Children who attend preschool before starting school are significantly more likely to arrive ready to learn, according to a major Curtin University study of more than 123,000 Western Australian children.
In Western Australia — preschool, commonly known as kindergarten or 'kindy' — is the early learning program offered in the year before compulsory school (pre-primary).
The study found preschool attendance was linked to better outcomes across every area of child development and a substantially lower risk of children starting school developmentally vulnerable.
Researchers say the findings provide some of the strongest population level evidence to date that supports the role of preschool in helping children build the skills they need to succeed at school and later in life.
Lead author and Curtin University PhD candidate Kendalem Atalell said the results showed just how important the year before school can be.
"The message is simple: preschool matters," Mr Atalell said.
"Children who attended preschool were less likely to start school struggling and showed stronger development across every area we measured.
"The early years are when the foundations for learning, health and wellbeing are built. Giving children access to preschool can help set them up for success long before they walk into their first classroom."
The study analysed data from 123,256 Western Australian children who participated in the Australian Early Development Census between 2009 and 2021.
Senior author Associate Professor Gizachew Tessema, from Curtin's School of Population Health and the enAble Institute, said the findings were particularly significant because too many children were still arriving at school without the skills they needed to thrive.
"More than one in five Australian children start school developmentally vulnerable, which can affect their learning, wellbeing and future opportunities," Associate Professor Tessema said.
"Our findings show preschool was associated with better developmental outcomes, helping children develop the social, emotional, physical and communication skills they need before they start formal schooling.
"What is especially concerning is that children from disadvantaged communities were less likely to attend early childhood education programs, despite often standing to gain the most from it."
Associate Professor Tessema said improving access to high-quality preschool programs could be an important way to give every child a fair start in life.
"No child should begin school already at a disadvantage," he said.
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"Improving access to preschool is an investment in children's futures. It could help support school readiness, reduce inequalities and create benefits that extend well beyond the early years."
Co-author Professor Gavin Pereira, also from Curtin’s School of Population Health, said the findings added to growing evidence that early childhood education plays a vital role in shaping children's development.
"School readiness is about much more than knowing letters and numbers," Professor Pereira said.
"It's about developing the social, emotional and communication skills that help children engage, learn and flourish throughout their education."
The study also found more mixed results for daycare attendance. Daycare was linked to lower developmental vulnerability in language, cognitive and communication domains, but higher vulnerability in social competence and emotional maturity.
While the exact reason for the daycare result is not known, the authors pointed to several possible explanations for the daycare pattern, including the age at which children start care, how long and how intensively they attend, and differences in family circumstances. For example, starting group care earlier and for longer hours may also reduce opportunities for the stable, responsive interactions that support social and emotional development during a sensitive period.
The researchers said these findings should be interpreted carefully and may reflect differences in children’s attendance patterns, timing and duration of care, family circumstances, and the type of early childhood setting, and should be explored further.
The researchers say expanding access to effective preschool, particularly in disadvantaged and remote communities, could help ensure more Western Australian children start school ready to learn and reach their full potential.
Western Australian Primary Principals’ Association (WAPPA) President Niel Smith said quality kindergarten programs deliver benefits that extend well beyond the classroom.
“High-quality kindergarten programs provide children with the best possible start to their education by balancing play-based learning with the development of pre literacy and numeracy skills. Through structured and free play, children build confidence, learn to socialise, develop fine and gross motor skills, strengthen communication and problem-solving abilities and arrive at school ready to learn, both academically and emotionally,” Mr Smith said.
“Regular attendance at kindergarten is also one of the earliest opportunities to identify children who may need additional learning support or specialist intervention. The sooner educators can recognise potential learning difficulties, developmental delays or disabilities, the sooner families and schools can work collaboratively, to access the support their child needs, giving every student the greatest chance to thrive from their very first day of school.”
The study, ‘Early Childhood Education and Care and Developmental Vulnerability at School Entry’, is among the largest studies of its kind conducted in Western Australia and has been published in JAMA Network Open.
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Early Childhood Education and Care and Developmental Vulnerability at School Entry
28-Jul-2026