Kindergarten – Mornington Peninsula Shire (mornpen.vic.gov.au). This information relates to 2026 registrations, if you require a position for 2025 please contact the Kindergarten Team at Mornington Peninsula Shire Council on (03) 5950 1000.
Mornington Peninsula Shire supports the delivery of kindergarten services for families by providing community infrastructure and Kindergarten Central Registration (KCR).
Kindergarten central registration is a streamlined and transparent application and allocation process that is fair and equitable for all families to support their access to community kindergarten programs across the Shire.
There are a number of both three year old and four year old kindergarten programs offered across the Mornington Peninsula Shire; this includes community kindergartens operating in Council owned buildings, private providers and kindergarten programs offered in long day care and/or early learning centers.
In Victoria three and four year old kindergarten is not compulsory; however it is acknowledged that the kindergarten experience is valuable in providing children with the opportunity to learn and develop skills through a play based curriculum and can also assist children in their transition to primary school. For further information, please visit: Kindergarten – Best Start, Best Life | Victorian Government (www.vic.gov.au)
KINDERGARTEN CENTRAL ONLINE REGISTRATION
The on-time registration period for children wishing to attend 3 Year old and 4 Year old Kindergarten in 2026 opens on Thursday 1st May 2025 and closes Wednesday 2nd July 2025. Any registrations received after the 2nd July are late registrations. – Click the link for the 2026 Kindergarten Central Registration Information Book (this document is yet to be released by the Shire)
To register for 3 year old or 4 year old kindergarten in 2026 please click here.
KINDERGARTEN CENTRAL REGISTRATION
Kindergarten Priority of Access / Allocation Criteria:
The Shire has reviewed the Priority of Access / Allocation Criteria for Kindergarten Central Registration in line with the State Government introduction of two years’ of funded Kindergarten (which commenced in 2022).
From 2026, the Priority of Access / Allocation Criteria for Kindergarten registrations will be as follows:
Level 1: Children eligible for priority access as determined by the Department of Education Priority of Access – child meets the current eligibility criteria as outlined by the Department of Education Priority of Access Policy.
• Children at risk of abuse or neglect, including children in Out-Of-Home Care
• Aboriginal and/or Torres Strait Islander children
• Asylum seeker and refugee children
• Children eligible for the Kindergarten Fee Subsidy
• Children with additional needs, defined as children who:
o require additional assistance to fully participate in the kindergarten program
o require a combination of services which are individually planned
o have an identified disability or developmental delay
• Children approved for a 2nd year of funded kindergarten
Level 2: Mornington Peninsula Shire residents currently enrolled at the service. This applies to Four-Year-Old Kindergarten registrations only
2.1 Resident – Child is a Mornington Peninsula Shire resident/ratepayer, and
Continuity – child is currently enrolled in a three-year-old kindergarten program registering in a Four-year-old kindergarten program at the same kindergarten service, and
Proximity – Child is registering for the kindergarten closest to their residential address, and
Sibling Connection – child had a sibling previously attend the same kindergarten service within 3 years and/or has a sibling registering at the same kindergarten service in the same year.
2.2 Resident – Child is a Mornington Peninsula Shire resident/ratepayer, and
Continuity – child is currently enrolled in a three-year-old kindergarten program registering in a four-year-old kindergarten program at the same kindergarten service, and
Proximity – Child is registering for the kindergarten closest to their residential address
2.3 Resident – Child is a Mornington Peninsula Shire resident/ratepayer, and
Continuity – child is currently enrolled in a three-year-old kindergarten program registering in a four-year-old kindergarten program at the same kindergarten service, and
Sibling Connection – child had a sibling previously attend the same kindergarten service within 3 years and/or has a sibling registering at the same kindergarten service in the same year.
2.4 Resident – Child is a Mornington Peninsula Shire resident/ratepayer, and
Continuity – child is currently enrolled in a three-year-old kindergarten program registering in a four-year-old kindergarten program at the same kindergarten service.
Level 3: Mornington Peninsula Shire residents registering for their local Kindergarten
3.1 Resident – Child is a Mornington Peninsula Shire resident/ratepayer, and
Proximity – Child is registering for the kindergarten closest to their residential address, and
Sibling Connection – child had a sibling previously attend the same kindergarten service within 3 years and/or has a sibling registering at the same kindergarten service in the same year.
