All Victorian children can now access two years of kindergarten!
Kindergarten is important to the learning and development of children in the years before they start school. At kindergarten, children learn key skills for life, including creative thinking, social and emotional skills, and early literacy and language skills through play-based learning.
Over 70 kindergarten programs are run across Brimbank by qualified early childhood educators, and Brimbank City Council manages the registration of some of these programs, known as ‘sessional’ kindergartens.
Four-Year-Old (4YO) kindergarten is 15 hours per week.
Three-Year-Old (3YO) kindergarten is currently five hours per week, and will increase to 15 by 2029.
Kindergarten programs are run in either ‘sessional’ kindergartens, or as ‘integrated’ programs within Long Day Care programs at child care centres. Brimbank City Council manages the registration of sessional kindergartens in Brimbank only. Council does not run the kindergarten programs. Integrated programs are privately managed. Find the difference between sessional and integrated programs in the table below.
| Services | Sessional (Stand Alone) | Integrated (Long Day Care) |
|---|---|---|
| No fees required (from 2023) |
ü |
|
| Daily fees payable |
ü |
|
| Child Care Subsidy available |
ü |
|
| Bachelor qualifed teacher |
ü |
ü |
| Play-based learning |
ü |
ü |
| Up to 15 hours available |
ü |
ü |
| During school terms only |
ü |
|
| Set days and times (2/3 days per week) |
ü |
|
| Long day program (up to 5 days per week) |
ü |
|
| Before and after care |
ü |
|
| Meals provided |
ü |
Children can attend 3YO kindergarten if they are three (or turning three before 30 April). Families with children born between January and 30 April may choose whether to enrol their children in a kindergarten program in the year they turn three.
Children can attend 4YO kindergarten the year before they start school.
| Child's date of birth |
3YO Kindergarten |
4YO Kindergarten |
| 1/5/2018 - 30/4/2019 |
2022 |
2023 |
| 1/5/2019 - 30/4/2020 |
2023 |
2024 |
| 1/5/2020 - 30/4/2021 |
2024 |
2025 |
| 1/5/2021 - 30/4/2022 |
2025 |
2026 |
| 1/5/2022 - 30/4/2023 |
2026 |
2027 |
Things to consider when deciding when to start kindergarten include a child’s developmental and learning levels, family circumstances, and preferred school starting age. Families can discuss their child’s kindergarten readiness by speaking with their MCH nurse at their child’s next KAS appointment.
2023
From 2023, 3YO and 4YO kindergarten will be free across Victoria. Families with children in sessional programs will not be required to pay any fees, while those in integrated programs will get a $2000 reduction in fees pro rata (per 15 hours), and will still need to pay for care outside of the kindergarten program.
For sessional kindergartens:
Brimbank City Council registers children from birth at their first Maternal and Child Health nurse appointment.
Families that are unsure about their registration or have moved house/s since the birth of their child, can:
- Fill in an Online registration form (Find Registration forms in languages other than English)
- Update your kindergarten preferences
- Update your contact details
- E: kindergarten@brimbank.vic.gov.au or Tel: 9249 4000
Allocation process:
- In the year before kindergarten, Council contacts all families already registered in its system to confirm their contact details and kindergarten preferences.
- From May, Council allocates places for 3YO Kindergarten
- From July, Council allocates places for 4YO Kindergarten
- Families must accept their offer with Council via the forms provided to complete the process.
- Later in the year, the kindergarten families have accepted their offer with will make contact to begin the enrolment process.
Allocation is made according to a Priority of Access criteria set out by the Department of Education and Training. Read more about Priority of Access and allocation in the Brimbank Kindergarten Registration Policy
For integrated programs:
Contact the child care centre directly the year before kindergarten.
Need to change your kindergarten preferences, accept or decline offers, or cancel/defer your application?
- Find a sessional kindergarten near me
- Visit the Victorian Government ‘Find a kindergarten’ website
- Download a list of Kindergartens in Brimbank
Kindergarten timetables are set by the centres that operate them. Any timetables for future years will be draft only.
Download the session times as last provided to Brimbank City Council or click on kinder's name below to visit its website.
- BPA Children's Service - multiple locations across Brimbank
- ECMS - multiple locations across Brimbank
- Deer Park West Kinder, 12 Adeline Ct, Deer Park
- Derrimut YMCA Early Learning Centre, 30 Lennon Parkway, Derrimut
- Welwyn Uniting Kindergarten, 44 Welwyn Parade, Deer Park
A special program called Early Start Kindergarten is available to eligible three-year-olds to access fifteen hours of funded kindergarten per week, instead of five hours.
Eligibility includes children:
- who are Aboriginal or Torres Strait Islander
- of families who have had contact with Child Protection (or have been referred to Child FIRST)
- who have refugee or asylum seeker children
For more information on this program call the Brimbank Kindergarten Registration team on 9249 4000 or E: ESK@brimbank.vic.gov.au \
The Preschool Field Officer Program helps kindergarten educators support children already at kindergarten who have additional needs, so they can better access and take part in kindergarten programs.
Learn more about the program or apply for a Preschool Field Officer Referral Program