The standard of teaching in Australian preschools is ”very poor” according to a government-funded E4Kids study, which suggest that children may be attending little more than glorified playgroup. Despite research indicating that early learning makes a crucial difference to children’s long-term development, the national study of 2500 children found that on a scale of one to seven, the quality of instruction for four-year olds–regardless of whether they attend preschool, a childcare center, or family daycare–averages a ranking of just two. This puts Australia on par with the U.S., which has an unregulated sector considered to be of poor quality, according to Professor Karen Thorpe, one of the study’s research directors.