Victoria now funds two years of kindergarten, starting at age three. Here is when to enrol for 3-year-old kinder, how the funding works, and how it fits around family life.
What Is 3-Year-Old Kinder?
Three-year-old kindergarten is a play-based program led by a qualified early childhood teacher, in the year your child turns three. It is the first of two funded kinder years before school.
Is It Funded?
Yes. Through Free Kinder, funded hours are free at participating services, saving eligible families around $2,101 a year. Funded hours for three-year-olds are increasing over time toward 15 hours a week.
When Should You Enrol?
Demand is high, so enrol early. Many services take enrolments from the year before your child would start, and popular centres fill quickly. Register your interest as soon as you can rather than waiting for the year itself.
Sessional or Integrated?
You can attend a standalone (sessional) kinder for short set sessions, or an integrated kinder delivered inside long day care. Both teach the same funded program; the difference is flexibility. Our comparison of sessional kindergarten vs long day care explains which suits different families.
What Children Learn
Three-year-old kinder builds language, early numeracy, social skills, independence and confidence, the foundations for four-year-old kinder and school.
Enrolling at Anderson Road
At our Albion centre, 3-year-old kinder is delivered by a qualified teacher inside a full childcare day. See our 3 Year Old Kindergarten program or book a tour.