Kindergarten in Tasmania
To start kindergarten in Tasmania (TAS), your child needs to be four on or before Jan 1st of their kindergarten year. Kindergarten programs are part-time, and every school offers at least 15 hours per week during the school term. Kindergartens are on school grounds, and while it's not compulsory, it marks the first year of formal school—new classroom, school, teacher and friends. These changes can be a lot for some little learners; this is where we can help.
They can stay if they're happy!
If you have a happy child at Goodstart who would benefit from another year with us (who wouldn't?!), they can stay and do our kindergarten program. You might forfeit the free kindergarten you'd get at a school, but your CCS will help with the fees. You'll have the benefits of security and routine if your child thrives with conistency and certainty. And, you can keep their daily transitions (or yours!) to a minimum. We'll still give them the school-ready skills they'd get at kindergarten in a safe, secure space until they feel more ready to spread their wings in prep.
If you've got a child in a school-based program, any additional hours you need after kindergarten, we'd love to help! Contact your nearest Goodtstart to see how they can support you with wrap-around hours.
LDC and school-based kindergarten programs: What's the difference?
At Goodstart, we're a long day care (LDC) program provider. We operate five days a week, 52 weeks a year, except on public holidays. We also offer federal government-approved kindergraten programs and undergo the same rigorous approval process as government kindergartens. Every Goodstart program needs to:
- deliver a quality early childhood education program to children aged three and above
- have the program delivered by a bachelor-qualified early childhood teacher (ECT) as per the National Quality Framework (NQF)
- use the Early Years Learning Framework.
Our programs meet these criteria and run during LDC hours. Your child gets extra kindergarten enrichment led by bachelor-qualified professionals over and above 600 free hours all year round.
The benefits of attending our LDC kindergarten
We know we're not free, and government kindergarten is great if your lives fit around the hours and any add-on days outside of these. But there are a lot of families that struggle with that. A Goodtstart kindergarten program means:
- Your child and your family's routines stay the same from childcare into kindergraten
- Your preschooler stays in one centre all day every week until they start prep
- Your child can form deep connections with their educators (and their educators with them)
- There's consistency and the security that comes with that (for everyone!).
Our LDC kindergraten program is excellent if your child (or you!) isn't a fan of change and transitions.
Enrol at Goodstart for your out-of-hours days
If an LDC kindergarten program isn't an option (we get it!), you can enrol your child in a Goodstart program on the days they can't attend their school kindergarten . This way, your child can:
- go to government kindergaten for the free allocated hours
- attend kindergarten at Goodstart on days that aren't covered at your government preschool.
Your CCS will discount any out-of-pocket fees paid outside your free government kindergarten hours.
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Play-based is the best early learning approach
Research shows access to quality early childhood education and care (ECEC) benefits children throughout their school years. The research also supports a play-based learning approach in early years education. Children who access quality, play-based ECEC are more likely to:
- develop stronger social skills
- participate as part of a group
- transition easily into school
- stay longer in school.
Guided by our bachelor-qualified early years teachers, your child will learn critical thinking skills and problem-solving as part of a team — all great skills for school and life!
Choose sessions that work for you
We provide flexibility and convenience for busy families with:
- longer opening hours, Monday to Friday
- nine-hour, 10-hour and all-day sessions
- our preschool programs in a long day care (LDC) format.
Choosing an LDC format for kindergarten means your child's early learning goes beyond the five hours a day they'd get if they attended a school kindergarten with four terms and operating during school hours. It's all fine if you've got the flexibility to work around the school hours and pick-up and drop-off times, but most working families don't have that option.
At Goodstart, you can drop your child off before you start work and pick them up on your way home, just like you've always done. Plus, you don't need to max out your annual leave so your child can attend kindy. You can also put some cheeky leave days aside just for you...
We'll support your child's individual learning journey
- We'll meet them where they are developmentally.
- We assess and review their progress throughout the years leading to formal school and ensure everything is on track.
- We explore their passions with them so they feel seen and valued. We offer extra educational support if it's needed.
At Goodstart, we appreciate your child for who they are and where they're going.
We design our programs with school readiness in mind
Getting a child ready for school is a team effort, and we also work with nearby schools and communicate with them using Transition to School Statements about your child, who they are and how they learn. These documents carry across with your child from kindy to prep. It helps their new teacher prepare the best possible year ahead for your child. We often have school transition activities with local schools throughout the kindergarten year so your child feels comfy on their first day of prep.
Everyone's welcome!
Inclusion is everything to us. Every child deserves to feel seen and valued for who they are. We work hard to create environments and support networks to welcome all children and their families to our centres. We take reconciliation seriously, walking with our families, children, and communities on this journey.
Save your spot for next year!
We hope you're excited by what we can offer your family in this exciting early learning stage. We'll give your child the best possible start to formal education by giving them a lifelong love of learning.
Enrolments are open for next year!
Make a booking to visit a Goodstart near you. Meet the team, stay for a play and save a spot!
Make a bookingEvery moment counts at Goodstart
Your questions answered:
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Starting ages vary by state. You can learn more under Getting started & FAQs. Some children may be eligible to start earlier, including children who identify as Aboriginal, children in care, children with a disability or specific educational needs. 
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Our dynamic, vibrant and inspiring preschool programs are designed and delivered by bachelor qualified early childhood teachers to prepare your child for school. We use play-based learning, which encourages exploration, relationship building and creativity. It also helps develop cognitive, physical, social, literacy and numeracy skills.
Find out more information about what your child will learn.
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Our centres offer longer hours and flexible options for preschool, including nine-hour, 10-hour and all day sessions, five days a week, 52 weeks a year. This means greater flexibility for parents, and more opportunity for us to tune in to when your child learns best.
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If you need a hand navigating the child care subsidy (CCS) system, just leave us a message and we'll call you back.
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If needed, we also assist families to access support services in the areas of:
- speech and language
- behaviour
- social skills
- general development. If you're concerned about any aspect of your child’s development or learning, please speak to your child’s teacher.
If you're concerned about any aspect of your child’s development or learning, please speak to your child’s teacher.
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Goodstart West Pymble is an excellent early childcare centre. I've had two children at this centre, both started here at the age of 9 months old. The teachers and carers are excellent and provide a very high standard of care for babies through to pre school age children. I highly recommend this centre, especially for young babies entering care.
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This is a wonderful early learning centre! We are so happy we enrolled our children here. We were recommended this service via a couple of friends and we were instantly impressed upon inspection. Of particular interest were the large open play areas for our children to explore which were in stark contrast to the small courtyards of other centres we had previously inspected. The staff have been very welcoming and exemplary in their efforts to help our children settle into their new normal and we are grateful in knowing that they have and will continue to be so well looked after.
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The staff are very friendly, helpful, and nurturing- offering excellent support to our busy working family.
Backed by research
Backed by government
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At Goodstart Early Learning, we welcome you to visit our early learning centres so you can meet our team and view the learning environment.
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