Victorian children who receive two years of funded kindergarten are starting school with stronger language, memory and problem-solving skills, according to new University of Melbourne research.
The findings suggest three-year-old kindergarten can improve school readiness, but access alone is not the whole story. Attendance, educator experience and program quality also appear to influence how much children gain.
For schools managing wide differences in readiness at entry, the research provides an early indication of how earlier intervention may shape the skills children bring into Foundation classrooms.
Gains are visible before children start school
The findings come from the five-year Educational and Developmental Gains in Early Childhood, or EDGE, Study, which is following about 2,200 children across 149 Victorian early childhood services.
Children who received 15 hours of funded three-year-old kindergarten each week recorded around five additional months of language progress. They also showed two to three months of additional development in memory and problem-solving compared with children receiving one funded kindergarten year.
Professor Tricia Eadie, lead researcher of EDGE and Director of the REEaCh Centre at the University of Melbourne, said the differences were apparent before school entry.
“The EDGE study adds robust, contemporary evidence that early childhood education is a critical investment in children's futures. These are meaningful developmental advantages that matter from day one in the classroom. What's encouraging is that these findings come about from accessible, funded early learning that's available to all families,” Professor Eadie said.
The study provides some of the first Australian evidence comparing developmental outcomes from one and two years of funded kindergarten. It also adds evidence to the broader debate over how preschool expansion affects school readiness.
Researchers also found that attendance and program quality influenced outcomes, with teacher experience among the factors associated with stronger programs.
“The EDGE findings underscore that the presence of experienced, skilled educators is what transforms kindergarten programs into quality learning environments. This means that quality can happen everywhere if we invest in our early childhood workforce—their qualifications, their experience, and their ongoing professional support,” Professor Eadie said.
Victoria currently provides children with two years of funded kindergarten before school, including up to 15 hours of Three-Year-Old Kindergarten each week.
Longer-term effects remain under study
The next phase will examine whether the gains persist after children enter school and whether they are shared equally across different groups. Researchers will also test whether two years of kindergarten can reduce developmental inequalities.
That question is particularly relevant because school readiness can vary substantially between children, even when they are similar in age.
The study team has approval to link its data with later measures, including NAPLAN and the School Entry Health Questionnaire.
“Victoria's experience shows that three-year-old kindergarten is a wise investment for governments. This study charts the roadmap for other states and territories as they roll out, or consider rolling out, two years of kindergarten. Fund the workforce and conditions, alongside the places, so children get the full benefit of a high-quality program,” Front Project CEO Dr Caroline Croser-Barlow said.
Further analysis will continue through 2027, including an economic assessment of the reform.