Shepparton families guide to early learning, kinder and school readiness

The years between a first day at early learning and a first day of Prep go quickly, and in Greater Shepparton there are a few dates and systems worth knowing about early. This guide walks through kinder registration, the changes coming with Pre-Prep, and what school readiness looks like day to day.

How kinder registration works in Greater Shepparton

Greater Shepparton City Council runs a central registration process for three and four year old kinder at council centres and most privately operated services. Families register online and places are allocated under the state’s priority of access guidelines. If you would like your child to do kinder within long day care, talk to the centre directly as well, because some services manage their own enrolments.

The council publishes its round dates by birth date. For children born between 1 May 2023 and 30 April 2024, four year old kinder is in 2028 and school is in 2029, and first round offers close on 6 August 2027.

Three year old kinder and Free Kinder

Children can start funded three year old kinder in the year they turn three by 30 April. Children born between January and April can start in the year they turn three or the year they turn four. Under the state’s Free Kinder program, families at a participating long day care centre receive an annual offset that the service applies to fees, so there is nothing to claim back. Child Care Subsidy is applied first, then the Free Kinder offset.

Pre-Prep is coming to Greater Shepparton in 2028

Four year old kinder in Victoria is gradually becoming Pre-Prep, with more funded hours each week. According to the Victorian Government roll-out schedule, Greater Shepparton starts Pre-Prep in 2028 with 16 to 20 hours a week, increasing to up to 25 hours from 2029 and up to 30 hours from 2031. Families with a concession card or a multiple birth child can access more hours from the start. If your child was born in the 2023 to 2024 window above, they will be in the first Shepparton Pre-Prep group.

What school readiness actually looks like

Day to day, school readiness is mostly practical. Can your child open their own lunchbox, go to the toilet without help, put on a jumper, wait their turn and ask for help when something goes wrong? Those skills grow through play long before the last term of kinder.

In our Shepparton kindergarten room, children practise these every day. They help prepare and taste food with our chef, work together in small groups, and plan their own play with an educator, which builds the memory, attention and flexible thinking they will lean on at school. Early literacy and numeracy are part of the program too, taught through play.

The Transition Learning and Development Statement

In the last term of kinder, your child’s teacher writes a Transition Learning and Development Statement, which is shared with their new school. Families add their own section about their child’s interests and needs, and children can contribute too. The Department of Education’s transition guidance explains how it works. At Creative Hands Shepparton, educators also put together a personalised transition plan for each child heading to Prep.

Prep enrolment dates

Victorian children can start Prep in the year they turn five by 30 April. For 2027, applications opened in April 2026 and were due at the end of July, and schools usually follow a similar statewide timeline each year. Ask your school about orientation sessions before the year starts.

Early learning at Creative Hands Shepparton

Creative Hands Early Learning Centre Shepparton is at 48 to 54 Cezanne Drive. Our funded kindergarten program is led by a degree qualified early childhood teacher and runs for 15 hours a week inside long day care hours, alongside our nursery and toddler rooms. You can read more about the Shepparton centre. And on a free weekend, KidsTown, the adventure playground on the Midland Highway between Mooroopna and Shepparton, is worth a visit.

Frequently asked questions

When does Pre-Prep start in Greater Shepparton?

Pre-Prep starts in Greater Shepparton in 2028 with 16 to 20 funded hours per week, increasing to up to 25 hours from 2029 and up to 30 hours from 2031.

How do I register for kinder in Shepparton?

Greater Shepparton City Council runs central registration for three and four year old kinder at council and most private services. Families who want kinder within long day care should also contact the centre directly.

What is a Transition Learning and Development Statement?

It is a report written by your child’s kindergarten teacher in their final kinder year, with input from families, that is shared with the child’s primary school to support their move to Prep.