Early school engagement and performance (preschool to year 3): Overcoming Indigenous Disadvantage: Key Indicators 2007

This photo was taken by the students of Kununurra High School for Reconciliation Australia’s All About Us project that ran in their school in 2006. Photo courtesy of Reconciliation Australia.

Preschool and early learning |
School attendance |
Year 3 literacy and numeracy

The extent to which Indigenous children begin formal learning at an early age, attend school regularly, and are healthy, safe and supported by their families and communities, all have a bearing on educational outcomes in the short and long term.

Research shows that the children most likely to have learning difficulties often have nutritional, hearing or other health problems.

There are no data available on attendance for the period from preschool to year 3. Participation rates only indicate the number of children enrolled as a proportion of the population group.

Preschool and early learning

Children who have access to, and attend, good quality early childhood education have a head start at school. Gaps in children’s basic skills for life and learning that appear at age five or six are often difficult to close, even with targeted school interventions.

In Australia, preschool attendance is not compulsory. Fees and program availability may create barriers to access to preschool, particularly in remote regions.

KEY MESSAGES

Preschool participation was slightly higher for Indigenous 3 year olds (19 per cent) than non-Indigenous 3 year olds (17 per cent) (table 6.1.1). However, preschool participation rates for Indigenous 4 and 5 year olds were lower than for non-Indigenous children of the same ages (table 6.1.1).

Between 2002 and 2005, the number of Indigenous children aged 3–5 years old enrolled in preschool increased slightly, from 8729 to 9015 (from 24 per cent to 25 per cent of Indigenous children aged 3–5) (table 6A.1.2).

THINGS THAT WORK

A NT Government funded mobile program provides a regular preschool program for Indigenous children in six remote sites (box 6.1.2).

The Yappera Centre in Melbourne, Victoria, assists Koori families to participate in childcare and kindergarten (box 6.1.2).

For over 30 years, Aboriginal 3 year olds in SA have been able to access state preschools. Staff work with families and communities to develop shared understandings, positive relationships and culturally inclusive practices (box 6.1.2).

School attendance

This photo was taken by the students of Kununurra High School for Reconciliation Australia’s All About Us project that ran in their school in 2006. Photo courtesy of Reconciliation Australia. In Australia, school attendance is compulsory for people between 6 and 15 years of age (with some variation across jurisdictions). Research has shown a direct relationship between the number of days absent from school and academic performance.

All the strategic areas have some relevance to achieving good outcomes for young children in education. In addition, parental support is very important to ensure young children attend school regularly.

KEY MESSAGES

In 2006, the school participation rate for Indigenous five to eight year old children (97 per cent) was similar to that for non-Indigenous children (94 per cent) (figure 6.2.1 and table 6A.2.1).

THINGS THAT WORK

The Ngaripirliga’ajirri program, operating in three Tiwi (NT) primary schools in 2000–04, is a culturally relevant early intervention program for Tiwi children of primary school age and their parents (box 6.2.2).

Year 3 literacy and numeracy

Achievement in the early years of schooling has major implications for retention and attainment in later years. Children who have already fallen behind in year 3 will have difficulty progressing through school and are less likely to attend school beyond the compulsory age. This in turn has implications for employment options and long term disadvantage.

The gap in school performance between Indigenous students and non-Indigenous students is evident from year 1 onwards. Studies have shown that, unless preschool learning and early primary school assistance are provided, underperforming students are rarely able to catch up. Support for Indigenous parents, who may themselves have limited education, is a key factor in ensuring that their children are encouraged to do well at school.

KEY MESSAGES

Between 1999 and 2005, Indigenous students’ performance against the national reading, writing and numeracy benchmarks fluctuated, with no statistically significant trend (figures 6.3.1, 6.3.3 and 6.3.5).

In 2005, the proportion of Indigenous year 3 students who did not achieve the national benchmark was substantially higher than the proportion of all students, for:

reading (22 per cent compared to 7 per cent) (figure 6.3.2)
writing (26 per cent compared to 7 per cent) (figure 6.3.4)
numeracy (20 per cent compared to 6 per cent) (figure 6.3.6).

THINGS THAT WORK

The Scaffolding Literacy Program improved the literacy levels of Indigenous children at the Kulkarriya Community School on Noonkanbah station in the Kimberley region of WA, and has been extended to other schools in the region (box 6.3.2).

Since 2005, a MULTILIT (Making Up Lost Time In Literacy) Tutorial Centre has operated at Coen Primary School, a remote community in Cape York (box 6.3.2).

The Yachad Accelerated Learning Project is a professional tuition program underway in five locations throughout Australia. It provides after hours tutoring for the lowest performing students (box 6.3.2).

Sixty-two schools in the NT participate in the Accelerated Literacy Program, with significant improvements in literacy outcomes for the students involved (box 6.3.2).

Report Chapter 6: Early school engagement and performance
(PDF document)

Attachment 6A
(Excel document)

See next strategic area for action: Positive childhood and transition to adulthood.