Age
Your child will be eligible for kindergarten only if they meet the following age criteria:
- Three-year-old kindergarten, your child must turn 3 by the 30 April in the year commencing three-year-old Kindergarten, but cannot attend until they have turned 3.
- Four-year-old kindergarten, your child must turn 4 by the 30 April in the year commencing four-year-old Kindergarten
Families with children born between January and April can choose which year to start Three-year-old kindergarten. These children can start in the same year they turn three, or in the year they turn four years of age. When your child starts at kindergarten directly relates to the age they will start at primary school. When enrolling at Three-Year-Old Kindergarten, we encourage families to plan ahead and consider the age they would like their child to start at school. Please contact us if you would like to speak with one of our Early Childhood Teachers for advice.
Allocation of kinder placements: Priority of Access
St John’s Kindergarten follows the Department of Education’s Priority of Access criteria that prioritises allocation for kindergarten according to the following:
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 that meet the eligibility criteria for the Kindergarten Fee Subsidy.
- Children with additional needs.
Children that fit one or more of those criteria will be allocated to a place in kindergarten as a high priority. The online enrolment form will collect all the information required to determine if a child is eligible for Priority of Access.
If you believe you or your child are in exceptional circumstances which require prioritisation and are not covered by any of the above criteria, please St John’s Kindergarten enrolment.st.johns.croydon.kin@kindergarten.vic.gov.au to discuss.
Additional criteria
If, after applying the priority of access policy, there are more applications than places, St. John’s Kindergarten will process all other applications according to the following criteria:
Three Year Old Kindergarten Program
Following high priority children, as outline by the DE’s PoA criteria, second priority considerations will be considered in the following order:
1. Siblings:
Children with a sibling with a prior connection to the kindergarten within the last 5 years, with preference given in order of closest residential address to St John’s Kindergarten (as measured by a geographical straight line).
2. Residents of Maroondah – closest kindergarten:
Maroondah residents applying for St John’s Kindergarten with preference in order of closest residential address to the kindergarten (as measured by a geographical straight line).
3. Non-residents of Maroondah
Maroondah residents applying for St John’s Kindergarten with preference in order of closest residential address to the kindergarten (as measured by a geographical straight line).
If all criteria are equal, positions will be determined by a computer-generated random allocation. Fulfilling the criteria for registration does not guarantee a placement at the kindergarten due to the excessive number of applicants.
Four Year Old Kindergarten Program
Following high priority children, as outline by the DE’s PoA criteria, second priority considerations will be considered in the following order:
1. Second year of 4-year-old kindergarten:
Children currently enrolled at St John’s Kindergarten who have received funding for a second year of 4-year-old kindergarten are placed at the same kindergarten.
2. Previous attendance
Children who have attended the 3-year-old program in the previous year and have applied for the 4-year-old program at St John’s Kindergarten, with preference given in order of closest residential address to the kindergarten (as measured by a geographical straight line).
3. Siblings:
Children with a sibling with a prior connection to the kindergarten within the last 5 years, with preference given in order of closest residential address to St John’s Kindergarten (as measured by a geographical straight line).
4. Residents of Maroondah – closest kindergarten:
Maroondah residents applying for St John’s Kindergarten with preference in order of closest residential address to the kindergarten (as measured by a geographical straight line).
5. Non-residents of Maroondah
Non-residents of Maroondah applying for St John’s Kindergarten with preference in order of closest residential address to the kindergarten (as measured by a geographical straight line).
If all criteria are equal, positions will be determined by a computer-generated random allocation. Fulfilling the criteria for registration does not guarantee a placement at a kindergarten due to the excessive number of applicants.
Applications received prior to June 30 in the year offers are sent will be processed first. Remaining applications will then be processed and offered a place subject to availability.
Applications not included in the first round of offers will be placed on a waitlist and offered a place subject to availability.
Early Start Kindergarten
Early Start Kindergarten gives eligible children 15 hours of free or low-cost kindergarten a week for two years before starting school.
To be eligible, your child must be three by 30 April in the year they start kindergarten, and:
- is from a refugee or asylum seeker background, or
- identify as Aboriginal or Torres Strait Islander, or
- your family has had contact with child protection.
Children can also access free or low cost Four-Year-Old Kindergarten through the Early Start Kindergarten Extension Grant.