The Kindergarten
Guide 2015
Published by the
Early Childhood and School Education Group
Department of Education and Training
Melbourne
May 2015
© State of Victoria (Department of Education and Training) 2015
The copyright in this document is owned by the State of Victoria (Department of Education and Training), or in the case of some materials, by third parties (third party materials). No part may be reproduced by any process except in accordance with the provisions of the Copyright Act 1968, the National Education Access Licence for Schools (NEALS) (see below) or with permission.
An educational institution situated in Australia which is not conducted for profit, or a body responsible for administering such an institution may copy and communicate the materials, other than third party materials, for the educational purposes of the institution.
Authorised by the Department of Education and Training,
2 Treasury Place, East Melbourne, Victoria, 3002.
ISBN 978-0-7594-0787-9
This document is also available on the internet at
www.education.vic.gov.au/childhood/providers/funding/Pages/kinderfundingcriteria.aspx
Contents continued
About this guide
The Kindergarten Guide provides detailed information about:
· the types of kindergarten funding available
· eligibility criteria for funding
· how to apply for funding
· how to comply with operational requirements once funding has been granted.
The guide is designed to assist service providers in Victoria that:
· provide kindergarten programs to children in the year prior to school
· currently receive or want to receive kindergarten funding from the Department
of Education and Training (the Department).
In addition to the eligibility criteria and operational requirements for kindergarten funding, education and care services providing a funded kindergarten program must also meet the relevant regulatory requirements. This guide does not provide comprehensive information about regulatory requirements.
Quick references:· Index on page 115
· 2015 kindergarten funding rates on page 92
· Key dates and tasks on page 94
· Department regional contacts on page 96
· Glossary on page 109
Navigating the guide
The Kindergarten Guide is divided into three parts:Part A contains information about kindergarten funding eligibility criteria and operational requirements and how to become a funded service provider.
Part B contains information about the types of kindergarten funding available to approved service providers and how to apply.
Part C contains information about Kindergarten Cluster Management.
The table of contents and index can be used to quickly find relevant information within this guide. Downloading the electronic version from the Department’s website allows you to click on links that will direct you to sections within the document or to specific websites.
Terminology
In this guide, to simplify language, the generic term service provider has been used throughout to mean an organisation that receives or is seeking to receive funding from the Department and is the approved provider of the service delivering the kindergarten program. A funded service provider is a service provider that has a service agreement with the Department and receives any type of kindergarten funding from the Department. The education and care service from which the kindergarten program is offered is referred to as the service.
The term funded kindergarten program refers to a kindergarten program for children in the year before school for which per capita funding is received from the Department.
This edition of the Kindergarten Guide replaces previous editions of the kindergarten guide and Victorian kindergarten policy, procedures and funding criteria and supplements issued prior to 2015.
From time to time supplements to this guide may be published on the Department’s website. The Kindergarten Guide should be read in conjunction with any published supplements, which can be downloaded and stored with this guide.
