Funded 3-year-old and 4-year-old Kindergarten Programs
3-year-old Kindergarten and 4-year-old Kindergarten are two of the most important, fun and exciting years for both parents and children. With an environment designed for learning and experienced teachers to help guide and assist, children begin to grow from dependence to independence and, as their characters develop, they begin to find their place in the world. Children make friends, develop new interests and parents often find they have a thriving new personality at home eager to try new things and contribute to daily activities.
Below, you’ll learn much more about the Victorian Kindergarten Program. If you’re learning about kindergarten for the first time you’ll want to start with the FAQs.
Next, you’ll find information about the kindergarten program here at Choklits Surrey Hills, Croydon and Ringwood. Even if you don’t intend to enrol your child at Choklits this section will give you lots of hints on what to look for when looking elsewhere.
Our program at Choklits continues to evolve so we update this page regularly and in line with our own additions to the program and government initiatives.
Kindergarten FAQs…
What is Kindergarten?
Kindergarten is a program for young children for the 2 years before they start school, delivered by a qualified early childhood teacher. The two offical names are 3-year-old Kindergarten and 4-year-old Kindergarten, but often referred to as preschool.
Funded Victorian Kindergarten programs are based on the EYLF (Early Years Learning Framework), the VEYLDF (Victorian Early Years Learning Development Framework) and play-based learning.
Who can attend Kindergarten?
Kindergarten is for all children and is a key component of the School Readiness Program. Educators will help your child get the most out of the programs and can assist and support your child where necessary. This includes children who have learning difficulties.
How old does my child need to be?
Children usually attend 4-year-old Kindergarten in the year before they start school.
To begin school, your child must turn 5 by April 30th in their first year. And, they must be enroled at school by the time they turn 6 unless an exemption applies. Therefore, if your child’s birthday is on or before April 30th, you have the option to enrol them to start school in the year they turn 5 or the year they turn 6. As children learn differently and at different speeds, each child’s situation should be considered individually, usually in consultation with their 4-year-old-kindergarten teacher. Some children do attend 4-year-old kindergarten twice.
Children usually attend 3-year-old kindergarten in the year before they attend 4-year-old kindergarten.
Subject to some factors including available places, early learning and child care service’s allow children who turn 3 by April 30th (and 4 by April 30th) to start with their respective kindergarten friends at the beginning of the year. Sessional kindergartens normally require children to turn 3 before starting 3-year-old kindergarten (and 4 before starting 4-year-old kindergarten) so depending on age they won’t be eligible for the full year.
What is the difference between sessional Kindergarten and Kindergarten at an early learning or child care service?
All Kindergarten programs are based on the government-approved Early Years Learning Framework (EYLF) to ensure the basics are covered for every child. You can be assured the Kindergarten is delivering the minimum standard curriculum if the service has been approved for funding from the government and it is available to you. Kindergartens that have been approved can be identified by the ‘Kinder Tick’ (explained below).
After the basics are met, however, there are big differences.
The most obvious one is the hours you can attend. Sessional Kindergarten runs for 15 hours each week, usually over 3 different sessions. Early learning and child care services typically deliver Kindergarten programs every day for set hours. For example, a child care service may open at 7am and close at 6pm, delivering the Kindergarten program every day from 8:30am-3pm.
As the Kindergarten program delivered by early learning and child care services is over many more hours they are typically a lot more comprehensive and include more experiences like excursions and community participation.
Sessional Kindergarten programs don’t typically include meals which are standard in almost all early learning and child care services, so you will be required to provide your own food.
Going further, the number of extra activities and quality of the meals served are different between services too. Visiting a services websites and social pages will help you gain an understanding of their offerings, and asking about all these aspects when visiting Kindergarten’s will also help.
When do I need to enrol?
You should start thinking about Kindergarten well in advance of your child’s start date. Many programs, especially popular ones with exceptional reputations, fill up more than 12 months in advance. Obviously, the earlier you start looking, find a program and register, the more chance you have of getting your first choice. Programs operating within early learning centres often only accept Kindergarten enrolments from children attending prior to their eligible Kindergarten year which means it’s even more important to apply for a place as early as possible.
Is kindergarten free to attend?
