Kindergarten Central Registration – Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

Kindergarten Central Registration is the process used to allocate places in funded 3-year-old and 4-year-old sessional kindergarten programs. It helps ensure places are offered fairly, consistently and in line with State Government Priority of Access requirements.

Council manages the central kindergarten registration system for services operating in Council owned facilities. This means Council:

• Receives and processes kindergarten registrations through a centralised system
• Manages registrations for Council-owned facilities where a funded kindergarten program operates
• Allocates kindergarten places in line with the registration process and priority criteria

While Council manages the registration and allocation process, Council does not:

• Manage day-to-day operations of individual kindergarten services
• Control individual kindergarten policies, staffing, or programming
• Complete enrolment paperwork with families
• Manage ongoing communication about orientation sessions, start dates, or attendance once a place is accepted

After accepting an offer, families should contact the kindergarten service directly for all enrolment, program, and attendance-related enquiries.

Registrations are collected the year prior to when the child attends – this is the case for both 3-year-old and 4-year-old kindergarten.

For children registering to attend funded 3-year-old or 4-year-old sessional kindergarten in 2027.

Registrations open: 1 May 2026

On-time registrations close: 3 July 2026

Offers begin: From 23 July 2026

Yes. Families must submit a separate registration for 4-year-old kindergarten.

Registering by the closing date gives your child the best possible chance of receiving an offer at one of your preferred kindergartens. Late registrations are still accepted but are placed lower in the allocation process.

Kindergarten places are allocated using a priority order set by State Government and Council. Children are offered places based on their priority level, with Level 1 being the highest priority.

In simple terms, priority is based on:

• Children with the highest needs or vulnerabilities
• Whether you live or pay rates in Frankston City
• Whether your child already attends the kindergarten or has a sibling connection
• Whether you registered on time

If there are more applications than places available after applying all priority levels, remaining places are allocated through a random computerised ballot.

Level 1 – Highest Priority

Children who meet State Government Priority of Access criteria, including:

• Children at risk of abuse or neglect (including Out-Of-Home Care)
• Aboriginal and/or Torres Strait Islander children
• Refugee or asylum seeker children
• Children eligible for Kindergarten Fee Subsidy
• Children with additional needs (supporting documentation required)
• Children approved for a second year of funded kindergarten
• Children/families with approved exceptional circumstances

Levels 2–5 – On-time Frankston City residents/ratepayers

These levels consider:

• Whether the child is continuing from 3-year-old to 4-year-old kindergarten at the same service
• Whether the kindergarten is in the child’s local postcode
• Sibling connections (previous or current)

Level 6 – Late Frankston City registrations

Children who live in Frankston City but registered after the closing date.

Levels 7–9 – Non-resident children

Includes non-resident families with continuing enrolments, sibling connections, and all other non-resident applications.

Exceptional circumstances are situations that may significantly affect a family’s access to kindergarten. These registrations are assessed individually by Children’s Services management. Families are encouraged to include details of any exceptional circumstances at the time of registration, as this information helps Council assess applications appropriately during the allocation process.

Examples may include:

• Multiple births
• Parent with a disability
• Parent or child with a diagnosed mental health condition
• Homelessness
• Drug and/or alcohol misuse
• Court orders limiting kindergarten choice
• Other situations supported by a child or family support service

No. All registrations submitted by the closing date are considered ‘on-time’ and are treated the same, regardless of when they are lodged. Priority is based on the allocation criteria, not the order applications are received.

You can nominate up to three kindergartens, listed in order of preference.

Please note: nominating preferences does not guarantee an offer at any of those kindergartens, particularly in areas where demand is higher than the number of available places.

If your circumstances change (for example, a change of address, care arrangements, or family situation), please contact the Kindergarten Registration team as soon as possible so your registration can be updated. This is important to ensure your registration is updated prior to offers and the appropriate criteria is applied to your registration. 

This information is available from the Kindergarten provider. 

Each kindergarten manages tour and open days. Please contact the kindergarten to discuss.

Some registrations may require supporting documentation, such as proof of address, concession cards, or information confirming additional needs or exceptional circumstances. The registration team will contact you if further information is required.

Examples of information we may ask for to support your registration includes:

• Rates notice, utilities notice, drivers licence
• Letter from a GP, health professional or specialist 

Offers are sent by email. Please ensure your contact details are correct and check your inbox (including junk or spam folders).

Once you accept an offer, the kindergarten service will contact you directly with enrolment information, orientation details, and next steps.

If your circumstances change and you no longer require the place, please notify the Kindergarten Registration team as soon as possible so the place can be offered to another child.

If you do not receive an offer at one of your nominated preferences, the Kindergarten Registration team will:

• Email you to inform you that you have not received an offer
• it can take up to 3 weeks for families to accept or decline an offer
• a further email will be sent weekly to those on a waitlist to provide updates on their status
• At this time you may be provided with information about other kindergartens where places may be available, or
• Give you the option to remain on a waitlist for your preferred kindergarten

Yes. If you do not receive an offer at your preferred kindergarten, you may choose to join the waitlist. Offers may be made later if places become available.

