What you need to know
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Applying for kindergarten
Kindergarten applications for Council and participating community-managed centres are allocated through the Central Registration Service portal and allow families to indicate their preferences for several kindergartens at one time rather than applying to each individual facility. The portal is the quickest and preferred method of registration. Please use our Kindergarten age calculator to determine when your child can attend kindergarten based on their date of birth.
Four-year-old kindergarten
- Children who will turn four years of age on or before 30 April are eligible to register in a State Government-funded kindergarten program from term one.
- In Victoria, children cannot attend more than one State Government-funded kindergarten program at the same time.
- Children who turn four years of age on or after 1 May will be eligible to register in a four-year-old program in the following year.
Three-year-old kindergarten
- Children who turn three on or before 30 April are eligible to apply for three-year-old kindergarten.
- Children whose birth date is between 1 January and 30 April are eligible to start in a program once they have turned three years of age.
- Children who turn three years of age on or after 1 May will be eligible to register in a three-year-old program in the following year.
An additional year of funded kindergarten
Children in a Four-Year-Old Kindergarten program who have developmental delays in two or more key areas of development and would benefit from another year of kindergarten can access an additional year of funded Four Year Old Kindergarten. This requires an assessment by an early childhood teacher.
To assist decisions regarding transitions to school being made as close as possible to school age, all children in Three Year Old Kindergarten will be expected to transition to Four-Year-Old Kindergarten in the following year. A funded additional year of kindergarten will only be available for children in the Four-Year-Old program who meet the Department of Education and Training’s criteria.
Unfunded applications for three or four-year-old kindergarten will not be accepted.
There are a range of tools available to families to help you decide if your child is ready for kindergarten. This includes the following:
- Families are encouraged to utilise the Kindergarten Age Calculator if you are unsure when to send your child to kindergarten.
- Families are able to watch the Frequently Asked Question Video’s available online.
- The Department of Education and Training (DET) have information available for families on starting kindergarten on their website.
Documents needed to apply
Pdf’s, word document’s, or clear photos will be accepted.
- If you live in Moonee Valley a gas/electricity or water bill (full bill - front and back) or rental agreement issued within the last 3 months or a current healthcare/pension concession card in the name of the Parent/Guardian confirming you are a current resident.
- If you do not live in Moonee Valley
- a payslip/letter on company letter head from your employer confirming your work in the municipality including parent name and address; or
- a letter of enrolment confirmation from kindergarten (outside of CRS)/school/university/Tafe; or
- a childcare statement/receipt or Childcare Benefit letter from Centrelink; or
- a statutory declaration and recent gas/electricity/water bill from your informal care provider; or
- A copy of the contract of sale in the name of Parent/Guardian 1 or 2 listed on this application, showing the purchased property address and settlement date
- A current concession card/refugee visa
Priority of Access
Central Registration provides a single point for families to apply for multiple kindergarten services within a local government area. The guidelines for Central Registration have been developed in partnership with the Department of Education and Training (DET) and the Municipal Association of Victoria.
- In delivering Central Registration, Council must ensure that all kindergarten places are allocated in line with the Department of Education and Training’s Priority of Access criteria, located within the Kindergarten Funding Guide.
The Priority of Access includes:
- 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 i.e. Commonwealth Health Care Card etc.
- 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.
The Kindergarten Funding Guide allows for the inclusion of local criteria to support the municipalities approach to kindergarten registrations. Council’s local criteria include the following:
- Funded Second Year Kindergarten
- Residency
- Proximity to first preference
- Sibling attending the same year
- Past association with service (3yrs)
Moonee Valley City Council will ensure that all applications are processed in accordance with Council’s enrolment procedures, including DET’s Priority of Access criteria, and Council’s own local criteria.
For further information relating to Council’s application of the Priority of Access, please see the Central Registration Handbook.
Early start kindergarten
Early Start Kindergarten (ESK) provides free kindergarten to eligible three-year-old children. Moonee Valley may also be able to offer eligible children a place in a four-year-old program.
