Frequently Asked Questions

The governing body is Mentone Pre School Association Incorporated, of which all parents are members. 

The Association independently owns and runs the kindergarten. We are not owned by the council or an early years manager.

A committee of parents is elected each year at the Annual General Meeting held in 4th term. The Committee is responsible, on behalf of all parents, for the organisation of the Pre School for a period of 12 months.

Find out more about our committee below.

Community 

Sessional kindergarten is a one to two year program offered for three to five year old children in the two years prior to their commencement at Primary School.
Sessional kinder operates groups at specific times and days with all children arriving and leaving together.

We operate on the Victorian Government School term and are closed for all school and public holidays. 

Families are required to provide lunch and snack for their child every day they attend kindergarten.

Sessional kindergarten fosters greater independence and structure prior to starting school.

Both sessional kindergarten and long day care integrated kindergarten develop their curriculum guided by the Early Years Learning Framework (EYLF) and the Victorian Early Years Learning and Development Framework (VEYLDF). They both foster independence, resilience, learning through play and school readiness.

Typically a long daycare Integrated kindergarten program runs for longer hours (eg 7am - 6pm) with flexible pick up/drop off times and are open year round (excluding public holidays). Their routine is often more flexible due to longer hours and meals are provided.
In most cases you still pay childcare fees but receive a government rebate.

Long daycare can offer families greater flexibility for work hours, young siblings and additional days.

Choosing between sessional kindergarten and long daycare depends on your child's needs, your families schedule and what you value in early childhood education.

Some things to consider include staffing ratios, flexible hours, community feel, your child's social, emotional and cognitive development, routine and continuity.

For some children the continuity of staying in long daycare provides a greater sense of self. Our staff are always happy to discuss this with your family and assist you in making an informed decision.

We encourage families to ensure their child is toilet trained or has begun toilet training by the time they start three year old kindergarten. 

Toilet training is an important step in a child's independence and readiness for sessional kindergarten.

We appreciate children develop at varying rates and not all children will be completely toilet trained at this time. While we have facilities to change nappies at Mentone Pre School we do want to see children progress to independently using the toilet soon after commencing at kindergarten.

At Mentone Pre-School we have 3 four year old groups (Seastars, Turtles and Penguins) and 1 three year old group (Dolphins).

Each of our four year old groups has 14 children and operates on a rotational timetable. Each group attends kindergarten for two days, with one other four year old group, for a total of 28 children per session.

Our three year old Dolphins group has a total of 28 children attending at once.

All groups at Mentone Pre School received 15 hours of funded kindergarten per week.

All our sessions begin promptly at 8.30am and finish at 4pm. Similar to school, all children arrive and leave at the same time.

We are unable to offer extended care outside of these hours.

Our ratio is 1:11. 

Every day there is 1 teacher and 2 educators for 28 children. 

We have a lunch cover educator each day who comes in for two hours to allow the staff to have a break whilst maintaining ratio.

No.

As a sessional kindergarten we do not have sleep facilities or scheduled nap times. We do include relaxation and quiet time for the children during each session.

If your child still has a nap during the day they may need some help to adjust to longer days at sessional pre school. We are happy to accommodate flexible pick up times, please discuss this with your child's teacher.

Bush Kinder was developed in response to Scandinavian research that shows outdoor activities in a natural environment are extremely beneficial to children’s health, wellbeing and development.

Bush Kinder 

Bush Kinder is offered in our four year old program for the Turtles and Penguins groups.

Bush Kinder is held at Braeside Park on Thursday mornings from 8.30am - 12 noon in Terms 2 and 3.

Parents drop their children off at Braeside park at 8.30am at a designated Bush Kinder meeting place. The staff and children return to kinder via bus transfer at 12pm. You collect your child from Mentone Pre School as usual at 4pm.

Throughout the year Mentone Pre School offers a variety of educational experiences to our groups. These change based on interest and stages of development. Educational experiences can be internal at kindergarten or external in the community. Experience may include museum learning, animal visits, playball sports, safe pet & road programs library visits, dance, music, community walks and other activities relevant to the learning program.

Yes. 

Mentone Pre School is a participating service in the Victorian Government ‘Free Kinder’ initiative. All children enrolled in a funded kindergarten program at a participating service are eligible.
From time to time we may require payment for additional activities including educational experience that are not a part of the regular program.
In line with existing policies for per capita funding, children must only receive Free Kinder funding at one service.