Visit the Department’s website to download the guide and check for supplementsContents
About this guide i
Navigating the guide i
Terminology i
Contents iii
The kindergarten system in Victoria vi
The importance of high-quality early childhood education and care services vi
Kindergarten service providers and settings vii
Kindergarten funding in Victoria: an overview vii
National Partnership Agreement on Universal Access to Early Childhood Education vii
Aims of kindergarten funding viii
Types of kindergarten funding ix
The Kindergarten Information Management system x
Department support for kindergarten funding x
Partnerships with local government xi
Municipal Early Years Plans xi
Central enrolment xii
The Kindergarten Guide 2015 1
Part A: Funding requirements for service providers offering kindergarten programs to children in the year before school and eligible three year old children 1
A.1 Kindergarten funding: criteria and requirements for service providers and services 3
Eligibility criteria for service providers and services 3
Core eligibility criteria 3
Core eligibility criteria – more information 6
Operational requirements for service providers funded by the Department 9
Managing enrolments 9
Managing the service 14
Managing teachers 22
Maintaining engagement of children and families 26
Displaying information and communicating effectively 32
Providing reports and data 35
A.2 Commencing, ceasing and transferring funding 41
How to become a funded service provider 41
How to add a service for funding 41
How to transfer funding for a service 42
How recurrent funding is calculated 43
Ceasing kindergarten funding 44
The Kindergarten Guide 2015 45
Part B: How to apply for Early Start Kindergarten grants, kindergarten per capita grants, kindergarten supplementary funding and a second year of funded kindergarten 45
B.1 Early Start Kindergarten grants 47
Applying for Early Start Kindergarten grants 47
Eligibility 47
Funding amount 48
How to apply 49
Fees 49
How funding works 49
Adjusting Early Start Kindergarten funding 50
B.2 Kindergarten per capita grants 51
Applying for kindergarten per capita grants 51
Eligibility 51
Funding amount 51
How to apply 54
How funding works 55
Adjusting per capita funding 56
Funding in exceptional circumstances 57
Exceptional circumstances 57
B.3 Kindergarten supplementary funding 61
Kindergarten Fee Subsidy 61
Applying for the Kindergarten Fee Subsidy 61
Eligibility 61
Funding amount 62
Applying the fee subsidy 62
How to apply 65
How funding works 65
Adjusting kindergarten fee subsidy payments 65
Early Start Kindergarten extension grants 65
Applying for the Early Start Kindergarten extension grant 66
Eligibility 66
Funding amount 67
How to apply 67
How funding works 67
Early childhood teacher supplement 68
Applying for the early childhood teacher supplement 68
Eligibility 68
Funding amount 69
How to apply 69
How funding works 70
Travel allowance 70
Applying for the travel allowance 70
Eligibility and funding amount 70
How to apply 70
How funding works 71
Parental leave reimbursement 71
Applying for parental leave reimbursement 71
Eligibility 71
How to apply 71
How funding works 72
Commonwealth Government paid parental leave scheme 72
Long service and sick leave payments for educators employed prior to 1994 72
B.4 Second year of funded kindergarten 73
Eligibility 74
Second year of funded kindergarten process 74
Timelines and tasks 74
Assessing against outcomes 75
Term three plan for learning and development 76
Second year discussion 77
Declaration of eligibility for a second year of funded kindergarten 77
Second Year Statement 78
Privacy and information sharing 78
Further information about transition to school 78
The Kindergarten Guide 2015 81
Part C: Kindergarten Cluster Management responsibilities and application criteria 81
C.1 Kindergarten Cluster Management 83
Responsibilities of cluster managers 83
Services interested in joining a cluster 83
Applying to become a kindergarten cluster management organisation 84
Eligibility 84
Operational requirements: continuous improvement 85
Funding for kindergarten cluster management 85
Funding amount 86
How to apply 86
Adding an additional kindergarten service to a cluster 87
Criteria for adding a service to an approved kindergarten cluster 87
How to apply to add a service to a cluster 87
How kindergarten cluster management funding works once a service has been added 89
Transition grant 89
Inactive cluster managed services 90
Resources and Support 91
1. Kindergarten funding rates for 2015 92
2. Timelines – key dates and tasks 94
3. Contacts – Department regional offices 96
4. Contacts – organisations to support service providers 97
5. Key policies and strategies 99
National Quality Framework for Early Childhood Education and Care 99
Victorian Early Years Learning and Development Framework 100
Victoria’s Advantage – Unity, Diversity, Opportunity 105
Victorian Aboriginal Affairs Framework 105
6. Managing access to kindergarten places 106
Framework 106
Managing access to kindergarten places – case studies 107
Glossary 109
Index 115
The Kindergarten Guide 2015 i
The kindergarten system in Victoria
Each state and territory has its own early childhood education and care system. Nationally, the term preschool refers to an early childhood educational program delivered by a qualified early childhood teacher to children in the year before school. In Victoria, preschool is referred to as kindergarten.
Visit the Early Childhood Learning page on the Department’s websiteKindergarten programs provide an educational program in which qualified early childhood teachers and educators work to engage each child in effective learning, thereby promoting communication, learning and thinking, positive relationships, identity and wellbeing.
