2023 will see Free Three and Four-Year-Old Kinder available at participating services across Victoria. Watsonia North Preschool will be participating in this scheme.

For three-year-olds, this means from 5 and up to 15 hours per week of a kindergarten program

For four-year-olds, this means 15 hours per week (600 hours a year)

Free Kinder means a saving of up to $2,500 per child, each year. Participating kindergarten programs will receive funding directly from the Victorian Government, so families are not out of pocket (and don’t have to claim the savings back).

Additional Payment Policy

Although we are Government funded, additional funds may still be needed to meet our Kinder's
operational costs.

Watsonia North Preschool asks for a voluntary parent contribution in order that the service may
have funds available should a contractor need to be employed to carry out maintenance works
not covered by the Council. This is a once-off payment at the beginning of the year, to ensure
that works can be carried out in a timely fashion if the need arises.

Families may also be asked for small contributions towards occasional special events/excursions
and fundraisers that occur outside the normal curriculum/program.
These contributions are a voluntary but vital means of ensuring the quality of the program
offered by our service.

For all additional information regarding Free Kinder and other payments, please refer to our
Fees Policy, and the Free Kinder Policy, available on our website.

Correspondence regarding payments

All correspondence regarding payments is to be directed to the Operations Manager via writing,
telephone or the kindergarten email watsonia.north.kin@kindergarten.vic.gov.au