If you are offered your second or third preference kindergarten you can accept the offer and still elect to wait for your first preference kindergarten in the event that a place becomes available.

If there are no places available at any of the three kindergarten preferences nominated, you will go on the waiting list and still be considered for any of your three preferences should a place become available.

The Priority of Access criteria will still apply to the allocation process. 

You can use the Department of Education’s Find a Kinder online search tool. This interactive map helps you locate Victorian Government-approved funded kindergarten programs in areas that are convenient for your family.

If you have questions or need support with your kindergarten registration, please contact the Kindergarten Registration team.

Email: Kindergarten@frankston.vic.gov.au

Phone: 1300 322 322

They can assist with understanding the process, preferences, and next steps.

Funded 3-year-old and 4-year-old kindergarten is offered in community kindergartens, childcare centres, children's centres and schools and is managed by volunteer committees, or not for profit early years managers.

Find A Kinder Program - Department of Education

To be eligible for funded 3-year-old kindergarten children must be 3 years of age or older by 30 April in the year they start kindergarten.

To be eligible for funded 4-year-old kindergarten children must be 4 years of age or older by 30 April in the year they start kindergarten.

The Victorian Government is investing up to $169.6 million to offer free kindergarten, to give our kids the best start in life. This means more children will have access to quality early childhood education before they start school. Your service is participating in this program.

All families with a child enrolled in a funded participating kindergarten program are eligible for Free Kinder(PDF, 202KB), in either sessional or long day care services.

Payments will be made directly to participating kindergarten service providers. The saving will be passed on to families though reduced fees. You will not receive a lump sum payment or allowance.

• Victorian Government - costs of kindergarten

From time to time, new kindergartens are planned to open within the municipality. These may be Council projects or delivered by other providers.

If a new kindergarten is planned to open for the year your child would attend, it will be included as an option to select during the registration process. Council can accept registrations for these services; however, the opening of any new kindergarten is subject to receiving final Service Approval.

If a kindergarten is not yet confirmed or approved for the upcoming intake year, it will not be listed as a preference. Families will be updated as more information becomes available.

You should let Council know if there are any important changes after you submit your registration, including:

• A change of address or contact details
• Changes to family circumstances that may affect priority access
• New or updated documentation (for example, eligibility or support needs)
• If you no longer require a kindergarten place

Kindergarten groups and session times are based on enrolment numbers. In some years, where there are more registrations than expected, a kindergarten may be able to create additional groups to meet demand.

Because final enrolment numbers and group arrangements are not known until registrations and offers are nearly finalised, session times cannot always be confirmed earlier. Families will receive information about group arrangements and session times directly from the kindergarten once places have been confirmed.

Families who have a child attending three‑year‑old kindergarten are strongly supported to continue at the same service for four‑year‑old kindergarten. Continuity of attendance is a State Government Priority of Access and is an important consideration in the allocation process.

Families are still required to register for four‑year‑old kindergarten. While Council works to support continuity wherever possible, placements depend on available places and the full set of priority criteria that apply across all registrations.

A late registration is an application submitted after the advertised closing date.

Late registrations are still accepted; however, children registered on time are allocated places first. This may reduce the likelihood of receiving an offer at your preferred kindergarten. Families are encouraged to register by the closing date whenever possible.

Children are eligible for one funded kindergarten program per year.

Some families choose to enrol their child in a sessional kindergarten and also use a long day care service for additional care. If doing this, the kindergarten program at the long day care service must be unfunded.

Families are encouraged to check directly with the kindergarten or long day care service to understand how programs are offered and whether fees may apply.

Sessional kindergarten programs are usually delivered at community or stand‑alone kindergarten services. They operate at set times on specific days and focus on an early learning program delivered by a qualified early childhood teacher during kindergarten sessions only.

Long day care kindergarten programs are delivered within a long day care setting. Children attend a kindergarten program as part of a longer day of education and care, which may include extended hours before and after the kindergarten program.

Both sessional and long day care kindergartens offer an approved kindergarten program and are led by qualified early childhood teachers. The main differences are the setting, hours of care, and how the program fits with family work and care needs.

Free Kinder is a Victorian Government initiative that covers the cost of a funded kindergarten program for eligible children.

At sessional kindergartens, Free Kinder covers the kindergarten program delivered during set session times. Families may still be asked to contribute to additional costs, such as excursions.

At long day care kindergartens, Free Kinder covers the kindergarten program component only. Families may still need to pay fees for any additional hours of care outside the funded program.

Free Kinder applies to one funded kindergarten program per child per year. Families are encouraged to check with their service about how Free Kinder is applied and whether any fees may still be payable.