Victorian children begin learning year in new kindergartens located on or beside schools

Hundreds of young Victorians will begin the new learning year in brand new facilities for the start of Term 1, with Minister for Early Childhood and Pre-Prep Ingrid Stitt announcing 11 new kindergartens located on or next door to existing school sites, creating education precincts in local communities. 

New kindergartens opening in metropolitan Melbourne include Reservoir East Primary School, Lalor Primary School, Movelle Primary School, Meadowglen Primary School in Epping, and Barrawang Primary School in Wollert. 

Kindergartens are also opening on interim sites at Essendon Keilor College and North Melbourne Primary School, where a temporary location is being used until the new campus opens in Term 2. 

Rosewood Down Primary School is also using a temporary location until its new kinder opens in March. Regional areas are also well served, with new kindergartens opening at Drouin West Primary School, Newhaven Primary School and Wonthaggi Primary School. 

Up to 140,000 children and families will benefit from Free Kinder in 2023, with children enrolled in Three-Year-Old Kindergarten receiving between 5 and 15 hours of funded learning each week, and those in Four-Year-Old Kindergarten receiving 15 hours per week. 

Under the Victorian Government’s Best Start, Best Life reform 50 government-owned and operated childcare centres will be established, along with the creation of Pre-Prep, an extra year of play-based learning. 

Free Kinder programs are available at 97 per cent of funded kindergarten services across the state, including sessional services and long day care centres.