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 may change in 2026.
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 2025 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.
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.
^The difference between programs is due to the number of government funded hours (15) and unfunded hours in each group. For Yellow Joeys the hours on Thursday between 12pm to 3pm are unfunded. For Red Roos, 2.5 hours per day are unfunded.
Security Deposit
As part of the enrolment process a Security Deposit will be charged to secure your child’s place at our Pre-school.
This is $1400 for the Yellow Joeys, Grey and Red Kangaroos, and $1150 for the Green Joeys (as they have less funded hours).
This Security Deposit is refundable when your child starts kinder with our Pre-school in 2024.
Hats
West Hawthorn Pre-school is a member of the Cancer Council Victoria SunSmart program and we follow their policies and strategies designed to reduce UV exposure and increase sun protection.
We provide named bucket hats in the colour of each group. This enables us to keep the hats at kinder for the year, easily identify the child and to which group they belong to when playing in the yard and also gives the child a sense of belonging.
In the past Term Fees have covered this cost, but under the ‘Free Kinder Scheme’ we may charge a $10 fee at the start of the year to purchase a hat for your child.
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 2025.
Maintenance
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
- making contributions to the kinder as a committee member
- other volunteer equitable contributions
There are some tasks (eg. book covering), which can be done after hours at home.
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 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.
