Four-Year-Old Kinder - Pre-Prep
What is Pre-Prep?
Four-Year-Old Kindergarten in Victoria is gradually transitioning to Pre-Prep.
Pre-Prep is an early learning program for four-year-old children that follows Three-Year-Old Kindergarten. It is in the year before school.
Pre-Prep is the new name for increased hours of Four-Year-Old Kindergarten.
The program for children in the year before school is gradually increasing from 15 to 30 hours each week.
Pre-Prep programs will continue to be play-based and led by qualified early childhood teachers.
Introduction to Pre-Prep video
Benefits of more hours
More hours offered in the year before school gives more time for children of all backgrounds and abilities to deepen their learning and development.
Australian and international evidence shows that 2 years of quality kindergarten can provide life-long benefits and help set children up for success in school and life.
Two years of quality kindergarten can lead to better development in language, pre-reading, early number concepts, independence, concentration, and social skills.
The additional hours provide more opportunities for children to experience the benefits of play-based learning at a time when their brains are rapidly developing.
Children can further develop their identity, sense of belonging, wellbeing, love for learning and communication skills.
Teachers and educators have more time to build relationships with children and understand how they best learn.
Children who need extra support gain the most from more hours of quality early learning programs in the year before school. More hours give more time for relationships to develop between teachers, children and their families. It also provides greater flexibility for learning to meet the needs of each child.
When will Pre-Prep be available?
Pre-Prep started in 6 regional areas in 2025 and will gradually become available to more children across Victoria each year. Colac Otway Shire services will transition in 2027.
In 2026 children who meet the criteria for priority cohorts will become eligible for Pre-Prep, no matter where they live in Victoria.
The 2026 statewide eligibility criteria for priority cohorts will be:
- Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander children
- children from a refugee or asylum seeker background
- children who have had contact with Child Protection (this includes children in Out-of-Home-Care and children who have had contact with Child Protection in previous years)
- children who were supported by Early Start Kindergarten or Access to Early Learning in their Three-Year-Old Kindergarten year.
- If a child is enrolled through Early Start Kindergarten or Access to Early Learning for their three-year-old kindergarten year, check the family know their child is eligible for Pre-Prep the following year.
- In 2028, children who meet the above eligibility will be eligible to receive up to 30 hours of Pre-Prep.
Is there a cost?
There is no charge for Pre-Prep at standalone (sessional) kindergartens that have opted into Free Kinder.
If a child is enrolled in Pre-Prep at a long day care service that has opted into Free Kinder, the family will receive an annual fee reduction. The fee reduction increases with the number of hours of Pre-Prep the child is enrolled in.
Families don’t need to be permanent residents or Australian citizens to get these savings.
Families can only receive Free Kinder at one kinder service at a time. If a child attends more than one service with a funded kindergarten program, families need to let each service know at which service they wish to access their one funded kindergarten place and receive Free Kinder.
To find out more about Free Kinder
Kindergartens