Enrolments & Fees

Applications for 2024

Enrolment Process

A central registration scheme for both 3 and 4 year old kindergarten programs is managed by the City of Monash Council. Enrolments for Hughesdale Kindergarten must be submitted via the council's Parent Portal by June 30th in the year before your child is due to start kindergarten to be considered for first round offers. Applications submitted after the closing date will be processed by Monash as a late application, and included after third round offers have been allocated.

Enrolment applications are accepted from families residing outside of the Monash Council area; however, in accordance with the Monash Facility Agreement, priority is given to those living within Monash Council.

Current enrolment in a 3-year-old kindergarten program does NOT guarantee a place in the 4-year-old program as each year’s waiting list is processed and allocated separately. Children can be enrolled for both 3 and 4-year-old kindergartens through a single application.

Allocation Process

Applications are scored based on the Department of Education and Training’s Priority Access Criteria and Monash Council’s additional priority access criteria before being ranked based on these scores. Offers are then sent out in order of ranking.

First round 3 and 4-year-old offers will be allocated July in the year prior to commencement of kindergarten by Monash Council, and are sent to Monash residents only, while residents outside of Monash City Council may receive an offer from round 2. Subsequent offers will be made until all kindergartens are full or no children remain on the waitlist. Families will have 7 days from the date of offer to accept or the offer will be rescinded by Monash.

Later in the year, you will receive further confirmation of your place & group session via email from Hughesdale Kindergarten. A refundable deposit of $100 must be paid at this time to confirm your place.

Hughesdale Kindergarten Open Day and Tours

Hughesdale Kindergarten usually holds an annual Open Day in May but we welcome enquiries throughout the year and can arrange a time for you to visit. Families have an opportunity to view our wonderful facilities, meet some of our experienced educators who will be on hand to answer any questions, and provide information on our programs and curriculum. You are welcome to bring your children and families to explore the playground and playroom. Before then, you can also get a glimpse of our indoor and outdoor learning environment through our Gallery & Virtual Tour section.

For questions around the central registration and enrolment process, please call Monash Council on (03) 9518 3530 or visit the City of Monash Council website for more information.

If you have other enrolment enquiries, or to arrange a tour, please Contact Us directly. You can also find out more information in our Enrolment Policy.

Is Your Child Ready For 3-Year-Old Kinder?

Every child’s development is unique, and services should work with families to consider the best time for a child to start kindergarten. We encourage you to talk to kindergarten teachers and other early childhood professionals such as Maternal Child Health nurse, Preschool Field Officer, allied health professional(s) who work with your child, family doctor or paediatrician, to help inform your decision.

All children who have turned 3 years of age before the 30th of April in the year they attend are eligible to enrol for 3-year-old kinder. It is very important however, that families carefully assess whether or not their child is really ready for the start of their kinder journey. Once a child starts 3-year-old kinder, they are then on the path to move into 4-year-old kinder the following year and then school the next year. So, ultimately if a child starts 3-year-old kinder too early they may not be ready for 4-year-old kinder and school.

We do not want to see children struggling through either of these preschool years and certainly do not want to send children off to school before they are ready. We see no disadvantage when children start kinder a little later. In fact, the longer you give your child to mature socially, emotionally, physically, and cognitively, the more prepared they will be for preschool and school and the more they will get out of these experiences.

Over the years, our observation has been that children who turn 3 between January and April benefit from waiting a year and starting 3-year-old kinder the following year. While every child develops differently and has had different experiences in their early years, it is often the case that younger children can sometimes find kinder very challenging. Things that children feel very comfortable doing at home with their family sometimes become very challenging in a large group environment.

Some expectations of a 3-year-old in our program include:

Belonging to a group of 26 children and interact positively with peers and educators
Beginning to share with others – resources, spaces, ideas

Starting to follow instructions and respond to guidelines
Following a basic routine
Paying attention for short periods of time and start to complete small tasks
Beginning to feel more confident separating from parents
Starting to become more independent – there are 3 adults to support and educate 26 children, and one of the goals in our 3 year old program is for the children to learn to be independent and to become confident decision makers, therefore children are expected to start to learn how to do things for themselves such as turn taps on, wash their hands, wipe their nose, choose a puzzle, start to toilet themselves and dress and undress themselves

Not requiring a day-time nap (if they are in an afternoon session group)
Beginning to control their own behaviour and emotions

There are other options to consider if you decide to wait a year. Play group or occasional care is a great option for children to start to develop these skills in the year prior to 3-year-old kinder.

Second Year of 3 and 4-Year-Old Kindergarten

It is important to carefully consider which year your child will start kindergarten. From 2022, children will no longer be able to repeat 3-year-old kindergarten. All children enrolled for the 3-year-old program are expected to transition to 4-year-old kindergarten the following year, and then into primary school.

A second year of funded 4-year-old kinder will only be approved if it is determined that your child is significantly behind in development in two or more key areas of development as assessed by an early childhood teacher, in discussion with any early childhood professionals. It is also very difficult to secure a second year of funding at your kindergarten of choice.

Please note: If your child turns six years of age (the compulsory school age) before or while attending kindergarten, you must obtain an exemption from attending school. Parents/guardians are responsible for seeking this exemption by applying to the Department of Education.

Fees

From 2023, both Three and Four-year-old kindergarten will be fully subsidised by the government for up to 15 hours per week. Please read our Fees Policy for any further fee information.

Children known to Child Protection, or referred by Child Protection to Child FIRST are given priority access to kindergarten for the two years before they start primary school, usually starting when they are three years old.