Each Kindergarten offers different things, so the fee to attend is different between Kindergartens too. To help keep the fees as low as possible, the government currently subsidises Kindergarten programs in three main ways.
The Child Care Subsidy (applies to long day care centre’s only, it does not apply to sessional kindergartens)
Program Funding
Free Kinder Initiative
Child Care Subsidy: if you attend a Kindergarten at a long day care service like Choklits, you will receive your eligible Child Care Subsidy. The subsidy will continue to be based on your family’s individual circumstances as it did prior to starting kindergarten. The important note here is that you cannot claim the Child Care Subsidy at a sessional kindergarten.
Government Funding: this funding is based on the number of children who attend the program and is paid directly to the kindergarten service. Each kindergarten needs to report on how this funding is spent which ensures it directly benefits the children attending the program. Each kindergarten provider charges a fee to attend which covers the shortfall between the government funding and the cost of delivering the program and service.
Free Kinder Initiative: this initiative can be very confusing. On top of the Child Care Subsidy and Program Funding, the government subsidises a further $2000 per child for each of their kindergarten years which they call Free Kinder. The $2000 is paid directly to the kindergarten and is applied as a weekly offset against your fees. The offset against fees commences after the government releases the funding to the kindergarten which typically occurs sometime around March. To be eligible for Free Kinder you must advise the kindergarten you are attending as a funded enrolment (form at the bottom of this page) and complete the additional paper forms which are required after your enrolment has been approved by the kindergarten (the kindergarten will send to you).
Note: subsidies are subject to change.
What types of Kindergarten programs are available?
There are a few different names when it comes to Kindergarten, but they basically mean the same thing. Kindergarten is often called preschool, kindy, kinder and others.
In 2022, the government introduced 3-year-old Kindergarten (along with the Kinder Tick) in addition to the existing 4-year-old Kindergarten program which helped simplify the different names.
What is the Kinder Tick?
The Kinder Tick is a logo early childhood service providers can display to help families find and choose a Kindergarten program that best suits their family’s needs.
If a Kindergarten displays the Kinder Tick you can be sure-
The service operates a Kindergarten program led by qualified teachers
The program delivered is play-based
The program is approved and funded by the Victorian Government
How do I choose a Kindergarten program?
The best way to find the Kindergarten that’s right for your child and your family is to begin with the end in mind.
There are many different Kindergarten programs and experiences offered, so after you get a basic understanding (in the initial stage Google is your best friend) you should start to think about your family’s own needs.
Does your child have specific interests you’d like to encourage? Would you like your child to be at a Kindergarten with an outdoor focus? Is a big playground important? Is it important they begin to learn a second language? For convenience, will your choice be confined to a certain area? Have your friends or neighbours recommended anywhere?
It goes without saying that parents want a safe and hygienic environment for their children, after that, the choice is yours.
You should make a list of the different aspects of Kindergartens you like and then go and visit them. Get to know the teachers, ask lots of questions and observe.
Do the teachers make you feel comfortable? Is the centre an environment you’d like your child to learn in?
Normally, parents and carers make their final choice based on safety and comfort. When you visit centres ask yourself, how comfortable will I feel leaving my child here, in the care of these teachers?
What are the benefits and advantages for children who attend Kindergarten?
Kindergarten is an important fundamental step in children’s learning journey and strongly recommended for all children.
From general health and wellbeing to developing independence and strong social skills, research shows Kindergarten helps developmentally in many areas of life required for a smooth transition to primary school.
Importantly, Kindergarten is often the place children discover a lifelong love of learning.
The Choklits Kindergarten Program
In our large, purpose-built rooms at Choklits, we offer two programs for our children. A funded 3-year-old Kindergarten and a funded 4-year-old Kindergarten class. Our teams collaborate from time to time to share spaces too.
We believe the value and benefits of collaborative learning are key in setting children up for their transition to school because the environment is more holistic. Our child-responsive curriculum practice considers the understandings, capabilities and dispositions that children need for the future.
We have found that because of the mixed age group, the younger children benefit from the positive models of older children, often aspiring to their levels of capability. At the same time, the older children rise to the expectations of the younger children and teachers, are more responsible and enjoy having opportunities to lend and use their expertise.
The advantage of working together with children for more than one year enhances the continuity of learning and the forming of positive relationships between educators, children and their families.
