We are committed to working with families to ensure that, wherever possible, all eligible children have access to our high quality kindergarten programs. This process gives families the opportunity to nominate their preferences for both three and four-year-old kindergarten places at our eight different centres.

We aim to ensure that children have access to programs in their local area and that the allocation of places is fair and equitable for all children and their families.

Give your child the best start.

The Victorian Government is investing in kindergarten programs for all three-year-olds giving our children an extra year of learning, playing and making friends. Subsided kindergarten programs for three-year-olds are being rolled out in Geelong from 2022.

Kindergarten is an important part of young children’s growth and development and attendance is strongly recommended for all children. Attending kindergarten improves children’s health and wellbeing, supports their development, helps them to develop strong social skills and encourages a love of learning.

Children who go to a kindergarten program are more likely to be independent and confident and to make a smooth transition to primary school.

Our high quality kindergarten programs will offer your child a range of learning experiences and activities that are both stimulating and fun. Your child’s learning and curiosity about their world will be encouraged through different experiences and activities, such as exploring the natural world, being exposed to new ideas and solving problems.

Your child will have the opportunity to:

• develop their social and communication skills by forming relationships and friendships with other children and taking part in group activities and cooperative play
• express their creativity through dance, music and art
• increase their independence and develop an identity that is strong in culture and community
• develop the skills and knowledge that they need for reading, writing and mathematics
• increase their problem-solving skills and their understanding of the world around them.

Kindergarten is for all children and is inclusive of all children. If your child has a disability or needs additional help with their learning and development, the educators will work with you to ensure that the program and learning environment meet the needs of your child.

Some of our centres also include bush and beach kindergarten sessions, so that children learn to care for and learn from the natural world around them.

Children born between January and April can choose which year to start three-year-old kindergarten. These children can start in the same year they turn three, or in the year they turn four years of age. Due to staffing requirements, children can only start attending kindergarten after their third birthday. This will mean that some children will not start attending the kindergarten program until part-way into term one.

Children that will turn six in late December (between the last day of the school year and 31 December), can attend four-year-old kindergarten in that year and attend school the following year.

When a child starts at kindergarten directly relates to the age they will start at primary school. Please speak to the Service’s kindergarten teachers and other Early childhood professionals such as your Maternal child health nurse, family doctor, allied health professional or Centre Manager directly about the best time for your child to start at three-year-old kindergarten.

The following table provides a general guide to when children are eligible to attend a sessional program:

For further information regarding when to start kindergarten please visit the Kindergarten - Best Start, Best Life website.

Step 1: Expression of interest form submitted by families

To register your interest in enrolling in one of our kindergarten programs, you are asked to complete an expression of interest (EOI) form.

The EOI form allows families to nominate up to two centre preferences for their child/ren. Session times will be decided based upon demand.

Step 2: Allocation process

Once the form is received, we offer places to families based on the following Priority of Access criteria, as determined by the Victorian Kindergarten Guidelines Criteria:

Tier 1 Criteria:

• Children at risk of abuse or neglect, including children in Out-of-Home Care
• Aboriginal and/or Torres Strait Islander children
• Asylum seeker and refugee children
• Children eligible for the Kindergarten Fee Subsidy
• Children with additional needs, defined as children who:
  • require additional assistance in order to fully participate in the kindergarten program
  • require a combination of services which are individually planned
  • have an identified specific disability or developmental delay

Tier 2 Criteria:

• One year before school children
• Children who turn 4 before 30th April, who will be attending school the following year, have not yet had their Year Before School subsidised Kindergarten year and have prior association with the service then:
• Children who turn 4 before 30th April, who will be attending school the following year and have not yet had their Year Before School subsidised Kindergarten year.

Tier 3 Criteria:

• Two years before school children
• Children who turn three before 30 April in the year of enrolment and have prior association with the service then:
• Children who turn three before 30 April in the year of enrolment

Teir 4 Criteria:

• Children and their family who reside, work or study within the City of Greater Geelong municipality
• Children whose families are in the process of relocating to City of Greater Geelong municipality
• Children who are cared for within the City of Greater Geelong municipality

The ‘priority of access’ criteria used are in line with Victorian Government requirements regarding how kindergarten places must be allocated to children. It works to ensure that:

• a transparent, equitable and approved process is followed
• the maximum number of children receive a kindergarten place
• children who are eligible for priority places are allocated a place in their kindergarten of choice

We have a strong commitment to ensuring that, wherever possible, all children are allocated a place in one of our programs. We cannot, however, guarantee a kindergarten place to every child.

Step 3: Letters of offers are sent

Once the allocation of places has been completed, families are notified in writing of the place that has been offered to their child, in a particular group, at one of our centres (including the session times for that group).

Wherever possible, this offer will be made via email.

Ensure you continue to check your emails including your junk mail, for this offer.

