Kindergarten
Kindergarten is an early childhood education program offered in the two years before children start primary school. The Victorian State Government provides funding for up to 15 hours per week for three- and four-year-old kindergarten programs.
Kindergarten support’s your child's learning and development. It helps your child learn through play, developing their social, emotional, physical, language and thinking skills. It also helps your child get used to new people, situations and environments. Quality play-based kindergarten programs help prepare your child for school and set them on a path of learning for life.
It's not too late to register for kindergarten!
To register your child for kindergarten this year or next year please complete a registration form below. Registration confirmation will be sent by email.
Please check your junk and spam folders before contacting our customer support team.
Register your child for 2026 Register your child for 2025
Advice regarding 2026 Kindergarten Offers
Kindergarten offers will be sent to you by email. You will have 5 days to respond to your offer. Please check your junk and spam folders before contacting our customer support team. If we don’t hear from you within 5 days, we will assume you no longer need the kindergarten place and will withdraw your registration.
Registrations that were received on time (by 2 July) will be processed in the first three allocation rounds. From early September, all late registrations will be included.
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.
For further information about kindergarten offers and the allocation process please refer to the MPS Kindergarten Central Registration Policy and Procedure available below and the Kindergarten Frequently Asked Questions.
2026 Kindergarten Offer Timelines
| Date |
What happens? |
| Beginning 23 July |
First round offers |
| Beginning 6 August |
Second round offers |
| Beginning 19 August |
Third round offers |
| Beginning September |
Late registrations will be processed every 2-4 weeks |
Kindergarten in Mornington Peninsula Shire
There are different kinds of kindergarten programs to suit your child and circumstances.
Sessional kindergartens run during the school terms. Four-Year-Old Kindergarten programs run for 15 hours per week. Three-Year-Old Kindergarten programs run from 5- 15 hours per week, with each kindergarten offering different days and times.
Mornington Peninsula Shire manages registrations on behalf of 31 sessional kindergartens. Read on for more information, or find specific details about:
Many long day care centres also offer a funded kindergarten program. This can be a flexible option for parents and carers who are busy during the workday. To register at a private or long day care centre, you need to contact them directly. You can access a list of all funded kindergarten programs on the Find a Kinder website.
Your child may also be eligible for additional funded hours of kindergarten through the Early Start Kindergarten and Pre-Prep programs. For more information, visit the Frequently Asked Questions above or contact the kindergarten registration team.
Contact
If you have other questions, or need help to register, contact the kindergarten registration team at kindergarten@mornpen.vic.gov.au or call 1300 850 600
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
Other kindergarten providers
To register at a kindergarten that does not participate in the CRES, you need to contact them directly. You can access a list of all funded kindergarten programs on the
Find a Kinder website.
How are kindergarten places allocated?
Mornington Peninsula Shire allocates kindergarten places fairly. There is no ‘first in, first served’ rule.
When allocating places, we follow the Department of Education Priority of Access Policy and the Mornington Peninsula Shire Local Allocation Criteria. We ask for information at registration to identify if your child should have priority.
Read more about how kindergarten places are allocated see the Frequently Asked Questions and refer to the Mornington Peninsula Shire Kindergarten Central Registration and Enrolment Scheme Policy and Procedure on the website.
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