Kindergarten Frequently Asked Questions

Mornington Peninsula Shire (the Shire) coordinates Kindergarten Central Registration on behalf of the Victoria State Government, however it does not directly provide or manage sessional kindergartens.  

The kindergartens that participate in central registration across the Shire are managed independently through Committees of Management and Early Years Managers. Some sessional kindergartens and Long Day Care (LDC) across the Shire have direct enrolment. 

Applying for a place at kindergarten is known as ‘registering’. Your registration is not the same as an ‘enrolment’ as it is the first step in registering interest in your preferred kindergarten/s. Families will need to register for each year of sessional kindergarten and should only submit one registration per child.   

Enrolment is not completed until you have received and accepted an offer and the kindergarten has contacted you for all the required information to finalise your placement, including your child’s immunisation history. 

You can submit an Expression of interest form to receive important updates and reminders. When registrations open, the Shire will email you an unique link to provide more details and submit preferences.

To submit your expression of interest visit: Mornington Peninsula - Expression of Interest Form

It is free to register your child.

Families will need the following information to complete an online registration: 

• Family and child details, including child’s immunisation status

• Kindergarten and group preferences

• Priority of Access (PoA) or Local Allocation Criteria (LAC) information

• Concession card (if eligible)

• Proof of residency –items in the applicant’s name such as utility bill, driver’s licence, rental agreement or rates notice. This must also be where your child lives most of the time

• Indicate whether your child/ren may need additional support 

Failure to provide the required information may prevent your application from being processed and/or may result in withdrawal of an offer. 

Pre-Prep is a Victorian Government initiative that will introduce additional hours of free, play-based kindergarten for four-year-old children, extending early childhood education to better support learning, development and wellbeing before starting school. 

To check if your child is eligible, please visit: Four-Year-Old Kindergarten is becoming Pre-Prep | vic.gov.au

If a confirmation email is not received after the registration is submitted, families should first check their junk or spam folders, before contacting the Kindergarten Registration team by phone or email.

Yes. To change preferences or update contact information, please use the link in your confirmation email or email the Shire’s Kindergarten Registration team.

On time registrations open 1 May and close 30 June, the year before a child begins kindergarten. To be considered in the first and second round offers, completed registrations must be received prior to the close date.

Yes. Registrations can be submitted by families outside of the Shire, however these are not allocated until September in Round 4, unless they are eligible for the Department of Education’s PoA. This includes non-resident registrations received on time, prior to the 30 June close date.

If you are moving to the Shire, you will need to register your current address and then contact the Kindergarten Registration team once you have confirmed your new location. You may be asked to provide documentation such as a signed rental agreement or contract of sale (excluding land purchase), etc. You will need to confirm that this is where your child will be living most of the time. Families will be considered non-residents prior to updating and confirming their new address unless they have PoA.

Yes. To withdraw your registration, please use the link provided in your registration confirmation email or contact the kindergarten registration team by email, kindergarten@mornpen.vic.gov.au or phone 1300 850 600

Allocation to kindergarten groups commences in July each year. There is no ‘first in, first placed’ rule. The Shire follow’s the Department of Education’s PoA policy and LAC. As demand is high and places limited, some children may not get a place at the same kindergarten they attended for Three-Year-Old kindergarten. 

The Shire applies the State Government’s PoA criteria alongside our own policies to ensure fair and equitable access to quality early childhood education. For more information visit: Priority of Access for 2027 | vic.gov.au or refer to the Shire’s Kindergarten Central Registration and Enrolment Scheme Policy and Procedure Kindergarten - Mornington Peninsula Shire

You will have seven days to consider the following options: accept, accept and waitlist, decline and return to a waitlist or withdraw your registration.

If a reply to your offer is not received within seven days, the Kindergarten Registration team will try to contact you. If there is still no response, it will be assumed that you no longer need the place and it will be offered to another child. You may re-submit your child’s registration and be waitlisted.

If you would like to transfer kindergartens after enrolment, you will need to contact the Kindergarten Registration team.

Children without a kindergarten offer will be placed before transfers are considered. This excludes children who meet the department’s Priority of Access policy.

To be considered for an alternative kindergarten group you can:

• accept your offer and submit a transfer request
• decline your offer and re-submit preferences to go back on the waitlist for your preferred group.

Families wanting an alternate group are not guaranteed a transfer. Children without a kindergarten offer will be placed before transfers are considered.

