The mobile preschool, operated by the Ooranga Family Resource Mobile Unit (FMRU), opened at the start of term at the Somerton War Memorial Hall. It offers 11 licensed places for children aged 3 to 5, filling a long-standing gap in early education services within the town itself.
Somerton Preschool is the only early childhood education provider based in Somerton, and complements existing services in Carroll, Manilla, and the broader Tamworth Local Government Area.
“We are so excited to be able to access quality early childhood education on our doorstep,” said preschool parent, Ooranga Committee member and Bective resident, Gil Burke.
“Previously, parents have had to travel into Tamworth itself to access early childhood services. The new preschool is going to make a real difference to our community, making use of existing infrastructure and giving families a truly local option for education.”
The preschool currently operates every Monday and Thursday. Enrolments remain open, and eligible families can access the program free of charge. The new service sits alongside Ooranga’s existing playgroup, which runs fortnightly on Tuesdays and focuses on children aged 0–3 and school readiness.
As a not-for-profit organisation, Ooranga has been delivering early childhood services in rural and remote communities for 46 years. Its mission is to ensure children in regional areas receive the same opportunities as their urban peers, particularly in areas where no other providers exist.
“Ooranga has been part of the Somerton community, on and off, over many years,” said Leanne Pryor, Director at Ooranga FMRU.
“With our existing preschools now operating at capacity, we are always looking at ways that we can bridge education gaps for communities within our reach and deliver on Ooranga’s mission to meet increasing demand while giving our young learners a strong foundation for future education success. We are thrilled to now be able to deliver this for families in Somerton and surrounds.”
The Somerton Preschool marks Ooranga’s first service within the Tamworth LGA and is the second new service the organisation has opened this year. It joins eight other Ooranga preschool services across the Liverpool Plains, Gunnedah, and Narrabri LGAs.
For more information or to enquire about enrolment, visit: www.ooranga.com.au.
Don’t miss any of the important stories from around the region. Subscribe to our email list.