Kindergarten applications

What is Kindergarten?

4-year-old kindergarten is a 1 year education program for children the year before they start school. Children attend for 15 hours per week, which can be spread across 2 or more days.

Most child care centres also offer a kindergarten program within a long day care setting.

4-year-old kindergarten is subsidised by the Victorian State Government to keep fees low and allow all children to attend.

From 2022, the Victorian State Government is subsiding 3-year-old kindergarten. Applications for 3-year-old kindergarten in 2022 will open in early 2021. Please get in touch for more information.

For 2021 3-year-old kindergarten enrolments, please apply directly with your chosen kindergarten. 

Apply for kindergarten

1. Apply using our new online form.

Important dates

Kindergarten open night

Details will become available for next year’s open night closer to the date. In the meantime, contact your local kindergarten directly or check the website regularly.

Applications open

• Applications open on the first day in March each year, 2 years before the year of kindergarten attendance.
• Applications for attendance in 2020, 2021 and 2022 are currently open.

Kindergarten placement offers

• Apply by 30 June in the year before your child attends kindergarten to be considered in the initial kindergarten placement offers. Any applications received after this date will be accepted and processed later in the year.
• Kindergarten placement offers will be made via email or mail starting in the months of July and August in the year before your child is due to attend. Offers will continue to be made after this date as new applications are processed and other vacancies become available. 

Eligibility

• your child must turn 4 by April 30 in the year of attendance
• If your child was born between January and April you can choose which year to enrol your child, including the year the child is eligible or the year after.

Some children are eligible for a second year of funded kindergarten. Find out more by visiting the Department of Education and Training website.

Parent web portal

Kindergarten placement offers

We process applications in the order we receive them, after placing priority of access children. We then make you an offer for your child’s kindergarten placement via email or mail starting in the months of July and August in the year prior to your child attending. Offers will continue to be made after this date as new applications are processed and other vacancies become available.

If you don’t receive a first round offer, your child will still be offered a place at one of our kindergartens.

You may choose to stay on a waiting list instead of accepting an alternative kindergarten placement. Deferments, cancellations and change of preferences can open more spaces at your preferred kindergarten.

Confirm your offer

If you have received a placement offer you can respond to our offer online using the parent web portal.

Alternatively, return your printed form by email or mail.

After you accept our placement offer, you will be contacted by the kindergarten management about session times and fees.

Under the 'No Jab, No Play' legislation you will need to provide documentation/evidence regarding immunisation directly to the kindergarten to confirm your child’s enrollment.

Council does not require this evidence for your kindergarten application.

How to change or cancel your application

Log in to the parent web portal to modify your child’s application instantly. You will require your child's application ID (enrolment number) which will be shown on letters you have previously received.

If you do not have your child’s application ID (enrolment number), phone 9404 8825.

Alternatively, email your request to change or cancel your child's application to keo@whittlesea.vic.gov.au

Defer your application

You can defer your application to the following year online using the parent web portal.

If you do not have your child's application ID/enrolment number email keo@whittlesea.vic.gov.au or download the Kindergarten deferment form below.

Your child's application can only be deferred before they start attending kindergarten.

Local kindergartens

There are 35 kindergartens in the City of Whittlesea, and you can nominate your child to attend any one of these.

Information about programs, session times and fees are available from each kindergarten and is often displayed on kindergarten noticeboards.

We encourage you to visit any kindergarten which you are interested in. However, you should first book an appointment so that the teacher can make time to speak with you personally.

Kindergarten management

Kindergartens are managed by volunteer parent management committees, elected each year at an Annual General Meeting, or by professional early childhood organisations.

Committees are registered with the Department of Education and Training (DET), and monitored regularly to ensure standards are maintained and funding conditions are met.

Our role is to: 

• own and maintain the facilities in which kindergarten programs are run
• manage a central enrolment system for all 4-year-old kindergartens
• support early childhood educators with professional development and service planning

More information

For more information on the management of local kindergartens, please refer to our Kindergarten Central Enrolment Scheme Policy.

Watch our video for more information about kinder.