Key Information
In 2023, Alto Montessori will offer:
an integrated long day care program (as previously)
fifteen hours per week of 4-year-old kindergarten (as previously)
fifteen hours per week of 3-year-old kindergarten (up from 5 hours per week)
Under the ‘Free Kinder’ initiative each eligible child enrolled in the 2023 kindergarten program will attract a $2,000 ‘Free Kinder’ subsidy, which will offset the kindergarten program component of your out-of-pocket fees.
More benefits for Alto’s Families - Understanding 3-year-old and 4-year-old Kindergarten Funding
Best Start is a Victorian Government early years initiative that is funded by the Department of Education and Training. The Victorian Government introduced the ‘The Best Start, Best Life’ reform with the aim to increase access to quality early childhood education and care for all Victorian children to help them dream even bigger. A critical part of the reform is ‘Free Kinder’, which will support access to two years of high-quality kindergarten programs for all Victorian children by reducing the cost for families.
Participating kindergarten programs that have opted into this extra funding will receive funding directly from the Victorian Government, to reduce out-of-pocket costs for families. Alto has opted into this new funding and eligible families will benefit from the ‘Free Kinder’ initiative directly.
It is important for all families to understand the key information regarding ‘Free Kinder’ and the support they are eligible to receive.
Free Kinder’ supports families to access a funded kindergarten program in 2023 by:
offsetting the funded kindergarten program component of parent fees for three- and four-year-old children enrolled at a long day care service (i.e. Alto).
providing a free 15-hour program to four-year-old children enrolled at a sessional service only
providing a free 5-to-15*-hour program to three-year-old children enrolled at a sessional service only (subject to the length of funded program offered; * regional Victoria only currently)