Pre-Prep in Melbourne: what four year old kinder looks like in 2027
In 2027, most four year olds in Melbourne’s east, including Maroondah, Knox and Manningham, can attend 15 hours of funded 4-Year-Old Kinder a week. More hours, often called Pre-Prep, are scheduled to reach metropolitan Melbourne in 2034.
Extra hours started in some regional council areas first. For families around Ringwood, Croydon, Boronia and Doncaster the timeline is later, so it helps to know what applies to your child.
What Pre-Prep means
The Victorian Government’s name for the program is 4-Year-Old Kinder. Pre-Prep is an informal name for the extra funded hours being added to it in stages. Children across Victoria can currently attend 15 hours a week of funded 4-Year-Old Kinder in the year before school.
The schedule for metropolitan Melbourne
The state is adding more hours region by region. Its roll-out schedule, updated on 31 August 2026, lists metropolitan Melbourne in the final stage:
| Year | Funded 4-Year-Old Kinder hours in metropolitan Melbourne |
|---|---|
| 2027 | 15 hours a week |
| 2034 | 16 to 20 hours a week |
| 2035 | Up to 25 hours a week |
| From 2036 | Up to 30 hours a week |
The 2027 stage of the roll-out covers a group of regional council areas only. Schedules can change, so check the roll-out page on vic.gov.au for the latest version.
Children who can get more hours now
Some children in Melbourne can already access more than 15 hours a week. Since 2026, more hours of 4-Year-Old Kinder are available across Victoria to:
- Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander children
- children from a refugee or asylum seeker background
- children who have had contact with Child Protection.
Children supported by Early Start Kindergarten or Access to Early Learning in 3 year old kinder are automatically eligible for more hours the following year.
From 2028, the state’s schedule adds two more priority groups: children who have, or whose parent or guardian has, a Commonwealth concession card, and children from a multiple birth of triplets or more.
The state’s 4-Year-Old Kinder calculator on vic.gov.au asks for your child’s birth year and your local council, and tells you whether your child is eligible and when.
What it costs in long day care
In a long day care centre that participates in Free Kinder, the funded kinder hours come to you as a fee offset that reduces your fees. They do not make the day free, because you are also paying for the care around the program. The offset is larger for children who are eligible for more hours. Our guide to Free Kinder in long day care explains how the offset works alongside the Child Care Subsidy.
Kinder funding rates are set each year and the 2027 rates have not been published. Ask the centre to confirm the figure for your child’s year.
Three year old kinder
Three year old kinder currently runs for between 5 and 15 hours a week, depending on the service, and the state is increasing it to 15 hours by 2029. If you have a younger child, ask the centre how many hours its three year old program runs.
Questions to ask a centre about 2027
- Will you run a funded 4 year old kinder program in 2027, and for how many hours a week?
- Which days and times does the program run inside the long day care day?
- Do you participate in Free Kinder, and how will the offset show on my invoice?
- If my child is eligible for more than 15 hours, how would you provide them?
- Who leads the program, and are they a qualified early childhood teacher?
Kinder at Discovery Childcare and Education
Our kinder programs run inside our long day care centres and are led by qualified early childhood teachers. Availability of funded kinder varies by centre, so please ask the centre you are interested in about 2027.
- Ringwood: 30 Bond Street, (03) 9879 8055
- Croydon: 50 Maroondah Highway, (03) 9722 8933
- Boronia: 172 Boronia Road, (03) 9762 4888
Frequently asked questions
What is Pre-Prep in Victoria?
Pre-Prep is an informal name for the extra funded hours of 4-Year-Old Kinder being introduced across Victoria in stages. The government’s name for the program is 4-Year-Old Kinder.
How many hours of funded kinder will my four year old get in 2027 in Melbourne’s east?
Most children in metropolitan Melbourne, including Maroondah, Knox and Manningham, can attend 15 hours a week of funded 4-Year-Old Kinder in 2027. Some children in priority groups can access more hours.
When do more kinder hours reach metropolitan Melbourne?
The state’s roll-out schedule lists metropolitan Melbourne for 16 to 20 hours a week in 2034, up to 25 hours in 2035 and up to 30 hours from 2036. Schedules can change, so check vic.gov.au for the latest version.
Which children can get more than 15 hours of kinder now?
Since 2026, more hours are available across Victoria to Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander children, children from a refugee or asylum seeker background and children who have had contact with Child Protection. Children supported by Early Start Kindergarten or Access to Early Learning in 3 year old kinder are eligible the following year.
Is Pre-Prep free in long day care?
No. In a long day care centre that participates in Free Kinder, funded kinder hours come as a fee offset that reduces your fees. You still pay for the care around the program. Ask the centre how the offset will appear on your invoice.
How do I check if my child is eligible for more hours?
Use the 4-Year-Old Kinder calculator on vic.gov.au, which asks for your child’s birth year and your local council, or ask your kinder service.