Kindergarten is vital for the best start in life and the Allan Labor Government is encouraging families to enrol their children for 2025.
Minister for Children Lizzie Blandthorn today reminded parents many kindergartens close enrolments for next year on 30 June and now is the right time to enrol their children.
In Victoria, 97 per cent of funded kindergarten services are participating in Free Kinder – ensuring around 140,000 children each year can go to kinder at no cost – saving hard-working families up to $2,563 in fees per child per year.
Children attending Three-Year-Old Kindergarten receive 5 to 15 hours of play-based learning each week, while those in Four-Year-Old Kindergarten receive 15 hours weekly.
Victorian families have embraced Three-Year-Old Kindergarten, with approximately 89 per cent of eligible children participating last year. Now, thanks to record investment and take-up across the state, more than 80 per cent of kindergarten services are offering a full 15-hour-per-week program – well ahead of the roll-out schedule.
For the first time next year, children in the local government areas of Ararat, Gannawarra, Hindmarsh, Murrindindi, Northern Grampians and Yarriambiack will be the first to enrol in Pre-Prep.
Led by qualified teachers, Pre-Prep provides children with more hours of quality play-based learning in the year before school. As the roll-out progresses, four-year-old children are eligible for 16 to 30 hours of kindergarten each week.
At kinder, qualified teachers and educators guide children’s learning, encouraging them to use their imagination and make discoveries while listening, sharing and working with others. Children also learn about numbers, words, and language, and develop social and emotional skills, building key skills for life.
Research shows that play-based learning is a powerful way to support a child’s development. Two years of quality kindergarten have a greater impact on children who start at three rather than four. The benefits are even greater for children needing extra support.
Families can find kindergarten services near them by contacting their local council or visiting vic.gov.au/kinder.
When visiting services, they should also look for a Kinder Tick to be confident their child is attending a government-funded and approved kindergarten program.
As stated by Minister for Children Lizzie Blandthorn
“Kinder has many benefits for children and families, with two years of play-based learning better than one. Contact your local kindergarten service today to find out how to enrol your child for 2025.”
“With Free Kinder, Three-Year-Old Kinder, and now Pre-Prep, we’re making early childhood education easier to access and giving more children the best start in life.”