Step 4: Offer is accepted by family

You are required to make contact with us to accept or decline the offer by the required date.

If you do not respond to an offer by this date, the place will be re-allocated to another child.

Step 5: Enrolment process

Following your acceptance of the offer, the administration team will guide you through the enrolment process and provide you with the necessary information at a later date. 

Please keep us updated with any changes to your contact details or any information that may be relevant to the registration process.

Four-year-old kindergarten is a one year program for young children delivered by a qualified early childhood teacher in the year before they begin school.

The Victorian Government provides funding to services to contribute to the cost of running a funded program.

Families are required to pay a set fee to the program to cover the gap between the funding received and the fill cost of operating the program.

All children are eligible to access a funded kindergarten program for 15 hours per week for 40 weeks (or 600 hours) in the year before commencing school (15 hours is provisional on the continuation of Government funding).

Families can only access Government funding for one kindergarten program at a time and cannot have previously accessed a funded place.

From 2026, across Victoria, children who meet the eligibility requirements due to their learning or developmental needs can access an additional year of either Three-Year-Old Kindergarten or Four-Year-Old Kindergarten (or Pre-Prep for eligible children), but not both.

The Early Childhood teacher and the child’s parents, carers or legal guardians will work together to plan for the child’s transition to school.

In exceptional circumstances where a child is observed to display delays in key outcome areas of learning and development, a second year of either funded Three-Year-Old or Four-Year-Old Kindergarten may be considered in the best interest of the child:

• the kindergarten program is deemed to be the most appropriate learning program and environment for that individual child
• the child will achieve better outcomes at kindergarten than if they go to school.

Access more information on the assessment process and communicating with parents, carers and legal guardians.

A funded second year of kindergarten will only be available for children who meet the above criteria.

If a child will turn six before or while they are in a funded kindergarten program, parents, carers or legal guardians must get an exemption from starting school.

Access information for parents, carers and legal guardians about applying for an exemption.

Why is kindergarten for three-year-olds important?

At it's heart, introducing kindergarten programs for three-year-olds is about giving children every possible opportunity to succeed. 

Currently the Victorian government subsidies 15 hours per week of kindergarten in the year before school.  This is known as "four-year-year old kindergarten".

Research consistently shows that two years of kindergarten are better than one.  That is why the Victorian Government is funding an extra year of kindergarten - ensuring our children are ready for school and set for life.

Three-year-old kindergarten is a subsidised program for children who turn three years of age before 30 April each year, two years before they start school.

The program is taught be a qualified early childhood teach and will be subsidised for five hours per week.

Access to Early learning

Access to Early Learning (AEL) is an evidence-based early intervention program that provides intensive support to vulnerable three-year-old children from families with complex needs.

It is available in select locations across Victoria and by referral only. Referrals identify children from families with a minimum of two relevant characteristics, which may include being known to Child Protection, intellectual or physical disability of a parent or child, family violence, mental health issues, sexual assault and alcohol and drug abuse.

Each AEL program supports approximately 16 children per year. The AEL grants are only available to children that have been confirmed by an AEL provider as being supported by the program.

In order to receive an AEL grant, eligible children must be enrolled in 15 hours of kindergarten per week delivered by a qualified early childhood teacher registered with the Victorian Institute of Teaching. Access to Early Learning grants are paid at the same rate as an ESK grant.

To be eligible for Early Start Kindergarten, your child must be three by 30 April in the year they start kindergarten, and:

• from a refugee or asylum seeker background or
• identify as Aboriginal or Torres Strait Islander or
• your family has had contact with child protection.

Children are eligible for Access to Early Learning if they are referred by:

• an Enhanced Maternal and Child Health (EMCH) Service
• Family Services
• Orange Door or Child Protection professional.

Services will refer children from families with two or more complex needs, including:

• being known to Child Protection
• child and/or parent with intellectual or physical disability
• family violence
• mental health issues
• sexual assault
• alcohol and drug abuse.

Please contact us if you are unsure whether to enrol your child in the three-year-old or four-year-old program.

Under the ‘No Jab, No play’ legislation that came into force on 1 January 2016, children are required to be fully vaccinated for their age before they can be enrolled in a kindergarten program.

Our centres are, therefore, required to obtain evidence that your child is fully immunised for their age, is on a vaccination catch-up program or is unable to be fully immunised for medical reasons.

You will be required to provide immunisation evidence twice per year.

Conscientious objection is not an exemption.

Please contact us if you are in need of an interpreter to support you with completing the registration process.

The collection and handling of personal information is carried out in accordance with our Privacy Policy.

We welcome feedback on the kindergarten registration process. We also recognise the right of families to complain if they are feeling dissatisfied or unhappy with the process.

If you would like to provide us with feedback about your experiences or have concerns about the registration process, please contact us.