When Can I Start  Kinder?

First Year (3-year-old) and Second Year (4-year-old) Kindergarten

Inline with Victorian Government's recommendation, OCK offers your child 2 years of kindergarten prior to starting school. The first year of kinder is traditionally known as 3 year-old kinder and the second year is referred to as 4 year old kinder.  The Victorian State Government provide partial funding for First Year and Second Year Kindergarten. 

Which Program Do I Register For?

First Year of Kinder (3-year-old kinder)

To be eligible to attend three-year-old kindergarten, your child must turn three by 30 April in the year they start kindergarten.

At the end of your first year of kinder, you  will transition to your second year, or four-year-old kindergarten the following year. No child is eligible for a second year of funded 3-year-old kindergarten. 

If an additional year of kindergarten is required, your kinder teacher will advise you toward the end of your second year of kinder.  Age alone is not a criteria for a third year of funding. 

Second Year of Kinder (4-year-old kinder)

To be eligible to attend four-year-old kindergarten, your child must turn four years of age by 30 April in the year they attend kindergarten.

Families with children born between 1 January and 30 April need to make an informed decision about which year they would like their child to commence school and therefore which year their child will attend a kindergarten program.

Be mindful that children must attend school in the year they turn 6 years old. If your child is at kinder in the year they turn 6, they must complete a school exemption form.

When Can My Child Start Kinder?

The age to start kinder can vary from state to state.  The Victorian Government's Kinder Age Calculator, tells you what your options are based on your child's date of birth. Click on the green calculator to see your options.

If you have a choice of years to start kinder and are unsure which year your child should attend kindergarten, talk to your local kindergarten educator, an educator in a long day care centre, your GP or your Maternal and Child Health nurse.  

There are many factors that go into deciding if you should start kinder, so speak with a professional before making any decisions. You can always contact us to discuss your options.

Prior to Registering for Kindergarten:

We recommend you do the following prior to registering for kindergarten:


COST

To understand the cost of kinder please refer to  Fees page.

Your child can only be funded for a kindergarten place at one service at any one time and only for one year in a Three-Year-Old Kindergarten program  (first year) and one year in a Four-Year-Old Kindergarten program (second year).  This means if you are enrolled at any other centre you must tell them you are attending a Community Kinder for your 3 year old kinder program and that your funding for this program will go to  Ormond Community Kinder.