Kinder Archives - Explorers Early Learning

I have a general enquiry about Kinder at Explorers

If you have a general enquiry about Kinder at Explorers, please complete the form here.

How much do we need to pay with Kinder funding?

Daily fees at Explorers vary from Centre to Centre.

Generally speaking, your fees will reduce by either $50 or $25 per week.

How many days does my child need to attend to get Kinder funding?

For children attending 3-year-old Kinder there is no minimum attendance.

For children in 4-year-old Kinder you must be attending for a minimum of 15 hours per week, this is usually two days of care with Explorers.

Do casual days change the funding and how is it applied?

Casual days do not impact how the free kinder credits are applied.

What is the difference between Sessional Kinder and Kinder integrated in long day care?

Sessional Kindergarten is a one-to-two-year program for three and four-year old children. Notably, sessional Kinder generally operates on specified session times. Often, these are in three to five-hour blocks over two-to-three days per week.

Integrated Kinder is a Kinder program that is delivered within a Long Day Care (LDC) Centre.

LDC Centres are centre-based early learning services provided by childcare professionals (Educators) for children as young as six weeks old to school age (six years old in Victoria). LDC Centres operate longer hours than sessional Kindergartens, opening as early as 6am and closing as late as 7pm. Ultimately, this accommodates working and/or studying parents and guardians. These Centres will generally offer an integrated Kinder program which is guided by Bachelor qualified teachers across the week for our three and four-year-old children.

For more detail, check out our blog post on the topic.

What happens if I think my child needs more time in Kinder before going to school?

In some cases, children can repeat their second year of Kindergarten. To be eligible, your child’s teacher must believe that your child has a delay in two or more key areas and would benefit from a second year of 4-year-old Kindergarten. If you agree, they will complete a ‘Declaration of Eligibility’ for an additional year of Kinder which is sent to the Department.

If your child turns six in their first or second year of four-year-old Kindergarten, you must get an exemption from school from Department of Education.

When does the Kinder program run?

At Explorers, we offer an integrated Kinder program within our long day care Centres which is guided by Bachelor qualified teachers across the week for our three and four-year-old children. This program gives children the knowledge and confidence to begin their school journey.

Our Kinder program runs 52 weeks of the year.

When can my child start Kinder and/or school?

In Victoria, children start Kindergarten at 3 years old, which means they have two years of Kinder before starting school.

If your child was born between January and April, you can choose if they start 3-year-old Kinder the same year that they turn 3 or in the year they turn 4.

Depending on when they commence Kinder, your child will start school in the year that they turn 5 or 6.

In Victoria, children must start school no later than the year they turn six.

What happens if I attend Kinder somewhere else?

Children can only receive Free Kinder funding at one service.

If you’re enrolled at multiple Kindergartens or LDC centres, you must nominate which service will receive Free Kinder funding.

Do we need to enrol in Kinder?

If your child is already enrolled at one of our Centres, their enrolment will continue through to the next year, unless you cancel care.
However, you must formally nominate one service through which to claim Kinder funding.

If you elect to claim Kinder funding through our Centre, your child will be placed in a funded Kinder room led by an appropriately qualified Early Childhood Teacher.

Please be aware that you can only nominate one service through which to claim Kinder Funding and Free Kinder.