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15 July 2026 - Getting ready to launch

This e-bulletin is for our new partners preparing to deliver 3-year-old preschool in Term 3 2026 and Term 1 2027.

Use the drop-down menu below to read the latest e-bulletin.

You can access previous e-bulletins in the archive section of this page and download attached resources.

Do you know an individual, service or partnership making a difference for South Australia's youngest learners? The Flying Start Early Childhood Awards celebrate excellence across the sector, with 7 award categories and $10,000 grants available for each category winner.

This week, we're shining a spotlight on 3 award categories open for nomination.

Outstanding Partnership & Collaboration Award

Recognises a partnership creating stronger outcomes for children and families.

What an application may look like: An ECEC approved service and allied health provider working together to support children's outcomes.

Uplifting Quality Award

Celebrates a service's journey of continuous improvement and quality practice.

What an application may look like: An ECEC approved service that has strengthened practice and lifted outcomes for children and families.

Aboriginal Early Childhood Award

Honours culturally responsive practice that empowers Aboriginal children, families and Communities.

What an application may look like: An educator or ECEC approved service embedding culture, connection and Community in everyday practice.

These are some key reminders to support you with the first day of Flying Start 3-year-old preschool for Term 3, 2026.

Social media selfie frame

To celebrate the first day of Flying Start 3-year-old preschool, we’re providing your service with a lightweight, life-size photo frame to capture the fun and excitement.

You can use the photo frame to:

  • Take a special first-day photo of each child to remember this special occasion
  • Capture a variety of play-based learning activities in your service to share through your channels
  • Take happy snaps of families embarking on their first day of 3-year-old preschool with their child
  • Celebrate your dedicated team of educators and Early Childhood Teachers – it’s their first day delivering 3-year-old preschool too!

This is an optional activity and we encourage you to engage with it in a way that best suits children’s needs, supports child safety practices and aligns with your device usage policies.

Sharing the news

The launch of 3-year-old preschool is a turning point for early childhood education in South Australia, so we encourage you to spread the word within your local community.

There are a range of images and suggested captions you can apply to your own social media channels, as well as newsletter and website content you may choose to use.

Before sharing any images of children online, make sure you have the correct consent forms in place and are adhering to the 'National Model Code - Guidelines for Taking Images or Videos of Children while Providing Early Childhood Education and Care'

Family welcome packs

Don’t forget to hand out your Family welcome packs to eligible 3-year-old children enrolled in the Flying Start 3-year-old program. These are allocated to services as one per child to celebrate launch week. Additional quantities of merchandise are not available at this time.

The Policy and Funding Guide for 2027 delivery is due for release later this month and will be available online and as a downloadable PDF. The Guide sets out the policy and funding arrangements for the 3- and 4-year-old Flying Start preschool program.

Partner providers will be notified ahead of its release and once it has been published on the OECD website.

For some of the funding under the 2027 Policy and Funding Guide, this year you will need to submit a Flying Start Partnership Plan (FSPP).

What is the Flying Start Partnership Plan?

The FSPP is a new integrated tool to help you plan for the year ahead and align spending with your service’s needs to better support children’s outcomes.

The new FSPP brings together 3 separate funding streams into one plan:

  • Ready Set Preschool (if applicable)
  • Preschool Boost
  • Enhancing Quality

The FSPP is an interactive PDF, developed to be as user-friendly as possible, and structured to help you think strategically about what you want to focus on using these specific funding streams.

What do I have to do?

Nothing yet! At the end of this month, you will receive your FSPP plan from your Local Team, pre-populated with information specific to your service.

Your Local Team will work closely with you to help explain the process, including how to complete the plan and use the AEDC data to inform your decision-making.

This will happen over several scheduled visits to your service, each with a focus on different elements in the plan. Local Teams will start scheduling these with you towards the end of this month.

Your FSPP is due back to the OECD by 1 November 2026 – so there is plenty of time to work through the plans with your Local Teams for the year ahead.

Keep an eye on the next e-bulletin for more details and supporting materials to help you complete your Flying Start Partnership Plan.

National child safety training is mandatory for everybody working or volunteering in early childhood education and care services regulated under the NQF.

Existing workforce staff and volunteers must complete the foundation training by 27 August 2026.

New staff or volunteers must complete the training within 14 days of being employed, engaged or appointed at the service - or before they start working directly with children (whichever comes first).

Further information about the training, including how to register is available on the National Child Safety website.

Partner services must ensure they have signed Declaration and consent forms for new Term 3 2026 3- and 4-year-old preschool participants prior to submitting these enrolments as part of the Term 3 data submission.

This Term 3 data submission is for partner services currently delivering Flying Start preschool and covers the reference period of week 2 and 3.

The teaching and learning funding for preschool is provided per confirmed enrolment, which supports a greater investment in your service for the delivery of a quality, teacher-led preschool program.

See the Enrolment support pack and the checklist to help you make sure all eligible children in your service are enrolled in the preschool program.

Your Local Team is also available to support you in understanding your current and potential 3- and 4-year-old preschool program enrolments.

Make sure to catch-up on the slide decks and Q+As from the last 2 webinars:

Looking for a previous e-bulletin?