Kindergarten
In Victoria, the State Government is responsible for early childhood education and care. It also funds sessional kindergartens that are run by early years providers.
The Shire receives State Government funding to operate a centralised registration process for 30 local kindergartens, but it does not manage kindergarten services.
The State Government’s recently introduced Best Start Best Life reforms have put pressure on kindergartens which means demand may exceed the number of places available.
Kindergarten registration
How are places allocated?
The Shire applies the State Government’s Priority of Access (PoA) criteria alongside our own policies to ensure fair and equitable access to quality early childhood education
Step 1: State Government criteria
- Tier 1 (highest priority): Children who need kindergarten the most (based on Department of Education criteria) are allocated first. Children at risk of abuse, known to Child Protection, Aboriginal/ Torres Strait Islander children, asylum seeker and refugee children, those with additional needs, parent/carer or child experiencing family violence.
- Tier 2: Children currently attending the service in 3 year old kindergarten or Pre-Prep and seeking access to same service for continuity applied after all Tier 1 children are placed.
Step 2: Mornington Peninsula Shire criteria
After the initial allocations are completed according to the State Government rules, the Mornington Peninsula Shire applies its own criteria:
- Level 2: Residents registering for their local kindergarten.
- Level 3: Residents not registering for their local kindergarten.
- Level 4: Children who don’t live in the Mornington Peninsula Shire.
(Children who had a sibling previously attend the same kindergarten service within the last three years and/or has a sibling registering at the same kindergarten service in the same year, will be given priority over those without a sibling connection.)
Register for kindergarten
Registrations for 2027 are now open. If you register by 30 June, your child will be included in the first allocation round. Families in this first round have a better chance of getting their preferred kindergarten because more spots are available.
If you register after 30 June, your child will be placed in a later allocation round. You'll still be considered for your preferred kindergarten, but since some spots may already be filled from the first round, there's less certainty about getting your first choice.
Due to high demand and limited spots, families are strongly encouraged to apply for more than one kindergarten and where applicable, more than one group.
To register your child for kindergarten, please complete a registration form below.
Register for kindergarten
Download: Kindergarten Central Registration and Enrolment Scheme - Policy and Procedure(PDF, 242KB)
Registration - Professional Referral Form
Complete the Kindergarten Central Registration - Professional Referral Form.
The Kindergarten registration team will contact the family if further information is needed to complete a full registration.
What to expect after registration
Registration confirmation will be sent by email. Kindergarten offers will be sent to you by email 2-4 weeks after registration closes. Please check your junk and spam folders before contacting our customer support team.
You will have seven days to respond to your offer. If we don’t hear from you within seven days, we will assume you no longer need the kindergarten place and will withdraw your registration.
If your child has not received an offer, we will send you an email explaining that your child has been put on a waitlist. You will have the option to stay on a waitlist for your preferred kindergarten or update your preferences before the next allocation round.
Additional funding
Your child may be eligible for additional funded hours of kindergarten through the Early Start Kindergarten and Pre-Prep programs. For more information, go to our Frequently Asked Questions or contact the kindergarten registration team.
Other kindergarten options on the Peninsula
Many long day care centres also offer a funded kindergarten program. For a full list of kindergarten programs on the Mornington Peninsula, visit the Department of Education website below. You'll need to contact long day care centres directly to check their vacancies.
Find A Kinder Program
For further information refer to our Kindergarten Central Registration Policy and Procedure available below and the Frequently Asked Questions.
When should I send my child to kindergarten?
Children can attend kindergarten in the two years before they start school. Consider the age you would like your child to start school as this relates to when they will start kindergarten.
Three-Year-Old Kindergarten
To attend funded Three-Year-Old Kindergarten, your child must turn three by 30 April of the year they start. If your child was born between January and April, you can choose which year to start Three-Year-Old Kindergarten. Your child can start in the same year they turn three years of age, or in the year they turn four. Due to staffing requirements, some services may ask that children start attending after their third birthday. Contact the kindergarten directly to confirm.
Four-Year-Old Kindergarten
To attend Four-Year-Old-Kindergarten, your child must turn four by 30 April of the year they start. Your child can attend Four-Year-Old-Kindergarten from the beginning of the year.
| When was your child was born? |
When can they go to kindergarten? |
| Three-Year-Old-Kindergarten |
Four-Year-Old Kindergarten |
| Between 1/5/2021 and 30/4/2022 |
2025 |
2026 |
| Between 1/5/2022 and 30/4/2023 |
2026 |
2027 |
Need Advice?
