Our preschool

Why choose our public preschool?

Our public preschool offers a vibrant, play-based learning program for children in the year before they start Kindergarten. Each day is filled with opportunities to explore, create and connect — helping children develop the foundational skills they need for lifelong learning.

Our preschool program extends and enriches each child’s learning, development and wellbeing and operate under the National Quality Framework.

As part of Stockton Public School, our preschool provides a smooth and supportive transition to “big school.” Children become familiar with our staff, playgrounds and routines, building confidence and a strong sense of belonging within our school community.

We look forward to welcoming you and your child to our preschool.

Preschool days and hours

Our preschool operates on a five-day fortnight — children attend every Monday, Tuesday and alternate Wednesdays OR Thursday, Friday and alternate Wednesdays during school terms.

Each preschool class will enrol up to 20 children per day. The child to staff ratio is 10:1, and every class is staffed with a university trained early childhood teacher and a suitably trained School Learning Support Officer (SLSO) to ensure the high-quality delivery of education and care.

We are licensed for hours from 9:00am to 3:00pm, which align with the main school timetable. The preschool is open during school terms and closed during school holidays and public holidays.

This structure helps children become familiar with the routines and rhythms of “big school,” supporting a smooth and confident transition to Kindergarten.

Fees

Our public preschool is free to attend. Fees are not charged for preschool enrolment, attendance, waiting list applications or specialist programs.

Attendance

Public preschools enrol children for one year only, the year before they start school.

Children can enrol from the beginning of the school year if they turn 4 years of age before 31 July that year.

Meals

Children need to bring fruit or vegetables for fruit break, recess, and lunch each day. We encourage healthy choices to keep children energised and ready to learn and play.

Please pack food in clearly labelled containers that your child can open independently. A refillable water bottle is essential and can be refilled throughout the day.

How to enrol

Public preschools enrol children for one year only — the year before they start school. Children can enrol from the beginning of the school year if they turn four years old on or before 31 July of that year.

Public preschools prioritise enrolment for:

• Aboriginal and/or Torres Strait Islander children
• Children living in low socio-economic circumstances
• Children unable to access other early childhood settings due to disadvantage or financial hardship.

Unlike NSW public schools, there are no enrolment boundaries for public preschools. Children do not need to live in our school’s local intake area to apply. However, please note that enrolment in our preschool does not guarantee a place in Kindergarten at Stockton Public School. Families can use School Finder to locate their local public school.

Enrolment is through an Expression of Interest (EOI) process, which opens at the beginning of the school year prior to your child’s intended start. All EOIs are reviewed by an enrolment panel in line with the Department of Education’s preschool enrolment criteria.

Once EOIs have been assessed, successful applicants will be offered a position, and full enrolment can then take place through the school.

For more information, visit the NSW Department of Education – Preschool Enrolment Policy.