From Term 1 2026, five public schools in WA will pilot free full-time Kindergarten, with more schools to join the pilot in 2027. The plan will give more children the opportunity to learn, play and grow before they start school.
What is the full-time Kindergarten pilot program?
Right now, most children in WA public schools go to Kindergarten five days a fortnight. This pilot will double that to full time, meaning five days a week, at no additional cost to families.
To start, five schools in both regional and metro WA will take part. They are:
- South Kalgoorlie Primary School
- Dalyellup Primary School
- Halidon Primary School
- Banksia Grove Primary School
- Roleystone Community College
This pilot will help the Government plan how to expand full-time Kindergarten across WA in the future.
Additional schools from across Western Australia will be added to the pilot program in 2027 through a statewide Expression of Interest process launched in September 2025. This process will be open to public schools and Community Kindergartens.
What are the benefits of full-time kindergarten?
The early years of life are the most important for a child’s development. Children’s brains grow faster from birth to five than at any other time.
When kids go to a good play-based Kindergarten program, they build skills in:
- speaking and listening
- getting along with others
- thinking and problem-solving
- being confident and ready for school.
Full-time Kindergarten will also:
- help families save on childcare costs
- support working parents
- give more children across WA a strong start to learning.
Schools in the pilot will get extra support to run safe, welcoming and play-based programs.
Is the full-time Kindergarten pilot compulsory?
No, Kindergarten will remain non-compulsory, and schools will work with families on the best transition process to full time school for their child.
The pilot program provides an important opportunity to test the delivery of additional hours of Kindergarten and receive feedback from families and early childhood teachers about the additional hours.
The decision to bring forward the pilot followed strong community and sector feedback to commence the program a year earlier than scheduled.
The new Office of Early Childhood
The new Office of Early Childhood, based in the Department of the Premier and Cabinet, will lead this work. It will also develop WA’s first Play Strategy, recognising how play helps children learn and grow.
How will the success of the full-time Kindergarten pilots be measured?
The pilot program will be evaluated, and the outcomes of the pilot will inform the design of the statewide rollout. One of the first tasks for the Office of Early Childhood will be to design and commission a comprehensive evaluation plan.
Updates on the progress of this pilot will be provided here as they become available.
Frequently asked Questions
How were these five schools chosen for the pilot?
Show moreThe Office of Early Childhood and Department of Education looked at schools that have spare classroom capacity and available staff.
Will there be funding available for teachers and education assistants for schools involved in the pilot?
Show moreYes. The pilot schools will receive funding at a full-time equivalent rate for each kindy student. From this, they can fund teachers, education assistants and pay the other costs of running a fulltime Kindergarten program.
When will the other pilot schools be selected? Do all schools have an opportunity to express their interest in the pilot program?
Show moreAn Expression of Interest process will open in September 2025 for all public schools in WA that offer a Kindergarten program, and Community Kindergartens. Information about the schools selected will be released ahead of the start of 2027 school year.
Will children need to be toilet trained to attend the program?
Show moreParents are encouraged to help their child manage going to the toilet on their own before commencing Kindergarten. The Department of Education’s Hello Kindergarten booklet has some great advice on this, as well as other tips for getting ready for Kindergarten.
As for a child commencing part time Kindergarten, who is not toilet trained, children in the full-time Kindergarten pilot will have a Toileting Management Plan developed in collaboration with the teacher and parent.
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