If you elect to send your child to Mentone Pre School you must opt in for funding at our service and opt out at any other services your child may attend (eg long daycare).

No.

 
As Mentone Pre School is a sessional kindergarten service in the Victorian government funded 'Free kinder' program we are required to prioritise funded places. 

There is not an option to pay full fees in either age group.

Mentone Pre School is a part of the City of Kingston Central Enrolment Scheme. 

Enrolments open via the City of Kingston website on the 1st May every year. 

Current three year old families will be contacted by the City of Kingston enrolments team to discuss their preferences for four year old kindergarten. You are not required to register again for four year old kindergarten. 

Enrolments 

Whilst it cannot be guaranteed, places are prioritised based on residential proximity (within 2km radius), prior connection (sibling attendance), additional needs and circumstances.
While not a first come first serve basis early registration is still important. 
Oversubscription of any service is balloted by the council so it is fair. 
Waitlists can still be offered by the council if you do not receive a place as your first preference pre school.

If a three year old child is attending a kindergarten in an area in which they are a resident, and wishes to proceed to the 4 year old group at the same kindergarten, they will be given priority over other children who fall into lower categories (such as proximity to the kindergarten or a prior connection) who also want to attend 4 year old kindergarten at that service. 

Yes.

 
All enrolments, including waitlists, are managed by the City of Kingston Central Enrolments team. If you have any questions regarding your place or the waitlist you may contact the City of Kingston Central Enrolments team directly on (03) 9581 4851.

For most children, they will start three year old kindergarten in the year they turn four (2 years prior to primary school) and Four year old kindergarten aligns to the year they turn five.

When your child starts kindergarten directly relates to the age they will commence primary school. We encourage families to plan ahead and consider the age they would like their child to start primary school.

Families with children born between 1st January and 30th April can choose which year to start three year old kindergarten. These children can start in the same year they turn three, or in the year they turn four years of age. 

Children with birthdays between January and April starting kindergarten in the year they turn three means they would be amongst the youngest children in the group.

Children with birthdays between January and April starting in the year they turn four would be amongst the oldest in the group.

We strongly encourage families to make time with our teachers to discuss your child's development prior to accepting a place at Mentone Pre School.
We are more than happy to give you the support you need to make an informed decision about what is best for your child.

You should consider your child's social, emotional and cognitive development when it comes to starting kindergarten. We often notice that younger children who have not yet developed their social and emotional skills can struggle to settle within the group and environment.

You may also consider seeking advice from trusted early childhood professionals including your child's maternal health nurse, family doctor and paediatricians. If your child currently attends long daycare their current educators will be regularly assessing their learning and development needs.

Social and emotional development, as well as independence, are really important prior to starting kindergarten.

All children develop at different rates and reach milestones accordingly. Prior to commencing at kindergarten you should see or be encouraging your child to be able to: 

- Recognise their emotions on the path to self regulation

- Able to follow simple instructions

- Able to sit on the mat to listen to the teacher

- Independently use the toilet, including pulling underwear or pant back up. 

- Put on their socks and/or shoes

- Able to recognise, open and close their drink bottles, lunch boxes and bag.

We are always here to support their development and needs. We will encourage their independence and for them to 'give it a try' themselves first before assisting.

Yes.

If your child is born between 1st January and 30th April to support your decision and alleviate concerns, you may defer your childs place to the following year prior to March of the year they were due to commence.
If you do choose to defer your child's place, your child will automatically be offered a place for the following year.

If you wish to defer your place you should notify our enrolment officers and contact the City of Kingston enrolments office to begin the deferral process.

No.

Due to staffing requirements, children can only start attending kindergarten after their third birthday. 
This may mean that some children may not start attending their kindergarten program until part-way into Term 1 or 2.

No.

 
Current funding requirements for kindergarten mean your child can only have one year of funded kinder for each program year (three year old and four year old).  

No.

A second year of four year old kindergarten will only be considered when a child shows delays in 2 or more learning and development outcome areas in the Victorian Early Years Learning and Development Framework. 

Children can only go to kindergarten when they are 6 years old if they have a developmental delay, disability or it’s a special situation. If your child will turn 6 before or while in their first or second year of four year old kindergarten you must get an exemption from starting school. This requires it to be submitted to the Department of Education with support from a childhood professional.