Frequently Asked Questions

Applications can be submitted via the link on the Enrolments page 2 years before your child is due to attend.

Each child is different, and we recommend carefully considering your child’s readiness before starting kindergarten, as this may have a flow on effect for when they start school.

Your child has to be 3 years of age on or before 30 April to be eligible to attend 3-year-old kindergarten in that year. We do require your child to have turned 3 years of age before they can start attending kindergarten, your child’s place will be held until they turn 3 years old and fees will only apply once they can start attending.

If your child is born between 1 January and 30 April, your child can begin 3-year-old kindergarten in the year they turn 3 or 4. It is important to note that funded 3 year old kindergarten cannot be repeated and once completed your child will progress to the 4-year-old funded program.

When your child starts at kindergarten directly relates to the age they will start at primary school. Speak to your local services about the best time for your child to start at 3-year-old Kinder.

Our kindergarten classes have a maximum of 26 children per class with 3 educators (including a University-trained Early Childhood Teacher and two Diploma and/or Cert III trained educators).

You can click here to see our full timetable.

Snack and Lunch are key aspects of our daily routine, not only to ensure that your child has a good level of energy to enjoy their Kinder experience, but equally as importantly, these are critical times for their social and language development!

At Geelong West Kindergarten both the 3 and 4 year old Kinder programs offer a “progressive snack” routine. A small table (or mat) is available for small groups of children to eat at and talk to their Kinder friends. This also provides the opportunity for the remainder of the group to continue to play uninterrupted, until they are ready to eat. We find that children tend to stay at snack for longer periods when they are part of a small group, engaging in “big” conversations.

The 4 year old kinder programs enjoy lunch time eating as a full group, sometimes inside, or if the weather is suitable we will use our picnic tables or sit on picnic mats on the grass in the sunshine!

Families are asked to supply food for their child and Geelong West Kindergarten is proud of their Healthy Food policy.

Our teachers are all qualified Early Childhood Teachers with ACECQA (the Australian Children’s Education & Care Quality Authority) approved qualifications. Our co-educators all have either a Diploma or Certificate III in the Early Childhood setting.

It is natural for kinder children to feel anxious when saying goodbye to parents, especially in the first few weeks. In early childhood, crying, tantrums, or clinginess, are healthy reactions to separation and a normal stage of development. It’s important to remember that a little worry over leaving mum or dad is normal, even when your child is older.

Here are 4 simple strategies you can use to help both you and your child at this time:

  1. Develop a quick “goodbye” ritual.  Rituals are reassuring and can be as simple as a special wave through the window or a goodbye kiss. Keep it quick.
  2. Leave without fanfare.  Tell your child you are leaving to go and do some boring job (like housework) and that you will return, then go—don’t stall or make it a bigger deal than it is. Resist the temptation to stay and soothe your child as this creates a mixed message.
  3. Follow through on promises.  For your child to develop the confidence that they can handle separation, it’s important you return at the time you promised. Returning a few minutes early can really help.
  4. Try not to give in.  Reassure your child that they will be just fine—setting consistent limits will help your child’s adjustment to separation.

The Geelong West Kindergarten requires an Application Fee when a child is entered onto the waitlist. This is currently $30 and payable when an application is submitted via the Enrolment Page.

A Commitment Fee of $100 is payable when an offer for a position has been accepted.  This fee will be refunded once the child has commenced their kindergarten year.

Due to funding from the Vic Goverment there are no term fees payable.

If the Application Fee or Commitment Fee represents a barrier to your potential application, please contact the kinder to discuss alternate arrangements.

Because your child will be 3 when they come to kindergarten, we feel it is developmentally appropriate for your child to have started toilet training at home.

All children are different and we understand that they may have accidents.

The staff are willing to support you and your child with this as best we can.

From 2026, across Victoria, children may be eligible to access an additional year of either:

  • Three Year-Old Kindergarten or
  • Four Year Old Kindergarten (but not both)

That is, eligible children can access up to 3 years of quality early learning, fully funded, to support your child’s learning, development, and wellbeing.

The decision to access a second year of kindergarten is made in partnership with families, with early childhood teachers playing a key role. If a teacher observes that a child is not yet showing expected progress in at least two key areas of learning and development, they may recommend a second year to give the child more time, support, and opportunities to build on their strengths.

It is possible for your child to attend our centre in the 3 or 4 year old funded program and a day care facility but only if they are not utilising the funded program at the day care facility.  Please contact the kindergarten if you are unsure.

We love to see parents on ‘Kinder Duty’.  It is a wonderful way for parents to see what their child gets up to in the kinder space.  You would not be expected to stay for the entire session but if you were able to attend some portion of a session 1 to 2 times per term we know it would benefit both you and your child.

Please note that as of 2026, any visitors staying for duty in the kinder rooms would need to have a valid Working with Children check.

Pre-Prep will be starting in 2026 at Geelong West Kindergarten for certain children. Children in the Priority Cohort (Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander children, children from a refugee or asylum seeker background, children who have had contact with Child Protection and children who were supported by Early Start Kindergarten (ESK) or Access to Early Learning (AEL) in their Three-Year-Old Kindergarten year) will be offered up to 21.5 hours of funded kindergarten.

In 2028, the priority cohort will be extended out to children who have (or have a parent or guardian who has) a Commonwealth concession card and children from a multiple birth family (triplets or more).

For more information regarding Pre-Prep and the timeline for funding, go to delivering-pre-prep-children-priority-cohorts

 

 

 

 

To be eligible for ESK, your child must be 3 by 30 April in the year they start kindergarten, and:

  • from a refugee or asylum seeker background, or
  • are Aboriginal and/or Torres Strait Islander, or
  • have had contact with child protection.

If eligible, your child would be eligible for 15 hours of funded kindergarten per week, in the program 2 years before school.