Community Preschool

Our Community Preschools are for children aged 3 years+ and follow the rhythm of the school year. They operate during school terms only and run for shorter, set hours with preschool programs focused on preparation for school.

Children must bring their own meals and have school holidays at home with their families.

Term Preschools are funded through the NSW Government's Start Strong initiative, which supports access to quality early learning. This government‑funded program is designed to ease the cost of participating in quality early learning and the amount of fee relief each child receives depends on the eligibility categories.

As our Preschools fall under Start Strong, Child Care Subsidy (CCS) is not available. Please select Early Learning (Long Day Care) if you would like CCS and longer operational hours.

The terms early learning and preschool are often used interchangeably, but they are not exactly the same thing.

Early learning is the broader concept. It refers to the learning and development that happens from birth through the early years of childhood, typically up to school age. BFS Early Learning is long day care, typically open for 10-12 hours. CCS is available. 

Preschool is a specific educational program or setting designed for children in the year or two before they start school, usually aged 3 to 5 years. BFS Community Preschools are open shorter hours and follow the rhythm of the school term/holidays. NSW Government preschool funding is available.

BFS offers preschool programs in both our Early Learning and Preschool settings, delivered by qualified Early Childhood Teachers. Your child will receive the highest level of education and care with either choice. So the real question is...

what hours of care do you need to support your family commitments?

Here are some more details about the differences between Early Learning or Preschool.

We know children learn best when they feel safe, connected and supported. That's why we invest in highly qualified educators and teachers who understand not only how children learn, but how relationships shape confidence, wellbeing and development.

Research shows that higher qualifications contribute to higher-quality early childhood education and better outcomes for children. Our teachers bring deep knowledge of child development, learning and behaviour, while our educators bring the care, consistency and connection that help children feel secure enough to explore, learn and grow.

Our teams are backed by specialist expertise in educational leadership, pedagogy, inclusion, health and safety, operations and customer service. Through ongoing professional learning and coaching, we continue to invest in what matters most: great educators delivering meaningful learning experiences for children every day.

Furthermore, our Community Preschools are guided by the Early Years Learning Framework (EYLF), the National Curriculum Framework for children aged birth to six years

We have been supporting families across the Illawarra and surrounds since 1981, we are embedded in the local communities we serve and have been trusted by tens of thousands of families over the 45 years of operation. We are the experts in the childhood years. 

Families choose us for our qualified, caring educators, exceptional learning programs and beautiful environments where children feel safe, supported and inspired to thrive. We're a not-for-profit, so we invest back into our communinties.

The safety of your child is at the foundation of everything we do. Children learn best when they feel safe, supported and heard.

• Make a Centre Enquiry via the link below, this ensures you are on our waitlist.
• Connect with the service and organise a tour or walk through
• Once you've completed these two steps, you will be guided towards enrolling when a place is available.