Preschool Staffing

In reply to Dr CLOSE (Port Adelaide—Deputy Leader of the Opposition) (15 November 2018).

The Hon. J.A.W. GARDNER (Morialta—Minister for Education): I have been advised of the following:

From the commencement of the 2016 school year, the Department for Education implemented a new preschool staffing allocation methodology to ensure that at all times each preschool service would have one educator for every 11 children in place, and one educator for every 10 children for designated disadvantaged preschools. These changes were required to ensure continued compliance with Education and Care Services National Law (South Australia) and the associated Education and Care Services National Regulations.

As a result of this change there was a net increase in preschool staffing allocations between term 3, 2015 and term 3, 2016 of 115.5 FTE after adjusting for enrolment growth.