Register for kindergarten

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You can register your child for 3 and 4-year-old participating kindergartens programs online through Council’s Central Registration Scheme.

Registrations start on 1 April the year before your child starts kindergarten.

Choosing your participating kindergarten:

visit the Groups and Sessions page to find program times that suit your needs
tour a few kindergartens by arranging a visit.

Using Central Registration Scheme (CRS)

The process allows you to:

register your child
nominate in order your three kindergarten preferences
update your details and preferences
accept or reject an offer

Key registration dates

Stage	Date
Registration open	1 April
Registration for first round offers close	15 July
First round offers are based on your first preference	August
Second and subsequent offer rounds	From September

Priority of Access Criteria

Priority of Access Criteria ensures fair and transparent selection for all eligible children where there are more children than places available.

There are 5 Priority of Access criteria:

Expand all

Priority 1 – High priority children

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 (Health Care Cards, Pension Cards)
Children with additional needs, defined as children who:
- need additional assistance to take part
- need a combination of services which are individually planned
- have an identified disability or developmental delay.

Priority 2 – Local Kindergarten Community Areas OR Knox residents with prior attendance by older siblings

Living in a Local Kindergarten Community Area

A Local Kindergarten Community Area recognises:

families that live in Knox and may want to attend a local kindergarten. They may also have strong links to primary schools in the area.
that local transport and walkability are important factors for families.
that families make better social connections if they attend:
- groups for new parents
- local community and supported playgroups within their Local Community Area.

Note: Families choosing a kindergarten in their Local Kindergarten Community Area as their first preference will receive higher priority.

Priority two criteria You must meet at least one of the below criteria	How we verify your needs
Siblings	An older sibling must have gone to the same kindergarten within the last 5 years. The sibling must have attended your first preference kindergarten.
Current long day care attendance	Your child currently attends council long day care at your first preference kindergarten site.
Current three-year-old program attendance	Your child attends a three-year-old program at any CRS participating kindergarten.

Priority two criteria

You must meet at least one of the below criteria

How we verify your needs

Siblings

An older sibling must have gone to the same kindergarten within the last 5 years. The sibling must have attended your first preference kindergarten.

Current long day care attendance

Your child currently attends council long day care at your first preference kindergarten site.

Current three-year-old program attendance

Your child attends a three-year-old program at any CRS participating kindergarten.

Priority areas

map of local kindergarten priority areas

Priority 3 – All other children who are Knox residents

Families who live in Knox, but DO NOT fit into either Priority 1 or 2.

Priority 4 – Non-Knox resident, who works or studies in Knox

Residents who do not live in Knox, but work or study in the area.

Priority 5 – Non-Knox resident who does not work or study in Knox

Residents who do not live in Knox, and do not work or study in the area.

Kindergarten policy and procedure

Our Funded Kindergarten Policy and Funded Kindergarten Registration and Enrolment Procedure set out how we manage kindergarten central registration scheme. They are designed to ensure that the process is accessible, and places are allocated fairly.

Fees

No fees are charged for 3 or 4-year-old sessional kindergarten. Kindergarten is funded by the Victorian Government.

Need help?

Email [email protected].

We aim to contact you within 3 business day after receiving your enquiry. This may take longer during the registration period.

Or call our Kindergarten Services on 9298 8000.