Children are eligible for ESK if they are aged three by 30 April in the year they will be attending a kindergarten program, and;
- The child is Aboriginal and/or Torres Strait Islander; or
- The child is known to Child Protection, or
- The child or parent/guardian has a refugee or asylum seeker background.
To find out more and to watch a video on the benefits of Early Start Kindergarten, access information in other languages visit Victorian Government – Early Start Kindergarten and contact the Central Registration Team for more information via kinderenrol@mvcc.vic.gov.au or call 9243 8888.
Kindergarten age calculator
Children usually attend a four-year-old kindergarten program in the year before they start primary school.
- Your child can start school if they turn five years old by 30 April of the year they start primary school.
- Your child must be enrolled in primary school by the age of six unless they have an exemption.
- If your child's birthday falls between 1 January and 30 April, you have a choice whether they start primary school the year they turn 5 or 6. If they start the year they turn 5, they may be younger than many other children in their class. Therefore, this means you have a choice about when your child starts kindergarten.
- When trying to decide what age to send your child to kindergarten, it is recommended to work backwards from the age you wish them to attend primary school, the year before would be four-year-old kindergarten and the year before that three-year-old kindergarten.
The dates in this calculator only apply to kindergartens in the Moonee Valley Central Registration Scheme administered by Council. For more information email kinderenrol@mvcc.vic.gov.au or call 9243 8888. For all other kindergartens, contact them directly.
In Victoria, children cannot attend more than one State Government-funded kindergarten program at the same time.
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Date is not stored beyond this session
Calculate when your child can attend kindergarten based on their date of birth.
Kindergarten options
Calculated for a child born on
| Year | Age at January | Kindergarten program |
|---|---|---|
| 3 years and 1 months | 3-year-old | |
| 4 years and 1 months | 4-year-old | |
| 5 years and 1 months | 5-year-old |
Your child is eligible to start 3-year-old kindergarten this year or wait until next year. Attending 3-year-old kindergarten is optional but research has shown it supports better learning outcomes.
If they start 3-year-old kindergarten this year they will be when they start school in . This may make them younger than many of their peers.
Your child is eligible to start 3-year-old kindergarten this year. Attending 3-year-old kindergarten is optional but research has shown it supports better learning outcomes.
Your child will be when they start school in . .
Your child is eligible to start 3-year-old or 4-year-old kindergarten this year. Attending two years of kindergarten is optional but research has shown it supports better learning outcomes.
Your child is eligible to start 4-year-old kindergarten this year. Attending 4-year-old kindergarten is recommended as research shows it supports better learning outcomes.
If they start 4-year-old kindergarten this year they will be when they start school in . This may make them younger than many of their peers.
Your child is eligible to start 4-year-old kindergarten or school this year. Attending 4-year-old kindergarten is recommended as research has shown it supports better learning outcomes.
If they start school this year they will be when they start school in . This may make them younger than many of their peers.
Kindergarten virtual tours
Visit our kindergartens through a range of video tours and 360-degree images.
Useful information to some frequently asked questions (FAQ’s) about attending kindergarten.
Click here for the Kindergarten Parent Information Handbook.
Kindergarten Information for prospective families
Kinder Tick
From March 2021 the Victorian Government has a new symbol to help Victorian families find quality kindergarten programs called the Kinder Tick. The symbol will be displayed at the kindergarten or early childhood service building’s entrance and website to signal to families that their child will be taking part in a play-based learning program that:
- is evidence-based
- led by a qualified teacher
- is funded and approved by the Victorian Government
- complies with the National Quality Framework.
Apply for 2023 kindergarten
Application forms, timetables and the parent portal will be available for 2023 applications from 10am on Wednesday, 16 March 2022.
To support the introduction of funded three-year-old kindergarten, Council are delivering mixed three-year-old and four-year-old sessions at some kindergartens. Please check the timetable and application form for further information.
Council's online Central Registration portal is the quickest and preferred method for applying.
3 and 4-Year-Old Kindergarten:
- Application period: 16 March to 31 May 2022
- First Round offers made: by 30 July 2022
Applications for a funded additional year of four-year-old kindergarten do not need to be received in this initial application period.
