Kindergarten is a play based educational program delivered by a qualified early childhood teacher designed to offer your child a range of learning experiences and activities that are both stimulating and fun.
Research shows that kindergarten improves children's health and wellbeing, helps them to develop strong social skills and encourages a love of learning.
Children who attend a kindergarten program are more independent and confident and are more likely to make a smooth transition to school.
Kindergarten also offers valuable benefits for families - it creates opportunities to build community connections, fosters relationships among families, and facilitates access to support services for children with additional needs, including early intervention programs and other community resources.
To find out more about how Kindergarten can assist your child, please visit: Education & Training
Free Kindergarten
The Victorian Government's $14 billion Best Start, Best Life reforms are the most significant change to Victoria's early childhood sector in a generation. A key part of those reforms is the Free Kindergarten initiative.
Free kindergarten is now available for all children enrolled in a funded kindergarten or Pre-Prep program at participating services!
Participation in the free kinder initiative is an opt-in decision made by individual services, therefore it is important to check with your preferred kindergarten provider to ascertain whether they are participating.
All kindergarten services currently operating in Golden Plains Shire are participating in this initiative.
About the kinder tick
The Kinder Tick helps families to find a funded kindergarten program for their children.
When you see the Kinder Tick, you can be confident:
- that the program will be led by a qualified teacher
- your child will benefit from the play-based learning
- that the kindergarten program is funded and approved by the Victorian Government and;
- the program complies with government guidelines and the National Quality Framework
One funded kindergarten program at one service at any one time
Children can only be funded for a kindergarten program at one service at any one time and only for one year in the Three-Year-Old Kindergarten program and one year in a Four-Year-Old Kindergarten program (unless your child is assessed as being eligible for a second year of Four-Year-Old Kindergarten by your child's kindergarten teacher)
Compliance History and Enforcement Actions
Did you know that you can easily access up-to-date information on service compliance and enforcements? Information is published by the Victorian Early Childhood Regulatory Authority (VECRA) and the Australian Children's Education and Care Quality Authority (ACECQA) and is available publicly through Starting Blocks Victoria
Information includes:
- Current service approval status
- Conditions, suspensions or cancellations
- Compliance actions taken by VECRA
- Serious enforcement outcomes where disclosure is in the interest of public.
When should your child start kindergarten?
It is important families understand when their child starts at kindergarten it directly relates to the age they will start primary school. Families are encouraged to consider multiple factors when enrolling their child in 3-year-old kindergarten.
Find your local Sessional Kindergarten
Find a Kindergarten
Can't find what your looking for?
The Department of Education has produced an interactive map to help families find kinder programs in locations convenient to you.
Early Years Policies
Kindergarten Handbook
4-year-old-kindergarten is becoming Pre-Prep
Children develop and learn in different ways. Talk to your Maternal and Child Health nurse or qualified early years teacher to help you decide.
The Victorian Government website has resources to help you decide when to start kindergarten.
It’s a good idea to start thinking about enrolling your child in a three-year-old kindergarten program around the time they turn two.
Most services open their enrolments in the year before your child will attend — typically between January and May.
Some families begin considering kindergarten even earlier, especially when choosing a long day care service.
Children can attend a Kindergarten program at either a long day care (childcare) centre or at a standalone (sessional) kindergarten.
A long day care centre can offer a full day of education and care, including a kindergarten program. The teacher-led kindergarten program is integrated with additional hours of education and care.
At a standalone (sessional) service, a kindergarten program will only operate on certain days and at specific times. These days and hours are set by the kindergarten service and are delivered during the four (4) Victorian school terms. This usually equates to 40 weeks of the year. To view the school term dates please visit the school term dates and holidays in Victoria webpage.
No matter where your child goes to kindergarten, teachers and trained educators will lead the program.
Deciding where to send your child will be based on a variety of factors, including services available in your community, and what works best for your family and your child.
In order for your child to be eligible to attend three-year-old kindergarten they must have turned three (3) by 30th April in the year of enrolment.
Families and carers with children born between January and April can choose in which year to start three-year-old kindergarten! They may choose to send their child in the year that they are turning three (3)* or start the following year to align with the school starting age.
A child is only able to access one (1) year of government funded three-year-old kindergarten and must be enrolled in only one (1) funded kindergarten program at any one time.
Children accessing three-year-old kindergarten will transition to four-year-old kindergarten the following year.
Due to child to educator ratios, an enrolled child will not be permitted to commence at the kindergarten until they are three (3) years of age.
*the child must have turned three (3) by 30th April in the year of enrolment.
In order for your child to be eligible to attend four-year-old kindergarten they must have turned four (4) by 30th April in the year of enrolment.
Children meeting the criteria for a second year of four-year-old kindergarten will be eligible to access one additional year of kindergarten prior to starting school.
To ensure a fair, equitable and transparent allocation of kindergarten places, each registration is given weighting based on the Victorian Department of Education Priority of Access followed by our locally agreed criteria.
An Immunisation History Statement from the Australian Immunisation Register is the only documentation accepted by early childhood education and care services for the purposes of confirming a child’s enrolment in their service.
If you have any questions regarding the waitlist process please contact us via email [email protected]