True that Onyx. I think the main differences are that they provide a wholly play-based child centred early education, which many of our kinders fail to do (I'm in Vic so kinder here is what Iz is starting this year - 3 yr old kinder then 4 yr old next year and then Prep at 5 in 2013. Confusing much?) Anyway I have done loads of reading recently on progressive and play based early education and it is so important. They don't even teach the kids to read in the first year that they start school. Amazing. Wish we had more progressive kinders and schools in Australia that didn't cost the earth. As a teacher and being a specialist who can pretty much run my own program I am trying to do my little bit in my own way though!