Applications and changes received after 31 May will be included in subsequent allocation rounds, with a higher priority (or weighting) given to applications received by the end of the application period.
Rounds for both 3-year-old and 4-year-old kindergarten will continue to be run on a monthly basis after the initial rounds.
A non-refundable application fee is payable with each kindergarten year application. If completing an application form (below) you can pay the non-refundable application fee online or in person at Council offices. If applying through the parent portal the application fee will be paid in the portal.
Please be aware, that while we endeavour to meet the needs of as many families as possible, families cannot be guaranteed a place in the kindergarten/s and or group of your choice.
The majority of our places are allocated in round 1 and the following rounds will only include places that are available at that time.
If families elect only one or two preferences you may significantly reduce your chance of receiving a kindergarten offer.
See also:
Apply for 2022 kindergarten
New applications and changes to existing applications are still being accepted and processed for Three-year-old and Four-year-old sessional kindergarten.
Council has an online portal for applications. This is the quickest and preferred method for applications.
Rounds for both 3-year-old and 4-year-old kindergarten will continue to be run regularly.
To support the introduction of funded three-year-old kindergarten, Council are delivering mixed three-year-old and four-year-old sessions at some kindergartens. Please check the timetable for further information.
A non-refundable application fee of $44 is payable with each kindergarten year application. If completing an application form (below) you can pay the non-refundable application fee online or in person at Council offices. If applying through the parent portal the application fee will be paid in the portal.
Please be aware, that while we endeavour to meet the needs of as many families as possible, families cannot be guaranteed a place in the kindergarten/s and or group of your choice.
If families elect only one or two preferences you may significantly reduce your chance of receiving a kindergarten offer.
See also:
- 2022 proposed four-year-old timetable
- 2022 four-year-old kindergarten application form
- 2022 proposed three-year-old timetable
- 2022 three-year-old kindergarten application form
- 2022 Central Registration Handbook
Eligible families attending a four-year-old kindergarten program or 5 hour three-year-old program will not be required to pay fees. Families attending a three-year-old service for more than 5 hours will be required to pay a gap fee as these sessions will not attract full funding from DET.
Kindergarten fees for 2022
Parents seeking fee information for Committee based and BPA Children's Services are encouraged to contact the respective services directly.
2022 Council Managed Sessional Kindergarten Fees
| Year | Hours | Term | Annual |
|---|---|---|---|
| 4 year old | 15 | $547 | $2,187 |
| 4YO Concession | 15 | $ - | $ - |
| 3 year old | 5 | $261 | $1,042 |
| 3YO Concession | 5 | $ - | $ - |
| 3 year old | 10 | $828 | $3,312 |
| 3YO Concession | 10 | $276 | $1,104 |
The Victorian Government is rolling out funding for 3-year-old kindergarten to make fees lower for parents. Five hours of funded 3-year-old-kindergarten is set to commence in Moonee Valley in 2022. It is anticipated this will increase up to 15 hours a week by 2029.
Eligible families attending a four-year-old kindergarten program or 5 hour three-year-old program will not be required to pay fees. Families attending a three-year-old service for more than 5 hours will be required to pay a gap fee as these sessions will not attract full funding from DET.
Find out more about the Victorian Government's plan for 3-year-old kindergarten and the types of kindergarten programs.
Integrated kindergarten
The following Council long daycare services offer an integrated kindergarten program that gives families access to high-quality kindergarten and long day care all under one roof.
- Flemington Street Children’s Centre
- Milleara Integrated Learning and Development Centre for Children (MILD)
- Montgomery Park Children’s Centre
Integrated programs are taught by university-qualified preschool teachers and are delivered from Monday to Friday for 7.5 hours a day during school terms. During school holidays the program continues to be delivered by diploma-qualified educators.
Need more help? No problem.
Submit an online enquiry through our new MyCouncil portal and our Kindergarten team will be in touch.
Note: This is not the central registration system. You can register for Kinder online here.