Kindergarten
Thanks for using our Family Support Portal.
Here you can view some of our frequently asked questions relating to Kindergarten.
I have a general enquiry about Kindergarten at Explorers
If you have a general enquiry about Kindergarten at Explorers, please complete the form here.
What is Free Kinder?
The government provides a subsidy for children attending kindergarten in a Long Day Care (LDC) setting, such as Explorers, reducing your out of pocket costs.
This applies to both 3 and 4 year old kindergarten.
Free Kinder is a maximum of $2050 per calendar year for each child attending 15 hours plus per week. If you choose to attend only 1 day (7.5 hours) in 3 year old kindergarten, your child is eligible for $1025.
It’s important to note that children can only receive Free Kinder funding at one service. Therefore, if you’re enrolled at multiple Kindergartens or Long Day Care (LDC) centres, you must nominate which service will receive Free Kinder funding.
For more information on Free Kinder, please visit the Victorian Government Website.
What hours is my child required to attend Kindergarten?
• 3 year old kindergarten – a minimum of 7.5 hours per week (1 day).
• 4 year old kindergarten – a minimum of 15 hours per week (2 days).
Do casual days change the funding and how is it applied?
Casual days do not impact how the Free Kinder credits are applied.
Why do families choose Long Day Care (LDC)?
The main reason families choose LDC, such as Explorers is due to the flexibility required by working parents, who require care during school holidays, before 9am, and/or after 3pm. With two working parents, sessional kindergarten and early learning centre (ELC) can be very challenging.
Other benefits include all siblings under school age can attend one location, and cooked meals are provided.
What if I don’t know what year my child is going to school?
It is common for children born between January and April to commence school the year they turn 6. We recommend families discuss their goals with their child’s Kindergarten Teacher to make a plan. Our program caters to children turning 6 between January and April by making the learning concepts more challenging.
What age does my child need to be for kindergarten?
In VIC, children must start school no later than the year they turn 6. Children turning 5 between 1 January – 30 April have the option to start school in that year.
Can I attend both Sessional Kindergarten & Explorers’ Kindergarten programs?
Yes, we accept children who attend both programs.
Children attending the Explorers program will be prioritised in terms of days and classrooms. Each child can claim Free Kinder at one kindergarten only.
How do I enrol my child into the Explorers funded Kindergarten Program?
The Explorers Family Support Team will communicate with each family on how to nominate a funded 3 or 4 year old kindergarten place for the following year.
Do I get my CCS if my child attends Kindergarten?
Free Kinder does not affect CCS, so please lodge your CCS applications if you haven’t already done so.
Is there any connection between Explorers Kindergarten and my chosen Primary School?
For children claiming Kindergarten Funding through Explorers, your teacher will complete a Transition to School statement in Term 4 about your child, that is then sent to your chosen primary school.
Why are Kinder credits only applied during school terms and not school holidays?
Kinder credits are given for 40 weeks of the year. As the school year consists of 40 weeks, Explorers have chosen to align with these weeks for the application of Free Kinder credits.
What is Kindergarten funding?
Kindergarten Funding is not the same as Free Kinder. Kindergarten Funding is funding provided directly from the Government to the childcare service you’ve nominated. When you enrol your child into Kindergarten, you are required to ‘claim funding’ with only ONE Kindergarten service. The Government will then allocate funds to that service for learning materials, excursions, Kindergarten Teacher wages, etc.