Our Program
We provide two 3-year-old programs, our ‘Green & Yellow Joeys’ for 18 children per class. As well as two 4-year-old programs for our ‘Red & Grey Kangaroos’ which are for 22 children per class. We have a minimum educator to child ratio of 1:11.
Please take note our session days have changed in 2026.
2026 Session Times & Fees
| 2026 Group | Days and Times | Fees | Deposit |
| Yellow Joeys 3-Year-Old Group | Mondays and Wednesdays 8:15am to 3pm (13.5 hours total, fully funded) | $0 per term | $750 |
| Green Joeys 3-Year-Old Group | Tuesdays and Fridays 8:15am to 3pm (13.5 hours total, fully funded) | $0 per term | $750 |
| Grey Kangaroos 4-Year-Old Group | Mondays, Wednesdays and Thursdays 8:30am to 4pm (15 hours funded, 7.5 hours unfunded) | $1425 per term | $750 |
| Red Kangaroos 4-Year-Old Group | Tuesdays, Thursdays and Fridays 8:30am to 4pm (15 hours funded, 7.5 hours unfunded) | $1425 per term | $750 |
2025 Session Times & Fees
| 2025 Group | Days and Times | Fees | Deposit |
| Yellow Joeys 3-Year-Old Group | Mondays, Wednesdays, Thursdays 9am to 3pm (18 hours total with 15 funded hours and 3 hours unfunded) | $450 per term | $1400 |
| Green Joeys 3-Year-Old Group | Tuesdays and Fridays 9am to 3pm (12 hours funded) | $0 per term | $1150 |
| Grey Kangaroos 4-Year-Old Group | Mondays and Wednesdays 8:30am to 4pm (15 hours funded) | $0 per term | $1400 |
| Red Kangaroos 4-Year-Old Group | Tuesdays, Thursdays and Fridays 8:30am to 4pm (22.5 hours total with 15 hours funded and 7.5 hours unfunded) | $1125 per term | $1400 |
Note: Fees for unfunded hours may be subject to change. Please see our Free Kindergarten Fees Policy for more information.
For 2026 West Hawthorn Pre-school has opted into the Victorian Government’s Free Kinder Scheme. This choice has been determined after much consideration to the service’s financial position, community needs and feedback, as well as deliberations by our Committee of Management.
For 2026 we have opted into the ‘Free Kinder Scheme’ in good faith that families will make voluntary family payments to ensure that our high quality programs are not compromised and our costs as a not-for-profit kindergarten are covered.
Security Deposit
As part of the enrolment process a $750 Security Deposit will be charged to secure your child’s place at our Pre-school.
This Security Deposit is refundable when your child starts kinder with our Pre-school in 2026.
Excursions and Incursions
The cost of excursions and incursions may be charged as an additional payment as per the ‘Free Kinder Scheme’ guidelines. This is yet to be determined for 2026.
Family Support
As we are a not-for-profit, community pre-school, we rely on the contribution of our families to help run the kinder and/or participate in working bees or gardening events. Getting involved has lots of wonderful rewards and some of the areas we rely on help for are:
- contributing a total of 4 hours assistance at working bees
- assisting with classroom laundry (families are rostered 1-2 times per year)
- assisting with weekend gardening (families are rostered 1-2 times per year)
- making contributions to the kinder as a committee member
- other volunteer equitable contributions
Families that are unable to actively help out, may prefer to help with a voluntary maintenance payment of $250 for the year.
Fundraising
Additional fundraising is undertaken to pay for operating costs and extra items for the pre-school. Whilst participation in fundraising is voluntary, the support of every family is encouraged and provides a wonderful opportunity for our community to come together.
Government Funding and Concessions
Kindergarten Per Capita & Free Kinder Scheme funding
The Victorian Government provides funding to support children to access a high quality kindergarten program before they start school. The funding is a contribution towards meeting the cost for up to 15 hours of the kindergarten program for 3 and 4-year-old groups, and is directly provided to the service.
Your child can only be funded for a kindergarten place at one service at any one time and only for one year of 3-year-old kindergarten and one year of 4-year-old kindergarten.
In the year your child is enrolled to attend our 3 and/or 4-year-old kindergarten program, West Hawthorn Pre-school will be claiming funding for your child on your behalf.
If your child will be attending another children’s service that offers a funded or free kindergarten program, you must tell the other service(s) that West Hawthorn Pre-school will be claiming the government funding for your child and you will not be able to claim this at the other service.
Second Year Funding
In rare circumstances, some children in the 4-year-old program may obtain a second year of funding. However, this is a difficult process and only for children who are assessed as having two areas of developmental delay. Being ‘too young’ is not a criteria. Further information can be found on the Victorian Department of Education and Training website. There is no second year funding for children in the 3-year-old program so they cannot repeat a full year.
Early Start Kindergarten
Early Start Kindergarten provides free or low cost kindergarten to eligible 3-year-old children where programs are offered by a qualified teacher. Applications can be made by contacting the pre-school or City of Boroondara’s Kindergarten Central Enrolment Scheme (BKCES) and asking to access Early Start Kindergarten.
Applications for Early Start Kindergarten funding are made by the service on your behalf and the grant is paid directly to the service. Further information can be found on the Victorian Department of Education and Training website.
Child Care Subsidy (CCS)
West Hawthorn Pre-school is not eligible for the Child Care Subsidy.
