A new kindergarten year is an exciting time for families, children and early childhood education staff.
Learn more about what the year has in store and find resources to help you welcome families and share information with your community.
Please share this article with early childhood teachers and educators in your service/s.
Snapshot for 2025
- New in 2025: Pre-Prep roll-out commences in the first 6 local government areas – Ararat, Gannawarra, Hindmarsh, Murrindindi, Northern Grampians and Yarriambiack – giving children more access to more hours of learning.
- Free Kinder continues, benefiting up to 145,000 children and their families.
- The Three-Year-Old Kindergarten roll-out continues, with hours continuing to increase across the state.
- Kinder Kits are back again for 2025 and are available for every eligible child enrolled in Three-Year-Old Kindergarten. For more information, refer to Kinder Kits.
- Services prepare for the launch of Pre-Prep statewide in 2026 for children prioritised for early access. A further 12 local government areas will also prepare to launch Pre-Prep in 2026.
- New in 2025: Early Learning Victoria centres have opened in Murtoa, Sunshine, Fawkner and Eaglehawk, the first 4 of the 50 government-run early learning and childcare centres.
- Services begin to transition from the Kindergarten Information Management System (KIMS) to Arrival.
Resources available
There are resources available to help services mark the start of the year, welcome families and communicate about 2025 programs.
These include the:
- Communicating about your kindergarten webpage – information and digital materials you can share on your social media channels, websites and newsletters to promote your kindergarten programs and the benefits of 2 years of kindergarten
- newly released Kindergarten Sector Guide – key information about the Best Start, Best Life reforms, and initiatives such as Pre-Prep and Free Kinder. The guide also has information about the support available for children to access and take part in kindergarten programs, such as Early Start Kindergarten
- 2025 Start-of-Year Communications Pack – sample newsletter content and social media posts to mark the start of the new year, talking points for conversations with families and links to further information
- Information about kindergarten in your language webpage – information about kindergarten in Victoria in 30 languages
- Tips for starting kindergarten webpage – tips designed for families to help them prepare for commencing kindergarten
- A new year of learning webpage – information and resources for parents and carers to help their children unlock their potential for a new year of learning in 2025
- Kindergarten for Aboriginal children: Koorie Kids Shine program – resources designed by and for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander children and their families.
There are also a range of free resources services can order through the Victorian Kindergarten Resources Portal, such as the Kinder Tick signage and free printed information materials.
Find out more
For more information, refer to A new year of learning webpage.
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