Many children who are attending a 3-year-old council funded kindergarten this year did not get a place to attend 4-year-old kindergarten at the same centre next year, despite already currently enrolled, and are forced to find alternatives. Continuity should be standard care!

We the undersigned hereby petition Frankston City Council to amend its kindergarten enrolment priorities as below:

1. Prioritise continuity by establishing a policy granting priority enrolment to already enrolled children advancing from 3-year-old programs to 4-year-old kindergarten within the same center.

2. Allow families to select at least two centre preferences during the kindergarten registration process, instead of being limited to a single option.

3. Broaden the definition of "sibling priority" so that it includes children who have had a sibling attend the same centre in the last 3 years, instead of the current limitation of 2 years, to better reflect the real-life spacing of children in families.

 

Kindergarten enrolment in Frankston practices currently lack continuity and foresight, failing to prioritize children who have already commenced their educational journey at a particular service. It is critical that the Frankston Council revisits its enrolment policies to prioritize continuity for our youngest learners, to give priority to children already enrolled in a 3-year-old kindergarten program when allocating places for the 4-year-old program at the same service.

Many councils across Victoria, including but not limited to Whitehorse, Knox, Bayside, Moonee Valley, City of Yarra, Macedon Ranges, Knox, Kingston, and Hobsons Bay, recognize the importance of stability during early childhood and include continuity as a key enrolment criterion. We believe our local children deserve the same supportive, consistent experience. 

 

The evidence behind 2 years and more time in kindergarten is detailed on the Victorian government website, yet Frankston City Council fail to prioritize this for our children.

https://www.vic.gov.au/evidence-behind-2-years-kindergarten

Continuity in early education is vital for a child's emotional, social, and developmental wellbeing. This disruption not only affects the emotional and social development of our children but also creates unnecessary stress for parents who have to juggle new routines, transport logistics, and the challenge of helping their child adapt to a new setting.

Words from a concerned parent:

"My son has already had to cope with a great deal of change this year, and despite that, he has truly thrived in his Kindergarten environment. He has formed close bonds with his educators and made meaningful friendships for the first time. To now be told that he likely won’t be returning with his new-found friends is heartbreaking. He will be devastated, and as a parent, it is incredibly difficult to explain to a young child why they can’t go back to the place where they finally feel settled and happy."

Additionally, the current limitation of only one preference severely restricts parents’ ability to plan for proximity, work schedules, sibling care, and individual child needs. Allowing multiple preferences is a basic standard offered by many councils across Victoria and reflects a more equitable and family-friendly approach.

 

This change would align our council with best practices across the state and reflect a genuine commitment to the wellbeing of local children and families.

Please sign and share to help give our children the stability they need during these formative years.