In response to concerning data revealed in the 2021 Australian Early Development Census, the Y WA (formally known as YMCA WA) has created a new ‘School ReadY’ Program across all 14 of its Early Learning Centres.
Launched at the East Cannington Early Learning Centre last month, the program has been developed to engage and support children between the ages of three and five to get them ‘school ready’ through programs focused on improving early literacy and oral language through fun, play-based learning experiences.
The 2021 Australian Early Development Census conducted by the Federal Department of Education found that 22 per cent of children start school developmentally vulnerable, and one-third of Australian students do not achieve proficient reading levels.
The program comes amid the recent release of the 2024 National Assessment Program, Literacy and Numeracy (NAPLAN), which showed that one in three Australian students are not meeting expected standards in literacy and numeracy.
Most concerningly, almost half of Year 3 students in Western Australia were not proficient in grammar or punctuation.
Additionally, roughly 30 per cent of all WA students, on average, fell into the lowest two bands on national literacy and numeracy tests, showing they struggled with fundamental reading, writing, and maths skills expected for their age.
Developed with the help of expert guidance from multiple university academics and evaluated through a successful pilot phase, the Y WA initiative is designed to achieve lasting outcomes.
CEO of Y WA, Dr Tim McDonald, is optimistic about the new program and has highlighted its potential to reshape the way we think about early childhood education.
“The first five years of a child’s life is crucial for their development and learning. We recognise how important the years before formal schooling are to assist children to develop the foundational knowledge to enable them to flourish at school,” Dr McDonald said.
“That’s why we’ve developed this program for our Early Learning Centres to educate children on being school-ready.”
“Reading is the key to learning, so if we can teach children the early literacy and oral language skills that prepare them to learn to read once they get to school, they will have a greater opportunity to thrive. The foundations of School ReadY will provide the keys to learning, giving children a head start.”
