Phillips, L. (2016, September 29). Do ‘kindy bootcamps’ get children ready for school?. The Conversation.
A recent surge in private companies offering “skill and drill” school-readiness programs has been likened to “kindy bootcamps” by the media.
These programs typically run for one hour a week (with fees in the range of A$40 an hour) for small groups of around five children aged between two and five.
The programs are often housed within companies that also offer tutoring to school-age children. They are not regulated or accredited, as child care, preschool and kindergarten full-time programs are.
Parents with disposable incomes seem to be seeking out these add-on programs to ease their anxieties about their child’s future academic achievement and competitive entry into elite schools.