Free Kinder Update Four-Year-Old Kinder is becoming Pre-Prep

The Victorian Government, with the Free Kinder program, is committed to providing high quality early childhood education for all children, including those from diverse cultural backgrounds. Pre-Prep will be led by qualified teachers and be available in standalone kindergartens and long day care centres.

Key Changes:

• Increased Hours: From 2025, Pre-Prep programs will be increasing from 15 hours and will become 30 hours per week by 2036.
• Staggered Rollout: Pre-Prep will begin in six local government areas (LGAs) in 2025 and gradually expand across the state. New LGAs will be added to the roll-out each year.
• In 2026, Pre-Prep will become available for children who identify as Aboriginal, from a refugee or asylum seeker background or who have had contact with Child Protection services.

Pre-Prep hours will increase from 15 to 30 weekly by 2036. Starting in 2025, it will roll out in six LGAs, expanding yearly. In 2026, it will include Aboriginal and vulnerable children.

Key Benefits:

• A child who attends a quality Pre-Prep program:
  • o develops better cognitive, social, and emotional skills.
  • can achieve higher exam scores at 16, including better grades in Maths and English.
• Pre-Prep recognises and celebrates cultural diversity.
  • Children learn alongside peers from various backgrounds, fostering understanding, empathy, and respect.
• Children from linguistically diverse backgrounds (CALD communities) will have more opportunities to develop language skills, both in English and their home languages.
• Pre-Prep programs incorporate a variety of:
  • cultural values,
  • traditions,
  • and beliefs, thereby creating a supportive learning environment.

A quality Pre-Prep program enhances cognitive, social, and emotional skills, leading to higher exam scores. It celebrates cultural diversity, fostering empathy and respect among children from various backgrounds. CALD children develop language skills, and programs incorporate diverse cultural values and traditions.

For further information, please visit the official Pre-Prep page on the Victorian Government
website https://www.vic.gov.au/preprep

For more details about the Free Kinder program check https://www.vic.gov.au/kinder-quick-guide-parents