Additional year of funded kindergarten or Pre-Prep from 2026

From 2026, across Victoria, children can apply to access an additional year of either:

• Three-Year-Old Kindergarten
• Pre-Prep (or Four-Year-Old Kindergarten for children not eligible for Pre-Prep).

That is, eligible children can access up to 3 years of funded kindergarten/Pre-Prep in Victoria.

During the kindergarten or Pre-Prep year, the kindergarten or Pre-Prep teacher and the child's parents/carers will work together to plan for the child's transition to their next educational learning environment; either to Four-Year-Old Kindergarten/Pre-Prep or to school.

Eligibility criteria

An additional year of funded kindergarten or Pre-Prep may be considered appropriate when a child shows delays in at least 2 learning and development outcome areas from the Victorian Early Years Learning and Development Framework (VEYLDF) and when:

• the kindergarten/Pre-Prep program is deemed to be the most appropriate learning program
• the child will achieve better outcomes at Three-Year-Old Kindergarten than if they go to transition to Four-Year-Old Kindergarten (or Pre-Prep) the following year
• the child will achieve better outcomes at Four-Year-Old Kindergarten (or Pre-Prep) than if they go to school.

In considering which learning environment will best support a child’s learning and development it is important that parents/carers visit and talk with the Four-Year-Old Kindergarten teacher at the kindergarten their child will attend or the Principal at the school they intend their child to go to. This will assist parents/carers, to find out about the program and the types of supports available to assist their child in the new environment. It is recommended that this is completed during Term 2 or Term 3.

As Pre-Prep rolls out across Victoria, the potential difference in hours a child receives in a Three-Year-Old program vs Four-Year-Old / Pre-Prep program could be substantial. Providers must factor in the total amount of kindergarten and Pre-Prep program hours a child would receive when considering whether a child would achieve better outcomes by accessing a second year of Three-Year-Old kindergarten as opposed to progressing to a Four-Year-Old / Pre-Prep program.

For example, service providers must consider a child who accesses a second year of Three-Year-Old Kindergarten will receive up to 2,400 hours; whereas a child who accesses a second year of Pre-Prep could receive up to 3,000 hours.

Communicating with parents

Does my child need a second year of kindergarten?

The factsheet for parents (docx - 350.24KB) outlines the options for children who may be eligible for another year of funded kindergarten/Pre-Prep. Information is also available on Does my child need a second year of kindergarten?.

Additional-year assessment process

The additional-year assessment process must be carried out by an early childhood teacher for each child being considered for an additional year of Three- or Four-Year-Old Kindergarten/Pre-Pre-prep.

When making assessments of children’s learning and development, kindergarten/Pre-Prep teachers can visit the VEYLDF Learning Practice Guide for support.

For teachers using the Early Years Assessment and Learning Tool (EYALT), a child’s Learning Reports can be used to support the assessment process to determine if a child is eligible to access a second funded year of kindergarten or Pre-Prep.

The process for assessing whether a child is eligible to access a second year of funded kindergarten or Pre-Prep requires:

1. The Term 3 plan for learning and development (DOCX, 126KB), in place for the beginning of Term 3.
2. Additional year discussion (DOCX, 119KB), completed with the child’s family and other early childhood professionals (if appropriate) by the end of Term 3.
3. Declaration of eligibility (DOCX, 67.2KB) for an additional year of kindergarten, completed by 30 November.
4. Additional year statement (DOCX, 127KB), completed during Term 4.

Term 3 plan for learning and development

The Term 3 plan for learning and development (docx - 126.55kb) is completed by kindergarten or Pre-Prep teacher in collaboration with parents/ carers. It is prepared for Term 3 and summarises a child's abilities, skills and interests, and indicates how they can be supported to continue their learning journey.

This plan is then reviewed by the kindergarten or Pre-Prep teacher with parents/carers towards the end of Term 3.

Additional year discussion

The Additional year discussion form (docx - 119.91KB) is for kindergarten and Pre-Prep teachers to use from Term 3 to help guide the discussion with parents/carers about a child’s learning and development progress.

Applying for an additional year of funded kindergarten in the Arrival system in Term 4

Following a review of the Term 3 plan for learning and development and a discussion with parents/carers using the Additional year discussion form, and the decision is made that a child is eligible for an additional year of funded kindergarten, a Declaration of eligibility must be completed.

Declaration of eligibility

A Declaration for Eligibility is submitted via the child’s record in the online Arrival system no later than 30 November in the year prior to the child accessing a second funded year of kindergarten or Pre-Prep. The declaration is completed by the child’s teacher and then submitted in Arrival.

Services should ensure a Declaration of Eligibility is completed in Arrival, saved as a PDF, printed and a copy provided to the parent/carer before the child is enrolled in another year of funded Three- or Four-Year-Old Kindergarten/ Pre-Prep. Early Childhood Improvement Branches can request these documents for auditing purposes; therefore, services must keep records of all forms and records of meetings with parents on the child’s file.

Early childhood teachers may use the hard copy Declaration of eligibility (docx - 67.2KB) form to support conversations with parents/carers, and other relevant professionals.

The Information sheet and checklist for completing the Declaration of eligibility (docx - 48.3KB outlines the steps to be undertaken when submitting a Declaration of Eligibility for an additional year of funded kindergarten or Pre-Prep. It is intended that the checklist is used by the teacher.

Additional year statement

Further to the Declaration of eligibility, teachers are required to complete an Additional year statement.

The Additional year statement (docx - 127.39KB) supports continuity of learning as the child transitions into an additional year of funded Three- or Four-Year-Old Kindergarten/Pre-Prep. This is completed in Term 4 and a copy is to be retained with the child’s enrolment record for reference or forwarded to the child’s new kindergarten if they are changing services.

Related information

Kindergarten Funding Guide

Information for service providers about eligibility and the process of applying for an additional year of funded kindergarten or Pre-Prep is available in the Kindergarten funding guide.

Victorian Early Years Learning and Development Framework

The Victorian Early Years Learning and Development Framework (VEYLDF) supports all professionals who work with children aged 0-8. It includes a range of discipline-specific guidelines and practice resources.

Early Years Assessment and Learning Tool

The Early Years Assessment and Learning Tool (EYALT) is an online resource co-designed with early childhood teachers to help teachers and educators understand each child's unique strengths, interests, and abilities.

The EYALT has 8 assessment modules aligned to the VEYLDF and can be used by teachers complete the Term 3 plan for learning and development and complete the Additional year discussion and statement.

Going to kindergarten if your child is 6 years old

Children are required to be enrolled in school in the year they turn 6 (compulsory school age). Attending an additional year of funded kindergarten or Pre-Prep may mean a child will need an exemption from school due to age.

If a child turns 6 while attending kindergarten, an exemption from school must be completed by 1 November the year prior. Information is also available on the department’s website Going to kindergarten if your child is 6 years old.