For more information about:· National Quality Framework go to page 99
· Victorian Early Years Learning and Development Framework go to page 100
· For early childhood teaching qualifications go to page 6
In most cases, services and service providers delivering kindergarten programs are regulated under the National Quality Framework for Early Childhood Education and Care and are required to:
· work towards achieving high-quality in all seven quality areas defined in the National Quality
Standard (NQS):
– educational program and practice
– children’s health and safety
– physical environment
– staffing arrangements
– relationships with children
– collaborative partnerships with families and communities
– leadership and service management
· implement the practice principles of an approved learning framework, such as the Victorian Early Years Learning and Development Framework, which describe the most effective ways for early childhood professionals to work together with children and families to facilitate learning and development, consistent with framework outcomes.
The NQS sets a national benchmark for early childhood education and care and outside school hours care services in Australia. As part of the NQS, Victorian kindergarten services will be required to move from an educator to child ratio of 1:15 to 1:11 or less from 2016 for children aged three and above. Improving educator to child ratios allows educators to give more individual care and attention to children and support better learning outcomes.
For evidence-based resources visit:· the Centre for Community Child Health website
· the Department’s website to download the Early Years Strategic Plan: Improving outcomes for all Victorian children 2014–2020
The importance of high-quality early childhood education and care services
Engaging children in high-quality learning experiences benefits all children, their families and the broader community. Research shows that participation in early childhood education can improve a child’s learning and development outcomes and longer-term engagement in education and employment.
Participation in high-quality programs that support families to understand and engage with their child’s learning and development can foster positive outcomes and lessen the effects of disadvantage. Studies show that providing high-quality early childhood services, extra support for families and appropriate early intervention are effective ways to break cycles of disadvantage.[1]
Kindergarten service providers and settings
A range of service providers operate funded kindergarten programs, including:
· local government
· community-based incorporated associations
· private and community-based child care providers
· non-government and government schools
· kindergarten cluster managers.
Kindergarten programs are provided in a variety of settings reflecting a range of child, family and community needs including:
· stand alone kindergartens
· long day care centres
· children’s centres
· community centres
· some schools.
Kindergarten funding in Victoria: an overview
National Partnership Agreement on Universal Access to Early Childhood Education
In 2014, Victoria signed up to a new National Partnership Agreement on Universal Access to Early Childhood Education which provides funding for the 2015 calendar year. The agreement is designed to achieve the following aims:
· maintain universal access to a quality early childhood education program for
all eligible children in the year prior to formal schooling for 600 hours
· deliver the kindergarten program by a qualified early childhood teacher who
meets National Quality Framework requirements
· offer a program that meets the needs of children, parents and communities
and ensures that cost is not a barrier to participation
· focus on participation by vulnerable and disadvantaged children, regardless
of the setting in which programmes are delivered
· ongoing commitment to ensure that every Indigenous four year old in a remote community has access to a quality early childhood education programme.
The Commonwealth Government provides funding to the Victorian Government to assist meeting the cost of the additional five hours of kindergarten funding in addition to the Victorian contribution for 10 hours.
Advice on future Commonwealth funding arrangements is not yet known. The Department will advise Victorian kindergarten services on future funding arrangements once this advice has been received from the Commonwealth.
Visit the Commonwealth Department of Education and Training website for more information about the National Partnership Agreement on Universal Access to Early Childhood EducationAims of kindergarten funding
Access and inclusion
The Department provides a range of funding to promote participation of all children in high-quality kindergarten programs delivered by a qualified early childhood teacher in the year before school.
In addition, targeted funding is directed to some children that require additional support to engage in kindergarten such as:
· refugee and asylum seekers
· children from some rural and remote areas
· children with a diagnosed disability
· Aboriginal and/or Torres Strait Islander children
· children from a low socio-economic background
· children whose parents have a Commonwealth Health Care Card
· children known to child protection (including those in Out-of-Home Care).