Kindergarten

The Shire supports the delivery of Kindergarten services for families by providing community infrastructure and Kindergarten Central Registration (KCR).

This page contains information on:

• Kindergarten Central Registration for 2021 attendance
• Information about Kindergartens on the Peninsula
• Early start Kindergarten

Changes to 2021 Kindergarten Priority of Access / Allocation Criteria: 

On 11 February, 2020, Mornington Peninsula Shire Council endorsed an additional level to the Priority of Access / Allocation Criteria for the Kindergarten Central Registration process.

Starting with 2021 Kindergarten registrations, priority will be provided to children registering for the Kindergarten closest to where they live.  This change will not impact allocation of Kindergarten places for children identified as high priority by the Department of Education and Training.  

Download the 2021 Kindergarten Central Registration Information Book(PDF, 231KB) for further information.

Kindergarten Central Registration for 2021 attendance

Registrations for 2021 Kindergarten opened on 2 March, 2020 at 9:00am. 

Download the 2021 Kindergarten Central Registration Information Book(PDF, 231KB) for further information and the 2021 Kindergarten Offer Processing Timeline(PDF, 171KB).

• 'On-time' registrations will close on Sunday, 2 August, 2020 at 11:59pm.
• 'Late' registrations will be accepted from Monday, 3 August, 2020 at 9:00am.

3-yr old Kindergarten registration: Click here to register your child for 3-yr old Kindergarten in 2021

4-yr old Kindergarten registration: Click here to register your child for 4-yr old Kindergarten in 2021

Information about Kindergartens 

For information about individual Kindergartens (including timetables, where available) view our Kindergarten Listing.

Download: List of Kindergartens on the Mornington Peninsula for 3-yr olds(PDF, 36KB)
Download: List of Kindergartens on the Mornington Peninsula for 4-yr olds(PDF, 37KB)

Please visit the Australian Children's Education and Care Quality Authority (ACECQA) website for Kindergarten assessment and rating information.

Kindergarten Central Registration is a streamlined and transparent application and allocation process that is fair and equitable for all families to support their access to community Kindergarten programs across the Shire. 

Kindergarten programs

Both 3-yr old and 4-yr old Kindergarten programs are offered across the Shire, including Community Kindergartens operating in Shire-owned buildings, private providers and Kindergarten programs offered in long day care and / or early learning centres.

In Victoria, 4-yr old Kindergarten is not compulsory however the Kindergarten experience is valuable in providing children with the opportunity to learn and develop skills through a play-based curriculum and can also assist children in their transition to primary school. For further information, please visit: Education Victoria website - All About Kinder

For information about free or low cost kindergarten, please download: Education Victoria - Kinder Fee Subsidy

Your child may be eligible for a second year of funded 4-yr old Kindergarten if their early childhood teacher has assessed that your child will benefit from further support in at least two key areas of development and will achieve better outcomes at kindergarten rather than going to school, please visit Second Year of 4-yr old Kindergarten.

Some services may operate under a trading name which includes the word "preschool" and not "kindergarten".  The Shire aligns with the same terminology as the State Government by referring to all of our services as Kindergartens. 

For further information on Kindergarten Central Registration, please contact the team on 5950 1099 or 1300 850 600 or email kindergarten@mornpen.vic.gov.au

Early Start Kindergarten – your child may be eligible!

Early Start Kindergarten provides free or low cost kindergarten to eligible 3 year old children where programs are offered by a qualified teacher.

Children are eligible for Early Start Kindergarten if:

They are aged 3 by 30 April in the year they will be attending a Kindergarten program and:

Your child is Aboriginal and/or Torres Strait Islander
OR
Your family has had contact with Child Protection or been referred to them by Child First

Further information on Early Start Kindergarten can be found at Early Start Kindergarten or What is Early Start Kinder. 

Further Information:

Kindergarten Central Registration for 2020 attendance

3-yr old Kindergarten registration: Click here to register your child for 3-yr old Kindergarten in 2020

4-yr old Kindergarten registration: Click here to register your child for 4- yr old Kindergarten in 2020