Kindergarten registration

Paint brushes and paint palette with young child

Find out how to register your child/ren for Kindergarten on the Darebin Kindergarten Registration System.

When do kindergarten registrations open?

Kindergarten registrations open 1st March each year for the following years registration, register your interest before 30 June to be a part of round one offers.

Once registered, find out next steps with kindergarten allocation and offer processes.

New family kindergarten registrations

For new families who have never had a registration on the Darebin childcare or kindergarten waiting list:

Select online registration portal
Select Sign up for Waitlist
Complete all areas of the registration form
Provide proof of Darebin Address
Provide proof of Concession Card (if this applies to you)
There is no charge to register for kindergarten
Submit your registration
You will receive an email confirming your registration has been added to the waiting list.

Existing family kindergarten registrations

Register another child

Enter your username and password. Note, your username is not your email address. If you are unable to locate your username, please contact the Darebin Kindergarten Registration Team.
Go to Profile (top right of screen)
Select Waitlist
Click on "Register another child". This will open another registration form with your details prepopulated
Provide proof of Darebin Address
Provide proof of Concession Card (if this applies to you)
No charge to register for kindergarten
You will receive an email confirming your registration has been added to the waiting list.

Register for another program

For families who currently have a childcare registration and want to register for 3 or 4-year-old kindergarten. Or, for families who currently have a 3-year-old kindergarten registration and want to register for 4-year-old kindergarten.

Select the online registration portal and follow these steps:

Select Login
Enter your username and password
Go to Profile (top right of screen)
Select Waitlist
Click on "Register another child". This will open another registration form with your details prepopulated
Provide proof of Darebin Address
Provide proof of Concession Card (if this applies to you)
No charge to register for kindergarten
You will receive an email confirming your registration has been added to the waiting list.

Forgotten password

Enter username
Select Forgot password?
An email will be sent with a link to reset your password. Complete the steps in the email to login to your account

The portal allows you to view and update your registration form at any time.

To do this you navigate to your profile (right hand corner) and select waitlist.

Contact the registration team if you are having issues accessing the portal.

Kindergarten Registration Team
Phone: 03 8470 8825 or 03 8629 4756 Mon-Fri 9am-5pm
Email: registration.kindergartenchildcare@darebin.vic.gov.au

When should my child start kinder?

3-year-old kindergarten

Deciding when your child starts kindergarten is important and can affect the age at which they start school. Some families prefer to wait until their child is a bit older to send them to kindergarten.

Your child is eligible to attend 3-year-old kindergarten if they turn three by 30 April in the year of attending kindergarten.

If your child's birthday is in the early months of the year, they will not be able to start kindergarten until after they turn three, even if the term has begun.

Once your child starts 3-year-old kindergarten, they are expected to attend 4-year-old kindergarten the following year, then prep the year after.

Choosing the best year to commence 3-year-old kindergarten is important. There is no option to repeat 3-year-old kindergarten.

A child who starts 3-year-old kindergarten when they are young may not be able to repeat 4-year-old kindergarten.

A second year of funded 4-year-old kindergarten must be approved by the teacher and the Department of Education and is only recommended for children who exhibit developmental delay in at least two areas.

4-year-old kindergarten

Your child can attend 4-year-old kindergarten if they are turning four by 30 April in the year of attendance.

Kindergarten Calculator

The Victorian Government has created a calculator tool that you can use to determine when your child can start kindergarten. Simply enter your child’s date of birth at the Give your child the best start website.

Is my child ready for kindergarten?

Talk to your Maternal and Child Health nurse or a qualified early years educator to help you decide. Kindergarten open days also provide a great opportunity to talk things through with an experienced professional. See tips for starting kindergarten for more information.