Free Kindergarten

Free Kindergarten Information for Families

Boroondara Preschool has ‘OPTED IN’ to the Victoria Government’s Free Kinder initiative for 2023.

Attachment 1 of our Kinder’s Free Kindergarten Policy provides information specific to Boroondara Preschool and what it means for our families.

To view our full 'Free Kindergarten Fees Policy' please access via our Policies tab.

Should you have any queries, please contact us on committee@boroondarapreschool.vic.edu.au

What Boroondara Preschool Offers?

Boroondara Preschool is located in a quiet and peaceful setting away from busy roads and is one of the longstanding gems of our community.

Our fabulously designed spaces in our landscaped outdoor learning environment includes:

  • A variety of equipment to promote children's gross motor skills including many adaptable climbing frames that can be altered throughout the year.

  • Children can explore their senses by admiring the beautiful gardens and by playing in the mud pit, water pump and sandpits areas.

  • The amphitheatre seating area under the big gum tree is a lovely place to listen to a story.

  • The children enjoy taking care of our many vegetable gardens, including our converted strawberry patch.

Our very large, spacious indoor area is filled with natural light and we offer:

  • A wide variety of stimulating equipment and flexible space for both group and individual play.

  • A wide variety of resources and activities to appeal to the interests of your child

  • A dedicated eating area, age-appropriate toileting facilities, heating/air-conditioning and air-purification.

At Boroondara Preschool, we offer an “Exceeding Program” with Exemplary experienced, dedicated teaching staff who respond to the interests and needs of the children to guide and encourage them through their learning experiences with play based learning as the focal point of our program. These opportunities have been carefully selected by the staff to enrich the curriculum and continue to develop every year:

  • Staff create programs that are interesting, relevant and meaningful for children.

  • Parents receive weekly reflections which give an insight into our child’s learning and activities throughout the week. More importantly, our teachers really get to know every single child and help bring out their best selves step-by-step through patiently guiding, empowering and inspiring them.

  • Visitors, incursions and excursions supplement the program allowing children hands-on experiences which are an integral part of the programs that run at our Preschool. These include Didgeridoo Australia, Wiggerly Worm Dance Company, Holly’s Backyard Bees, Little Wing Puppets, Drama Toolbox, Rabbit Rearing, Reptile visits.

  • Free Community based incursions such as a Dental Visit, Speech screenings, Vet Visit, Librarian Visit, Bunnings planting visit, Living Safety with Dogs Program, Water Safety Presentation, Eye Care screenings, Police Visit, School Crossing Supervisor visit.

  • Walking excursions to the local school; park and the local shops.


What does Free Kindergarten mean?

As you may already know, the Victorian Government have announced The Best Start, Best Life reform which will help all Victorian children dream even bigger through increased access to quality early childhood education and care.

A critical part of the reform is Free Kindergarten, which will support access to two years of high-quality kindergarten programs for all Victorian children. All families with a child enrolled in a funded kindergarten program are eligible for Free Kindergarten, this includes both 3 and 4-year-old kindergarten programs.

Free Kindergarten supports families to access a funded kindergarten program by:

  • Providing a free 15-hour program to four-year-old children enrolled at a sessional service

  • Providing a free 5-to-15-hour program to three-year-old children enrolled at a sessional service (subject to the length of funded program offered)

  • Offsetting the funded kindergarten program component of parent fees for three and four-year-old children enrolled at a long day care service

Whilst this is a great initiative unfortunately for our kindergarten and many others in the area, the additional funding that will be provided to us under this initiative, leaves us in an unrealistic financial position for the future.

What free kindergarten means at our service?

Boroondara Preschool has ‘OPTED IN’ to the Free Kindergarten initiative. Applicable parent fees are outlined below:

  • Funded sessional kindergarten for 3-year-old children (up to 15 hours per week) – no parent fee

  • Funded sessional kindergarten for 4-year-old children (15 hours per week) - no parent fee


Though under this scheme, our Preschool will run at a substantial financial loss. The amount of funding does not cover the costs of operating our kinder.

Without voluntary payments we will be unable to keep our group numbers low, have administrative support to keep up with increasing regulatory demands, provide incursions, maintain the upkeep of our grounds, cleanliness of our rooms and facilities and ensuring we have the supplies to create engaging activities and learning experiences for the children. Most importantly, it allows our kinder to keep our excellent teaching staff and the programs they individually design for their groups.

Without voluntary payments we are at risk of being financially unviable and are afraid that our wonderful Preschool will close and we will no longer continue to be part of the community for generations to come.

Therefore, we are asking families to consider donating the amount of $200 per term to ensure we can continue our quality Preschool program and keep up with our day to day running costs.

An enrolment deposit of $200 will be charged to secure your child’s position prior to starting Term 1. This enrolment deposit will be refunded upon commencement at the service. However, families also have the option to donate this enrolment deposit

As Boroondara Preschool is a community based sessional kindergarten, parents are strongly encouraged to attend 2 working bees throughout the year. If parents are unable to attend, we encourage families to make a maintenance donation to help with the upkeep of our grounds and facilities. N.B In prior years, families have contributed $130 per year in lieu of working bee attendance.