If you are unsure about the best time to start kindergarten or if your child has a disability or development delay, speak to a trusted early childhood professional such as your local kindergarten teacher or Maternal and Child Health nurse for advice.
For more information and to access the starting age calculator, visit:
When to start kindergarten | vic.gov.au
Kindergarten for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander children
Early Start Kindergarten
Early Start Kindergarten provides Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander children with 15 hours of free kindergarten each week. To be eligible, your child must turn three by 30 April in the year they start kindergarten. For more information, speak to our kindergarten registration team and visit Early Start Kindergarten | vic.gov.au
Pre-Prep
From 2026, Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander children can access between 16 and 25 hours of Four-Year-old Kindergarten (Pre-Prep). These extra hours are funded by the government at no cost to families. For more information about Pre-Prep speak to our kindergarten registration team and visit Kindergarten for Aboriginal children: Koorie Kids Shine | vic.gov.au
Respecting Cultural Identity
Kindergartens work hard to create culturally safe places for Koorie children and families and include Aboriginal perspectives in the learning curriculum and environment. At kindergarten, your child will learn to build their own sense of identity and how their own culture relates to the diversity in the world around them. You are encouraged to talk with your child’s teacher about your own cultures and beliefs, and how these can be incorporated into the activities at kinder.
Watch Koorie Kids Shine - cultural safety at kinder (Video on Vimeo)
Things to consider when choosing a kindergarten service
Every family is different. This means the kindergarten program you choose should be a good fit for your child and family. Contact kindergarten services to find out if they are holding open days, information sessions or make an appointment to visit.
Questions you can ask when you visit a service
| Does your service have a Reconciliation Plan? |
| Will my child’s cultural identity be recognised and respected in your service? |
| Would you consider your service culturally inclusive for my family? |
| Do you include Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander perspectives in your learning program? |
| Does the service display the Aboriginal & Torres Strait Islander flags? |
| Do you use culturally appropriate Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander resources? |
| Do children start the day with an Acknowledgment of Country? |
| Do you celebrate any significant cultural events? |
| Do you seek guidance and advice from members of the Aboriginal community? |
| Do staff participate in professional learning to increase their knowledge? |
Register your child in kindergarten
To register your child in kindergarten, you can fill out an online registration form:
For more information or if you need help to register, you can contact the:
Kindergarten Registration Team, Mornington Peninsula Shire
Email: kindergarten@mornpen.vic.gov.au or phone: 1300 850 600
Koorie Education Coordinator, Department of Education
Email: sevr.koorie.baysidepeninsula@education.vic.gov.au
Support for children with additional needs
If your child has a disability or development delay, there are programs available to kindergarten services to give your child additional support. These include the Kindergarten Inclusion Support Program (KIS) and the Pre-school Field Officer Program.
If you would like to book a health and development check, or have concerns about your child's health and development, please call our Child and Family Health Team on 5950 1099 to make a booking at one of our Maternal and Child Health centres.
Children who have a diagnosis or are being assessed for developmental delay, disability, or complex medical needs may be eligible for funding through the Kindergarten Inclusion Support Scheme. This funding is provided to support their participation in the kindergarten program. Funding applications for Kindergarten Inclusion Support are completed by the child’s kindergarten teacher.
All funded kindergarten services also have access to Preschool Field Officers. They help kindergarten teachers improve their skills and confidence to meet the needs of children with additional needs. Preschool Field Officers are early childhood teachers with experience in delivering high-quality inclusive kindergarten programs.
For more details, speak to the teacher when you enrol at the service and visit, kindergarten support for children with additional needs.
Kindergarten Expression of Interest
If your child isn't old enough to register for kindergarten just yet, we encourage you to submit the expression of interest form below to:
- Receive important kindergarten updates
- Get a reminder when it’s time to register
- Help kindergartens plan for future enrolments
You can submit a kindergarten expression of interest any time after your child is born.
When registrations open for your child’s kindergarten year, we will email you a unique link to complete the full registration. At that time, you’ll need to provide more details about your child and your preferred kindergartens.
Submit a Kindergarten Expression of Interest
For help to complete the form, contact the kindergarten registration team:
Phone 1300 850 600
Email: kindergarten@mornpen.vic.gov.au