Eligibility And Priority Of Access Criteria For Funded Kindergarten Programs
The following children are eligible for attendance in funded kindergarten programs:
Children who turn three years of age by 30 April in the year they will attend funded three-year-old kindergarten (two years before they attend school. A child must have turned three before beginning to attend the service).
Children who turn four years of age by 30 April in the year they will attend funded four-year old kindergarten (one year before they attend school).
NOTE: For children born between 1 January and 30 April, parents have a choice about whether they commence school in the year they turn five or in the following year when they turn six. They can therefore choose whether they commence four-year-old Kindergarten in the year they turn four or the year they turn five and three-year-old Kindergarten in the year they turn three or the year they turn four.
Children who have been granted approval to receive funding for a second year of four-year-old kindergarten.
Children turning six years of age in their year at kindergarten who have been granted an exemption from school- entry age requirements by their regional office of the DET (Refer to DET Victorian Kindergarten policy procedures and funding criteria).
Children who are younger than the eligible age, but whose parents/guardians have submitted a written request for their child to attend school the following year to their regional office of the DET, or the non-government school their child will be attending (a copy of the written request and DET approval must be attached with the registration).
NOTE: Parents/guardians are to be advised that very few requests are approved by DET. If the child attends kindergarten early but does not proceed on to school the following year the child will be unable to access another year unless they are funded by DET for a second year.
Three-year-old Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander children and children known to Child Protection have an ability to attend up to 15 hours a week of a funded early childhood program planned and delivered by a qualified early childhood teacher (Early Start Kindergarten program).
First priority of access is given to:
• Children at risk of abuse or neglect, including children in Out of Home Care
• Aboriginal and/or Torres Strait Islander children
• Children with additional needs
• Children eligible for the Kindergarten Fee Subsidy
Second priority of access is given to:
• Children who have received funding for a second year of Kindergarten
• Children who have had siblings attend their preferred Kindergarten
• Children whose nearest kindergarten to their place of residence is a rural kindergarten (Glenrowan, Moyhu,
Whorouly and Chiltern will be given priority of access to that rural kindergarten)
The remaining places will be allocated by ballot.
Exceptional circumstances that require consideration beyond the eligibility and priority of access criteria should be made in writing and will be reviewed by NERPSA on a case-by-case basis.
NOTE: Priority of Access guidelines are to ensure that kindergarten programs are available to those children who stand to benefit the most from attending early education. In mixed age groups, guidelines will equally prioritise three and four-year-old children for first priority of access. Where programs for three and four-year-old children are provided separately the priority of access criteria will be applied separately for each age cohort.