Our history - since 1895
Since our beginnings in 1895, KU has played a critical role in shaping the lives of generations of young Australians. Discover more about our history.
Australia’s first early education provider
Founded in 1895, KU (then the Kindergarten Union of NSW) opened Australia’s first preschool aimed at providing education to the community’s most disadvantaged children – and in that moment, early education in Australia was born.
Today, KU is one of Australia’s leading providers of preschools, kindergartens, long day care and other early education services, and remains proudly not for profit.
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From our beginnings, KU has believed in the value of play for young children and the importance of having specialised early childhood teachers and educators working with children and their families in the context of their communities.
Christine Legg,
CEO, KU Children’s Services
For 129 years KU has played an important role in shaping the lives of generations of young Australians; a significant, and unmatched, milestone in Australian history.
Since its beginnings over 125 years ago, much has changed in Australian early education – the buildings and playgrounds, regulations and standards, funding to support children with additional needs and research have all come a long way. The more recent impact of technology on the education and care of young children is significant.
However, many things have not changed at all. At its core, KU and the early education sector have always been driven by the values and knowledge that the early years is a crucial period in children’s learning and development and provides a strong foundation for future success in learning and citizenship. From our beginnings, KU has believed in the value of play for young children and the importance of having specialised early childhood teachers and educators working with children and their families in the context of their communities.
In 2015, KU commissioned and published a commemorative pictorial book ‘As the twig bends: 120 Years of early education’, along with a unique photographic exhibition utilising multi-platform storytelling, with links to mobile accessible web-based content. The exhibition visited more than 20 locations across the country and was enjoyed by more than 80,000 members of the public.
To learn more about KU’s history and the evolution of early childhood education, see pathways below:
125 years short film series
KU is proud to present five short films to conclude the celebrations of our 125-year anniversary.
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Memories and stories
KU Alumni share their experiences with KU over the years. Do you have a personal story to share?
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KU celebrates 125 years
Deep dive into KU's 125 year history and learn how early childhood education has changed and evolved.
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