Early Childhood Schools (Public)

Canberra’s five Early Childhood Schools offer a unique model of integrated services catering for children and their families from birth through age 8.

In the one location, children can progress from an early childhood education and care service to preschool, followed by kindergarten through to Year 2. Enrolments are welcome at any stage in a child’s early learning journey.

Built on a highly successful model of early years learning which embodies the principles of the Early Years Learning Framework Belonging, Being, and Becoming , Early Childhood Schools are designed to provide children with the best start to their early development and education.

Early Childhood Schools are located in five convenient locations across Canberra:

• Belconnen: Southern Cross Early Childhood School
• Inner South: Narrabundah Early Childhood School*
• Inner North: O’Connor Cooperative School
• Woden: Lyons Early Childhood School
• Tuggeranong: Isabella Plains Early Childhood School

*Also offers Koori Preschool

The core elements of the Early Childhood School model are:

• high quality learning
• integrated service delivery with an onsite ECEC service
• integrated service delivery with wrap-around child and family supports
• access to Community Coordinators, and
• more seamless transitions for children from the ECEC service to preschool.

Canberra’s Early Childhood Schools were developed to ensure continuity in curriculum and relationships over a child’s early years. The method and practice of teaching is based on research into early childhood learning and informed by the Early Years Learning Framework Being, Belonging and Becoming. The kindergarten to Year 2 curriculum is based on the Australian Curriculum.

Early Childhood Schools deliver high quality public education and early learning and have become hubs or integrated services centres for children from birth to 8 years, which are attractive to many families who live and work in the regions where they are located. In addition to education, Early Childhood Schools have connections to health, ECECs, playgroups and other services for children and families, provided through collaborative partnerships.

Their development over time has strengthened school excellence across the ACT and supported the development of strong communities.

Why choose an Early Childhood School?

Aside from the benefits that come from early learning, these include:

• Convenience for families of the one drop-off location
• Priority Enrolment Areas do not apply, so parents and carers may choose locations based on their work location, places permitting.
• Continuity in early learning education and relationships during the crucial early childhood years.
• Strong community connections built from birth through to the primary setting
• Access to integrated services.

What happens after my child finishes Year 2?

At the end of Year 2, children from Early Childhood Schools transition into Year 3 of an ACT public school in their Priority Enrolment Area.

Each of the Early Childhood Schools has strong links with their local P-6 schools. They work together throughout the year to ensure all children successfully transition into local primary schools in Year 3. Families are encouraged to be active participants in their child’s transition to their new school.

How do I enrol my child at an Early Childhood School?

You will find information about how to enrol listed on each of the Early Childhood School websites listed in the table below. This information includes how to enrol with the onsite ECEC provider (birth to 4 years) and preschool to Year 2 enrolments.