Expression of Interest form

Welcome to our registration process for entry to kindergarten. This guide aims to assist you to understand the steps you need to take to register your child in our 3 and 4 year old kindergarten programs. Our aim is to ensure that our process is a simple and fair one so that wherever possible all eligible children have access to a kindergarten place that best meets their needs.

Before starting the process we encourage you to read this guide in full so that you have all the information you need about the eligibility criteria and the steps you will need to take in order to register your child in one of our programs.

The staff in our centres also welcome a visit from you and your child at any time throughout the process so that you can familiarise yourself with the centre and the individual kindergarten program that they offer.

• Why do we have a centralised registration process?
• Why should my child go to kindergarten?
• When is my child eligible to attend kindergarten?
• How does the registration process work?
• Change of information
• What is 4 year old kindergarten?
• Can my child do a second year of 4 year old kindergarten?
• What is 3 year old Kindergarten?
• Immunisation requirements
• Do you need an interpreter?
• Kindergarten programs we offer
• Privacy
• Feedback and complaints
• Contact Us
• Complete an expression of interest (EOI) form online

Why do we have a centralised registration process?

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 3 and 4 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.

Registration and enrolment timelines

Why should my child go to kindergarten?

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.

When is my child eligible to attend kindergarten?

The following table provides a general guide to when children should enrol in either a 3 year old or a 4 year old sessional program:

Please contact us if you would like to discuss the specific needs of your child.

How does the registration process work?

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:

Priority 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

Priority 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.

Priority 3 Criteria:

• Two years before school children
• Children who turn 3 before 30th April in the year of enrolment and have prior association with the service then:
• Children who turn 3 before 30th April in the year of enrolment

Priority 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: Offers are accepted by families

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: Registering in the program

Following your acceptance of the offer your child’s information will be given to staff at the individual centres. Registration/information packs will be sent to families by the individual centres.

Change of information

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

What is 4 year old kindergarten?

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 (for example: in the previous year).

Families are eligible for a free place if they meet one of the following criteria:

• Hold an eligible concession card:
• Identify as Aboriginal or Torres Strait Islander
• Are a triplet or quadruplet attending in the same year

Can my child do a second year of 4 year old kindergarten?

Your child is eligible for Government funding for a second year of kindergarten if the early childhood teacher at the kindergarten your child attends assesses them as having delays in at least two areas of development.

If you feel that your child would benefit from attending a second year of kindergarten you should discuss this with your child’s teacher as soon as possible. Second year applications must be submitted before the end of Term 3.

What is 3 year old Kindergarten?

Why is kindergarten for three-year-olds important?

At its 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 3 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 5 hours per week.

Early Start Kindergarten (ESK)

To be eligible for Early Start Kindergarten your child must be 3 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

• The 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 3 year old or 4 year old program.

Immunisation requirements

Under the new ‘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.

Do you need an interpreter?

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

Kindergarten programs we offer

Privacy

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

Feedback and complaints

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.

Contact us

Please get in touch if you have any questions.