Enrolment process

Before starting enrolment, please check that your child meets the age requirements:
4-year-old children – Your child must turn 4 before 30th April
3-year-old children – Your child must turn 3 before 30th April*

*Your child must have turned 3 before they can commence in the 3-year-old kindergarten program. They can attend the session following their third birthday.
Please read this information about Kindergarten readiness if you are unsure about when it might be best for your child to start their kindergarten journey.

Read further below in relation to eligibility for extra years of funded kindergarten.

Families of children with birth dates between 1 January and 30 April have a choice about whether their child will commence school in the year they turn five, or the following year, and therefore whether they commence three-year-old kindergarten in the year they turn three or the year they turn four. All children learn and develop in different ways.

The Victorian Government provides one funded year of four-year-old preschool for each child. Therefore, it is important that you give this your very careful consideration if you have a child whose birthday is early in the year.

In our teaching experience, a high percentage of children with birthdays between January and April (who are turning four in the year that they attend four-year-old kindergarten) will find it more difficult to cope with the kindergarten program. It is a good idea to start thinking about your child’s readiness for kindergarten well before they begin the year. 

A funded second year of kindergarten will be available for children in the three-year-old and four-year-old program who meet the following criteria. Children in either the the three or four-year-old Kindergarten program who have developmental delays in two or more key areas of development and would benefit from a second year of kindergarten will be eligible to access a second year of funded kindergarten following an assessment by an early childhood teacher, giveing them three years of funded kindergarten. Conversations will begin as early in the year as possible.

Read the kinder readiness information to help you make an informed choice.

Early Start Kindergarten and Pre-prep Eligibility

What are the additional funded kindergarten programs?

Early Start Kindergarten (ESK) — for 3-year-olds

Early Start Kindergarten provides up to 15 hours per week of free or low-cost kindergarten for eligible 3-year-old children.
To be eligible, your child must:

• Be 3 years old by 30 April of the year they start kindergarten, and

• Meet one or more of the following criteria:
  • Identify as Aboriginal or Torres Strait Islander
  • Be from a refugee or asylum seeker background
  • Have had contact with Child Protection services or be in out-of-home care

If eligible, your child can access ESK in a 3-year-old group in NBK. Currently, all children enrolled at North Brighton Kindergarten receive 15-hours of free kindergarten, but if you meet any of the above criteria please advise us as your child will be eligible for additional free funded hours in 2028.

Pre-Prep (transitioning from 4-year-old Kindergarten)

The Victorian Government is rolling out Pre-Prep in stages across the state, increasing four-year-old kindergarten hours toward a full 30-hour program.

From 2026 onward, the same eligibility criteria for ESK apply to access additional hours in Pre-Prep. That is, children who:

• Identify as Aboriginal or Torres Strait Islander, or

• Are from a refugee or asylum seeker background, or

• Have had contact with Child Protection services (or are in out-of-home care)
  will be eligible for up to 25 hours per week of funded Pre-Prep. At North Brighton Kindergarten we are offering an additional 7.5 hours of free funded kindergarten per week (giving your child 22.5 hours of free kindergarten per week; a 4-year-old group plus Fridays)

Children currently enrolled in ESK or supported by the Access to Early Learning program in their 3-year-old year will be eligible for Pre-Prep the following year.

What this means for North Brighton Kindergarten families

• All children enrolled for 3-year-old or 4-year-old kindergarten already receive Free Kinder hours.

• But if your child meets one of the criteria listed above, they may qualify for extra funded hours beyond what is standard — either through ESK (for 3-year-olds) or Pre-Prep (for 4-year-olds under the priority groups).

• These additional hours are free (i.e. no extra kindergarten program fees) for eligible children at participating sessional kindergarten services.

What you should do next

If you believe your child meets any of the eligibility criteria (Aboriginal or Torres Strait Islander, refugee/asylum seeker background, or known to Child Protection), please contact Kylie as soon as possible to discuss your child’s eligibility and options:

Kylie: 0438 531 061

We encourage you to get in touch early so we can plan appropriately and ensure your child receives all the support they are eligible for.

As of 2018 No Jab No Play laws require that all children attending pre-school must be immunised.  North Brighton Kindergarten cannot confirm enrolment for your child unless they are:
– up to date with vaccinations for their age, or
– on a vaccine catch-up schedule, or
– have a medical condition preventing them from being fully immunised.

Bayside City Council are continuing to hold their immunisation sessions.