Co-learning is the way of the future which, as we are learning, will include the need for lots of resilience and adaptability. We realise we cannot predict the careers they will have, but what we can predict is the skills and dispositions needed to have lifelong success.
The basics
You’ll notice the Victorian Kinder Tick is displayed at Choklits because we are accredited to deliver a funded program for both 3 and 4-year-olds. We are fortunate to have Qualified Kindergarten Teachers at Choklits who hold Bachelor’s of Education and are approved by the Victorian Institute of Teaching.
Both the Choklits 3 and 4-year-old Kindergarten programs run each day from approximately 8:30am to 4:30pm, 52 weeks a year. The hours before and after each program will be dedicated to additional education and play in line with the early learning environment.
Our Kindergarten program is developed from the National Early Years Learning Framework and The Victorian Early Years Learning and Development Framework.
The Choklits Kindergarten Program
- Promotes children’s development across the Early Years Learning and Development Framework
- Is planned for and run by qualified Kindergarten teachers.
- Provides families with progress reports about their child and opportunities for formal family/teacher interviews twice a year.
- Provides a yearly calendar of events including special days and educational visits.
- Supports a Kindergarten to primary school transition program including the preparation of a transition statement for each child in collaboration with the parents. We also facilitate visits to their school of choice during the year.
- Prepares each child to be a confident learner for the next phase of their life – Primary School.
The benefits
Attending Kindergarten at Choklits offers many benefits for both children and parents.
- Children who are already attending the service stay in familiar surroundings and with friends they have known for some time
- Children have the benefit of being part of a small group
- Parents can take advantage of the extra hours that long day care offers, enabling them to work or attend to other responsibilities, confident their child is receiving the Kindergarten curriculum and being cared for
- Our full program runs five days a week offering even greater flexibility and support for families
- We have Foundation teachers and students visit from many local Primary Schools who facilitate activities to help our Kindergarten children familiarise themselves with the school community
- Although not a requirement at Choklits, we love and encourage as much family participation as our families need
Please feel free to contact us and talk to the educators in the Kindergarten room at any time. We are happy to talk to you and discuss the program and answer any questions.
The Choklits 3-year-old Kindergarten Program
- A focus on group activities including how to be a part of the group, building confidence in communicating in a group, and sharing ideas.
- Dramatic play which children in this age group are typically passionate about so we provide the children with lots of opportunities to explore, whether it be animals, families or superheroes.
- Excursions throughout the year based on our curriculum, in relation to the children’s development levels
- Loose parts play where the children learn how to use a range of thinking and problem solving skills to use and utilise the materials provided in innovative ways.
- Structured routine times such as group learning times, meal times, and rest times, plus
- All the incursions the 4-year-old Kindergarten program includes, listed below.
The Choklits 4-year-old Kindergarten Program
- A second language program
- Extension of our music program which runs throughout the term including school holidays
- A sports program, where the sessions are tailored to be age appropriate and run separately from the younger Choklits children
- Excursions throughout the year based on our curriculum, in relation to the children’s development levels
- A weekly yoga session, plus
- Many other events and visits throughout the year including drama and wild animal incursions, Road Safety Awareness, Water Safety Education, free dentist and hearing check-up, pet awareness activities, indigenous education incursions and spontaneous excursions.
- Each Choklits service celebrates different days and community events based on feedback and input from our families.
Take a look at the Choklits Kindergarten Program
We love documenting and reflecting on our Kindergarten program, the lessons we learn and the education and experiences we provide. We have produced many videos and written many blogs on our program activity. To review what a day in the life of our Kindergarten program may look like for your child, please click here for videos and here for blogs.
Choose your Choklits Kindergarten Program for 2025
For further information please see the following helpful links–
https://www.acecqa.gov.au/sites/default/files/2018-02/belonging_being_and_becoming_the_early_years_learning_framework_for_australia.pdf
https://www.learningpotential.gov.au/articles/is-your-child-ready-for-big-school
https://education.nsw.gov.au/teaching-and-learning/school-learning-environments-and-change/future-focused-learning-and-teaching/learning-dispositions
https://www.education.vic.gov.au/Documents/childhood/parents/kindergarten/allaboutkinder.pdf
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