With 2025 approaching, it’s time to prepare for a new year of learning.
This article provides a snapshot of the key reforms commencing and continuing in the upcoming year in early childhood education in Victoria. It lists resources to help you welcome families to and share information with your community.
Please share this article with all early childhood teachers and educators in your service/s.
Snapshot for 2025
- New in 2025: Children in local government areas – Ararat, Gannawarra, Hindmarsh, Murrindindi, Northern Grampians and Yarriambiack will have access to Pre-Prep as the rollout commences
- New in 2025: Early Learning Victoria centres will open in Murtoa, Sunshine, Fawkner and Eaglehawk, the first 4 of the Victorian Government’s 50 early learning and childcare centres
- Free Kinder will continue, benefiting up to 140,000 children and their families
- The Three-Year-Old Kindergarten rollout will continue, with hours continuing to increase across the state
- Kinder Kits are back again for 2025 and will be available for every eligible child enrolled in Three-Year-Old Kindergarten. For more information, refer to Kinder Kits(opens in a new window)
- Services will prepare for the launch of Pre-Prep statewide in 2026 for children prioritised for early access. A further 12 local government areas will prepare to launch Pre-Prep in 2026.
Resources available
There are resources available to help services mark the start of the year, welcome families and communicate about 2025 programs.
These include:
- the Communicating about your kindergarten(opens in a new window) webpage – information and digital materials you can share on your social media channels, websites and newsletters to promote your kindergarten programs, and the benefits of 2 years of kindergarten
- the newly released Kindergarten Sector Guide(opens in a new window)– key information about the Best Start, Best Life reforms, and key initiatives such as Pre-Prep and Free Kinder. The guide also has information about the support available for children to access and take part in kindergarten programs, such as Early Start Kindergarten
- the 2025 start-of-year communication pack(opens in a new window) – sample newsletter content and social media posts to mark the start of the new year, talking points for conversations with families and links to further information
- the Information about kindergarten in your language(opens in a new window) webpage – information about kindergarten in Victoria in 30 languages
- the Tips for starting kindergarten(opens in a new window) webpage – tips designed for families to help them prepare for commencing kindergarten
- Kindergarten for Aboriginal children: Koorie Kids Shine(opens in a new window) – resources designed by and for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander children and their families.
There are also a range of free resources services can order through the Victorian Kindergarten Resources microsite(opens in a new window), such as the Kinder Tick signage.
Be part of the new year of learning
We want to hear from you, your teams and families about how you celebrate the new year of learning. Submit a short video or photo and a brief description of your story, and we will share it on our @earlychildhoodvic Instagram channel.
Stories may include:
- what your service is doing to welcome 2025 kinder families
- a newly graduated teacher or educator on their first day at kinder
- families returning to the kinder room for Four-Year-Old Kindergarten programs or for siblings starting at Three-Year-Old Kindergarten
- getting ready for kinder and what that means for you and your family.
Download our guide to filming short videos for social media for inspiration.
To submit your story, send a short video (20 to 50 seconds) or high-resolution image and brief outline of your story to EC.portfolio.communications@education.vic.gov.au
Find out more
For more information, refer to:
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