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Rutherglen Kindergarten is a not for profit community organisation, providing the BEST early childhood education, where children can realise their full potential whilst having fun.

What is Kindergarten?

Kindergarten (sometimes called ‘state funded kindergarten’ or ‘preschool’) is two years of early education for children in the two years before they start primary school. Kindergarten gives your child important opportunities to learn, make friends and develop skills through a play-based curriculum, it helps prepare your child for their transition to primary school.

Kindergarten programs are developed and delivered by qualified degree trained Educators to deliver the National Early Years Learning Framework, Victorian Early Years Learning and Development Framework; they must abide by the National Education and Care Law and Regulations.

Rutherglen Kindergarten is a not for profit community organisation, providing the BEST early childhood education, where children can realise their full potential whilst having fun.

Rutherglen Kindergarten is committed to:

  • supporting the Victorian Government’s Free Kinder initiative by providing a free 15 hour program to both three and four year old children enrolled in our service
  • increasing access to quality kindergarten programs for all Victorian children
  • ensuring there are no financial barriers for families wishing to access an early childhood program for their child/children
  • maintaining confidentiality in relation to the financial circumstances of parents/guardians

About the Kinder Tick

When you see the Kinder Tick, you can be confident:

  • the program will be led by a qualified teacher
  • children will benefit from play-based learning
  • the kindergarten program is funded and approved by the Victorian Government
  • the program complies with government guidelines and the National Quality Framework.


Enrolments

Enrolments for 2025 are now open.

Please contact the Kinder for more information on 02 6032 9456 or via email at kinder@inh.org.au.

DATE OF BIRTH RANGE FOR ELIGIBILITY:

  • Child must turn 4 years of age by April 30th 2025 for 4 year old program.
  • Child must turn 3 years of age by April 30th 2025 for 3 year old program.

FAQs

How much does Kindergarten cost?

What Free Kinder means at our service

Rutherglen Kindergarten has opted into the Victorian Government Best Start, Best Life initiative providing Free Kinder programs for four-year-old and three-year-old children in funded services.

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

  • providing a free 15-hour program to 4-year-old children enrolled at a sessional service
  • providing a free 5 to 15-hour program to 3-year old children enrolled at a sessional service (subject to the length of funded program offered). Rutherglen Kindergarten offers 15 hours of free kindergarten for 3 year olds.
  • Kindergarten programs for four-year-old and eligible three-year-old children in Victorian Government funded services will be free as part of the Best Start, Best Life reform.
  • This investment will save families up to $2,500 for each child enrolled in a participating funded kindergarten program.
  • DE also provides funding to assist eligible three-year-old Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander children, and children known to Child Protection, to access kindergarten programs

What is the priority of access allocation policy?

The approved provider must notify all families of the priority of access (PoA) policy that applies when they enrol their child.

In instances where more eligible children apply for a place at a kindergarten service than there are places available, services must prioritise children based on the Department of Education and Training (DET) criteria

The criteria must be used by the approved provider when prioritising enrolments.

Services must first apply the DET’s PoA criteria, and following this may apply locally developed criteria. Please refer to our policies under Quality Area 6 listed below.

All information relating to PoA criteria should be respectfully collected from families upon enrolment, recorded in the child’s confidential enrolment records and entered into the Kindergarten Information Management (KIM) or Arrival system. Arrival is a new program commemncing early 2025 that will be replacing KIMS.

Early Start Kindergarten- Am I eligible?

Early Start Kindergarten provides up to 15 hours of free or low cost kindergarten per week to eligible three-year-old children where programs are offered by a qualified teacher.. Applications for Early Start Kindergarten funding are made by the service on your behalf and the grant is paid directly to the service.

To be eligible, your child must be 3 by 30 April in the year they start kindergarten, and:

  • from a refugee or asylum seeker background, or
  • identify as Aboriginal or Torres Strait Islander, or
  • your family has had contact with child protection.

Accessing high quality early childhood education for 2 years has a substantial and positive impact on a child’s cognitive, emotional, and social skills (Centre for Education Statistics and Evaluation, 2018). Through play-based learning at kindergarten, your child will gain new or improved skills in a number of different areas, including:

  • learning how to become an effective learner
  • developing and extending their communication and language skills
  • building self-confidence and social skills
  • building understanding of identity and culture
  • learning to be creative through arts, dance and music
  • developing skills in literacy and numeracy.
  • Koorie Kids Shine
  • Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander families can learn about the benefits of kindergarten, including how services create culturally safe places for Koorie children and families, and how to enrol in free or low-cost kindergarten for three-and four-year-old children through Koorie Kids Shine.

No jab No play- What does this mean?

All parents/guardians planning to enrol their child at childcare or kindergarten in Victoria must provide the service with:

  • a current Immunisation History Statement from the Australian Immunisation Register (AIR); AND
  • the statement must show that the child is up to date with all vaccinations that are due for their age, or that they are able to receive.

The Immunisation History Statement from the AIR lists the vaccines the child has received and, if applicable, which vaccines are due in the future and when. Medical exemption may also be listed, where applicable.

An Immunisation History Statement from the AIR is the only type of immunisation record accepted by early childhood and care services for the purposes of confirming enrolment and must be provided within the two months prior to the child starting at the service.

Once enrolled, you will need to provide your child’s service with a new Immunisation History Statement whenever your child receives or was due to receive immunisation/s.

The ‘No Jab No Play’ law applies to all early childhood education and care services in Victoria that provide:

  • long day care
  • kindergarten
  • occasional care
  • family day care.

What you need to doI

On enrolment in an early childhood education and care service, and when your child receives a vaccine/s while attending, provide the service with your child’s most recent Immunisation History Statement from the Australian Immunisation Register (AIR) as evidence of your child’s immunisation.

  • You can print a copy of your child’s Immunisation History Statement from your myGov account
  • the Express Plus Medicare mobile app
  • Call the AIR on phone 1800 653 809
  • visit a Medicare or Centrelink office.

Where can I find translated resources?

Translated resources are available online at

https://www.vic.gov.au/kinder/translations

Virtual tour of the facility
If I have further questions, who do I contact?

Our Policies

Quality Area 1 – Educational program and practice

Quality Area 2 – Children’s health and safety

Quality Area 3 – Physical Environment

Quality Area 4 – Staffing arrangements

Quality Area 5 – Relationships with children

Quality Area 6 – Collaborative partnerships with families and communities

Quality Area 7 – Governance and leadership

News and Upcoming Events

Virtual Tour

If you would like to see a layout via a virtual tour of Rutherglen Kindergarten please view the video below:

Contact Us

Rutherglen Kindergarten

  • 169 High Street, Rutherglen, Victoria
  • kinder@inh.org.au
  • 02 6032 9456
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