3.2 Resident – Child is a Mornington Peninsula Shire resident/ratepayer, and
Proximity – Child is registering for the kindergarten closest to their residential address.
Level 4: Mornington Peninsula Shire Residents
4.1 Resident – Child is a Mornington Peninsula Shire resident/ratepayer, and
Sibling Connection – child had a sibling previously attend the same kindergarten service within 3 years and/or has a sibling registering at the same kindergarten service in the same year.
4.2 Resident – Child is a Mornington Peninsula Shire resident/ratepayer.
Level 5: Non – Mornington Peninsula Shire Residents
5.1 Non-resident – Child is not a Mornington Peninsula Shire resident/ratepayer, and
Continuity – child is currently enrolled in a three-year-old kindergarten program registering in a four-year-old kindergarten program at the same kindergarten service.
5.2 Non-resident – Child is not a Mornington Peninsula Shire resident/ratepayer, and
Proximity – Child is registering for the kindergarten closest to their residential address (within 2km radius), and/or
Sibling Connection – child had a sibling previously attend the same kindergarten service within the last three years and/or has a sibling registering at the same kindergarten service in the same year
5.3 Non-resident – Child is not a Mornington Peninsula Shire resident/ratepayer.
EARLY START KINDERGARTEN – your child may be eligible.
Early Start Kindergarten gives eligible children 15 hours of free or low-cost kindergarten a week for two years before starting school.
A child is eligible for Early Start Kindergarten if they are three years old by 30 April in the year they are attending kindergarten and:
• are from a refugee or asylum seeker background, or
• identify as Aboriginal and/or Torres Strait Islander, or
• if the eligible family has had contact with child protection.
Children can be enrolled in a three-year-old group, a four-year-old group, a mixed age group or a combination of groups at the same service, delivered by a qualified early childhood teacher, to maximise their access to 15 hours of funded kindergarten.
Where 15 hours are not available in a mixed age or three-year-old program, the kindergarten registration team will work with the parent/guardian and kindergarten to discuss available options.
For more information, visit the Quick guide for parents | vic.gov.au
ROLL OUT OF PRE-PREP
From 2026, Pre-Prep gives eligible children access to 16 – 25 hours of funded kindergarten a week, in the year before school. Each kindergarten decides how many hours will be provided within this range.
A child is eligible for Pre-Prep if they are four years old by 30 April in the year they are attending kindergarten and:
• are from a refugee or asylum seeker background, or
• identify as Aboriginal and/or Torres Strait Islander, or
• if the eligible family has had contact with child protection.
Children can be enrolled in a three-year-old group, a four-year-old group, a mixed age group or a combination of groups at the same service, delivered by a qualified early childhood teacher, to maximise their access to increased hours of funded kindergarten.
Pre-Prep timetables are available by contacting the kindergarten registration team. If a child is eligible for Pre-Prep, the family will be able to select options for extended hours at time of registration. If there are no Pre-Prep vacancies available at a family’s preferred kindergarten, the kindergarten registration team will contact the parent/guardian to discuss options.
For more information and to access the Pre-Prep calculator, visit: Quick guide for parents | vic.gov.au
ELIGIBILITY FOR A SECOND YEAR OF KINDERGARTEN
During the kindergarten year, teachers and families will work together to plan a child’s transition to four-year-old kindergarten or school.
A child may be able to access a second year of funded Three-Year-Old or Four-Year-Old Kindergarten if they are showing delays in their learning and development, and staying in the kindergarten program is the best option to support their learning.
If a child attends a kindergarten participating in the Mornington Peninsula Shire CRES, the kindergarten will notify Council if a child is completing a second year of Three-Year-Old or Four-Year-Old Kindergarten. Council will send the family an email with a unique link to complete an updated registration form. The child will be eligible for priority access. For any questions, families can speak with their child’s teacher.
If a child is going to kindergarten somewhere else (like a long day care, private service or in a different council area), families will need to fill out an online registration form for their child’s second year. After they register, Council will get in touch for more details.
For more information, visit the Department of Education website: Does my child need a second year of kindergarten? | vic.gov.au