No. Offers are unable to be deferred to later in the kindergarten year or to the following year/years. Families will be advised to withdraw their registration and re-submit when their child is ready to attend.

The Shire aims to place each child in one of their preferred kindergarten’s however it is not always possible. This can be due to a higher demand than places available at some kindergartens.  Families of children who haven’t been placed will receive an email advising that they are on the waitlist, along with other kindergartens with potential vacancies. A place is not guaranteed until an offer is made by the Kindergarten Registration team.

Families who receive a waitlist email will be contacted if a place becomes available. The Shire Kindergarten Team will be unable to provide updates on your place on the waitlist due to changing or new registrations, acceptances, cancellations and Priority of Access.

Families may consider another option such as Long Day Care. For more information visit: Find A Kinder Program - Department of Education

After accepting your offer, the kindergarten will contact you directly for further information to finalise the enrolment. You will need to provide the following information:

• child/ren’s date of birth (i.e. birth certificate)
• Immunisation History Statement

Any other relevant documents required for enrolment (i.e. court orders, medical management plans, further details regarding additional needs, etc).

The ‘No Jab, No Play’ legislation requires that children must be fully immunised to attend kindergarten. A current Immunisation History Statement from the Australian Immunisation Register will need to be provided to the kindergarten by a parent/carer.

For more information visit: No Jab No Play legislation | vic.gov.au or discuss directly with your kindergarten.

If your child/ren have disabilities or developmental delays, there are programs available to kindergartens to give your child additional support. These may include the Kindergarten Inclusion Support Program (KISP) and the Preschool Field Officer (PSFO) Program.

If you have concerns about your child’s health and development, please call the Shire’s Child & Family Health team to make a booking at one of the Maternal and Child Health centres on 5950 1099.

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 participation in kindergarten. Funding applications are completed by your child/ren’s kindergarten teacher.

All funded kindergarten services also have access to Preschool Field Officers who assist kindergarten teachers support children with additional needs. Preschool Field Officers are early childhood teachers with experience in delivering high-quality inclusive kindergarten programs. For more information visit:

Help for children with additional needs at kindergarten | vic.gov.au

This is best discussed with your child’s kindergarten teacher to consider whether an additional year of funded Three or Four-Year-Old kindergarten may be appropriate.

For more information visit: Does my child need an additional year of kindergarten or Pre-Prep? | vic.gov.au

Koorie Kids Shine promotes the benefits of kinder for Aboriginal and/or Torres Strait Islander children.

Families are encouraged to talk with their child’s teacher about their own cultures and beliefs and how these may be incorporated into activities at the kindergarten. As every family is different, parents/carers may choose to contact kindergarten services to make an appointment to visit or attend an open day.

For more information about Koorie Kids Shine, visit: Kinder for Aboriginal children: Koorie Kids Shine | vic.gov.au

ESK is available in all kindergarten programs delivered by a qualified teacher. To be eligible, a child must be three years old by 30 April in the year they start kindergarten, and from a refugee or asylum seeker background, or are Aboriginal and/or Torres Strait Islander, or have had contact with child protection.

For more information visit: esk-brochure

Access to Early Learning (AEL) is a program funded by the Department of Education and supports three-year-old children from families with complex needs, to fully participate in funded kindergarten. Families are referred to the program by Enhanced Maternal and Child Health, Family Support services or the Orange Door.

Exceptional family and/or child circumstances are evaluated and approved on a case-by-case basis and are assessed by the Shire’s CRES Exceptional Circumstances Panel.

For more information, including eligibility criteria, please refer to the Shire’s Kindergarten Central Registration and Enrolment Scheme Policy and Procedure.

Yes. Registration information is kept in a safe and private database.

The Shire also shares your information and contact details with kindergartens. Kindergartens must also keep information safe and follow strict privacy laws.

For more information, please refer to the Privacy Collection Statement in the Kindergarten Central Registration and Enrolment Scheme Policy and Procedure.

The Shire uses the EnrolNow system to manage the allocation process. EnrolNow’s privacy policy can be located at their Frequently Asked Questions: General FAQ What are EnrolNow’s data security and privacy policies: EnrolNow FAQ – Answers to your Questions about Preschool Software

Feedback, compliments or complaints regarding the CRES process can be submitted at:

Email: kindergarten@mornpen.vic.gov.au

Phone: 1300 850 600