Overview
Involve your staff early in discussions about possible changes. Talk about how days will be structured – such as routines, pedagogical practice - how staff may work together, and possible changes to your programming. Provide opportunities for your team to express their ideas and be involved in decisions, where possible.
You may find it helpful to think about the scale of change by considering the following:
- timing of changes – when will you begin the change process and when will it conclude?
- scope of changes – will changes affect the whole of your service or just one part?
- impact of changes – what changes will individuals and families experience in their daily lives?
For example, a major change will typically take longer so you may need to break the change down into stages, but a major change may also result in a greater positive impact for children and families.
As it becomes clearer what the future looks like at your service, you may find you and your team identify challenges and opportunities, as well as some of the support and professional development required. This is a positive sign and indicates you are leading change effectively.
As you identify and work through changes, there are three key resources you should refer to:
- policy and funding advice provided by the department
- the Kindergarten Funding Guide, which has funding and operational information that will be updated each year of the reforms
- the Pre-Prep website, for details on the transition to Pre-Prep in your LGA.
You can also use the information below and the Action plan template (PDF, 107KB) to help you work out your next steps.
Three-Year-Old Kindergarten
- Service providers determine how many hours of funded Three-Year-Old Kindergarten they deliver per week, with a minimum of 5 hours and a maximum of 15 hours, within set parameters. In 2024, more than 80% of services offered 15 hours per week.
- The priority is to give as many Victorian children access to funded Three-Year-Old Kindergarten as possible. Services will be funded pro rata for the program hours delivered.
- Three-Year-Old Kindergarten started in 2020 in 6 regional local government areas (LGAs). By 2029, services across the state will deliver 15 hours each week.
Pre-Prep in 2025 and 2026
- Pre-Prep will start in 6 LGAs in 2025. Services will offer between 16 and 30 hours of Pre-Prep each week.
- A further 12 LGAs will introduce Pre-Prep in 2026. Services will offer between 16 and 20 hours of Pre-Prep each week.
- New LGAs will be added to the roll-out each year. The staged schedule allows time to grow the necessary workforce and build the infrastructure, and for services to prepare for expanded programs.
- Full details around Pre-Prep in 2025 and 2026 are available on the Pre-Prep website.
Children from priority cohorts with access to Pre-Prep in 2026
Pre-Prep launches for children from priority cohorts statewide in 2026. Aboriginal or Torres Strait Islander children, children from a refugee or asylum seeker background, or children who have had contact with Child Protection are eligible for between 16 and 25 hours per week. Children supported by Access to Early Learning to attend Three-Year-Old Kindergarten are also eligible for Pre-Prep from 2026.
While all children stand to benefit from the reforms, it is recognised these children are likely to have the most to gain from expanded programs – which is why they are prioritised for access to Pre-Prep.
Children from these cohorts are currently eligible for Early Start Kindergarten (ESK), which continues to provide eligible three-year-old children access to up to 15 hours of kindergarten. Services are encouraged to use 2025 ESK enrolments to support the transition of children from priority cohorts into Pre-Prep in 2026.
Ensure existing practices relating to privacy and the handling of confidential family details are maintained, including eligibility for Pre-Prep or ESK.
You may also consider how program models support the privacy of children from priority cohorts. For example, rotational groups, where children attend in different combinations each day, may support the privacy of children receiving more funded hours than their peers.
Services can use the modelling examples in the Your guide to information sheets to get ideas on how to offer children from priority cohorts up to 25 hours of Pre-Prep from 2026. You can also contact your local Early Childhood Improvement Branch for advice.
Increasing your program hours
When working out how to transition from Four-Year-Old Kindergarten to Pre-Prep and continue Three-Year-Old Kindergarten, think about what is possible within your existing set-up to increase your hours.
See Making programming changes for information on different program models, including multi-age groups, rotational models, teaching longer days and team teaching. The Your Guide To information sheets have tips, ideas, and considerations about these approaches.
Look at how you can maximise your existing capacity by making programming changes, as well as considering your recruitment and infrastructure options. It may be that you use a combination of these strategies.
When you are considering how to increase your program hours, remember your local Early Childhood Improvement Branch can explore modelling, infrastructure and staffing options with you, based on the characteristics of your service.
You can also learn from and share strategies for expanding your programs through:
- your local Early Years Networks and Forums
- your Early Years Management (EYM) organisation if you are part of one
- if you are a parent-run committee of management service, you could also approach a local EYM organisation or peak body for advice.
Resources
Updated