How to Register for Kinder

Step 1. Register

Complete the registration form. Register your child for 3-or 4-year-old kindergarten between 1 May – 30 June.

Registration is free. You don't need to attach any documents to the registration form as this information will be collected by your allocated kinder during enrolment.

You will need to provide the following information to complete the registration process:

• Your child's personal details;
• Parent/carer details;
• Whether your child qualifies for the Department of Education Priority of Access Criteria (E.g. special needs, concession cards, a second year of funded 4-year-old kindergarten etc);
• Does your child have a prior connection to a service (e.g whether your child has attended 3-year-old kinder or their sibling has attended kinder in the past 5 years);
• The year your child will commence kindergarten;
• Program type (3-year-old or 4-year-old kindergarten); and
• Kindergarten program preferences.

If you are unsure of any of the information above, you can reach out to the Early Years team who will be able to assist you.

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Step 2. Wait

Wait for your offer of a kindergarten place. Council reviews all registrations and allocates kindergarten places.  Some children receive priority allocation.

Once all applications are received. Council will go through the allocations process.

Want to know more about the allocation process?

Allocation of kindergarten places is in accordance with a fair and transparent process agreed on by participating services. Each child is allocated points depending on their individual circumstance. Council uses the Department of Education's Priority of Access criteria to score each child based on the information you as a parent/carer or guardian provide during the registration process.

Kindergarten places are allocated with the highest-scoring registrations placed first. Where there are several registrations at the same priority level and limited kindergarten places, there is a random ballot selection. For more information about priority of access criteria, please click here or view the Wellington Kindergarten Central Registration Service FAQs using the button below.

Please note: it does not matter what time you register during the registration period. Your child does not score higher, or received first preference if a registration is submitted earlier.

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Step 3. Accept

You will be contacted with an offer to one of your preference programs in early August. You will be asked to respond (accept, decline etc) by a set date in late August.

You have received a Kindergarten offer

The offer of kindergarten placement will be sent to your email address. Once your email of offer is received, you can choose to:

• Accept - Accept the offered kindergarten place. Families will be connected with their kindergarten provider to begin the enrolment process.
• Accept and waitlist - Accept the offered kindergarten place but be put on a waitlist for a higher preference program. Families will be connected with their kindergarten provider to begin the enrolment process.
• Defer - Accept the offered kindergarten place but defer it. You will not automatically be given a place in the following year; however, you will be given priority for your place. You will need to complete another Registration Form for the following year.
• Decline and waitlist - Decline the offered kindergarten place and be put on a waitlist for a higher preference program. There is a risk that no places will become available.
• Withdraw - Decline the offered kindergarten place and withdraw from the Wellington Central Registration Service.

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Step 4. Enrol.

You will be connected with your child’s kindergarten to begin the enrolment process. You will now deal directly with your kindergarten, but Council staff are still here to help if needed.

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Your Maternal Child Health Nurse will discuss immunisations and the Immunisation Schedule Victoria during visits. Immunisations from an early age helps protect your child against serious childhood infections. All immunisations for children are free and available through Council Immunisation drop in sessions and doctors clinics. The first set of immunisations begin at birth, with the next scheduled at 6 weeks.

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Under the ‘No Jab, No Play’ legislation, all Wellington kindergartens are required to ask parents/carers to provide evidence their child has received the necessary vaccines before they can confirm an enrolment in a kinder.

Immunisations can initially be an overwhelming experience, but do not let that deter you. Talk to your MCHN about ways to support your child with immunisations or go on the raising children network for more information on how to prepare your child for vaccinations.

Council offers accessibility services to help you understand and access information. If you need interpreter services, Council offers Language Loop. Language Loop provides onsite interpreting, on demand telephone interpreting, pre-booked telephone interpreting and pre-booked video interpreting.

If you need literacy assistance completing a kinder registration, please reach out to one of our helpful Early Years team members on 1300 366 244 or email earlyyears@wellington.vic.gov.au.

The Victorian Government is investing almost $370 million to attract and upskill early childhood teachers and educators.

Find out more about what courses, incentives and support is available by heading to The Department of Education and/ or Training and Tafe Gippsland.

Please note that Wellington Shire Council does not manage or coordinate kindergarten programs. In Wellington Shire, kindergarten services are delivered by private and community-based Committees of Management and early years managers.

Further information about kindergarten is available from the Victorian Government Education - Information For Parents website.

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