Funded three-year-old kindergarten for Maroondah families in 2022

Three-year-old funded kindergarten is coming to Maroondah in 2022 with kinder applications now open for enrolments.

From next year, as part of the Victorian Government’s Kindergarten Reform, every Victorian three-year-old will be able to access a minimum of five hours per week of funded three-year-old kindergarten, progressively scaling up to 15 hours per week by 2029.

Currently, the Victorian Government subsidises 15 hours per week of kindergarten in the year before school, known as four-year-old kindergarten.

Maroondah City Council is committed to supporting the community in accessing quality education and is working in partnership with the Victorian Department of Education and Training (DET), the Maroondah Incorporated Kindergarten Association (MIKA) and other education service providers to plan for the subsidised roll-out of three-year-old kindergarten.

Stand-alone kindergartens in Maroondah are part of the MIKA central enrolment system, which is supported by Council. MIKA provides a central enrolment system for both three and four-year-old groups, on behalf of its 22-member kindergartens.

Children are eligible to attend a funded kindergarten program if they turn three or four years of age on or before 30 April in the year of attendance.

Early Start Kindergarten (ESK) is also available and gives eligible children 15 hours of free or low-cost kindergarten a week for two years before starting school.

To apply for a three-year-old or four-year-old place in a MIKA kindergarten, please complete an online application. The MIKA central enrolment system operates on an annual cycle, with applications taken the year prior to attendance.

Maroondah Mayor Cr Kylie Spears said the introduction of funded three-year-old kindergarten for Victorian families meant more children can benefit from two years of early learning prior to school.

“New Victorian Government policy requires three-year-old kindergarten to be made available to all eligible children from 2022, with research showing that two years of kinder leads to better long-term outcomes for children both academically and socially,” Cr Spears said.

“Kindergarten is an important stage of a child’s social and emotional development, and with funding available for three-year-old kindergarten from next year, this means that it will be much more affordable for local families to participate in the program,” she said.

“This is the largest social, economic and educational reform in early childhood education in Victoria’s history and will see the state become the first state or territory in Australia to introduce funded kindergarten for all eligible children, which is great news for Maroondah families,” Cr Spears said.

In 2022, services will be required to deliver a minimum of five hours kindergarten per child that is planned and delivered by a qualified early childhood teacher to attract funding for three-year-old kindergarten.

To support services with the roll-out of funded three-year-old kindergarten, Council will work with Committees of Management, Early Years Management, Long Day Care providers and educators to develop the Kindergarten Change Management Plan (KCMP).

The plan will help manage the process of change that kindergartens will need to undertake to maximise utilisation of their licensed places and accommodate the roll-out of funded three-year-old kindergarten.

“The transition from home to kindergarten is a significant stage in a child’s life. It is also an experience of mixed emotions for parents as they start their child on the path to learning within an educational program,” Cr Spears said.

“Kindergarten improves a child’s health and wellbeing, helps them to develop strong social skills and encourages a love of learning.

“Research also shows that attending two years of quality kindergarten has even greater benefits. Children who attend kindergarten are more independent and confident and are more likely to make a smooth transition to primary school,” she said.

You can find a list of kindergartens in Maroondah and their contact details in the Maroondah Community Directory. If you live in Maroondah, the ‘My Maroondah’ interactive map can show you the kindergarten services closest to you.

The Starting Blocks website can help you to find kindergarten programs near you and their quality ratings.

Contact the Maroondah Integrated Kindergarten’s Association (MIKA) Central Enrolment Officer on 0449 997 488 (during school terms, Monday to Wednesday 10am to 2.30pm) or Maroondah City Council Kindergarten Officer on 1300 88 22 33. Kindergarten programs in Maroondah that are not part of the MIKA central enrolment system will need to be applied for through individual centres. For all other information, see the

To be eligible for Early Start Kindergarten, your child must be three by 30 April in the year they start kindergarten. For more information on ESK and to check if your child is eligible, visit the

To decide if your child is ready to start kindergarten, talk to your Maternal and Child Health nurse about your child’s health and wellbeing.

To find out more about the changes to funded kindergarten programs and to make the best choice for your child, visit the