2024 kindergarten registrations now open

Wellington Shire Council now welcomes registrations for three and four-year-old kindergarten placements in 2024.  

Families are encouraged to register children who turn three or four years of age on or before 30 April for a kindergarten place at participating providers in 2024.

Registrations will be open until 30 June 2023 and can be made via Council’s website at www.wellington.vic.gov.au/earlyyears.  

Following a short waiting period in July, first round offers will be sent to families in early August 2023, with acceptance of placement due in late August 2023.

Kindergarten places are allocated in accordance with criteria mandated by the Department of Education and agreed to by participating kindergarten providers. Once a place is accepted, families will be connected with their child’s kindergarten to start the enrolment process.

Families should remember that there is no ‘first in, first served’ process for the allocation of kindergarten places. Registration forms submitted after 30 June 2023 will be considered late and these families will receive offers in September 2023.  

Wellington Shire Council announced its new centralised kindergarten registration service in January 2023, with the aim of streamlining the kindergarten registration process and facilitating a fair and transparent placement of children into funded kindergarten programs throughout the municipality.

Following the announcement, Council offered families the opportunity to fill out an Expression of Interest (EOI) form to record their interest and be notified when registration for their child’s kindergarten year would open.

Parents who completed an EOI and have children eligible for kindergarten in 2024 can expect to be contacted by Council and reminded to submit a registration before the 30 June deadline.  

Wellington Shire Council Mayor Ian Bye said that enrolling your child in a kinder program is a really important part of your child’s development and learning.

“Children who go to kindergarten are more likely to build confidence and social skills and make a smooth transition to primary school.

“The new kindergarten registration process has been refined this year to ensure kindergarten placements across Wellington Shire are fair and equitable, and it’s pleasing to hear that local families have welcomed this change.

“I encourage all parents with eligible three and four-year-old children to register now”, Cr Bye said.

For more information about kindergarten enrolments and participating kindergarten providers in Wellington Shire, please visit Council’s website and download the Kindergarten Central Registration Service FAQ document. Alternatively, please contact Wellington Shire Council’s Early Years team on 1300 366 244 or by email to earlyyears@wellington.vic.gov.au.