve social and emotional wellbeing, access and participation so all our children have the best start to school and in life,” she said.
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