The Expression of Interest stage is where families submit an expression of interest form for their child to attend kindergarten.
Expression of interest forms are submitted from January to May in the year before children are due to attend kindergarten.
Central Registration and Enrolment Scheme
The City of Casey's Centralised Registration and Enrolment Scheme (CRES) enables families to register for multiple kindergartens and groups with one registration.
CRES includes Council-managed kindergartens plus independently managed organisations that are part of the CRES.
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- When to apply for kindergarten
To be eligible to attend a kindergarten service, your child must be three years old for the 3-year-old program or four years old for the 4-year-old program by 30 April of the year they start kindergarten.
Child's date of birth 3-year-old Eligible year 4-year-old Eligible year 1-May-2020 – 30-April-2021 2025 1-May-2021 – 30-April-2022 2025 2026 1-May-2022 – 30-April-2023 2026 2027 Expressions of Interest are open from January to May of the year before a child is due to start kindergarten. Families can submit an expression of interest for their child for 3-year-old or 4-year-old kindergarten in the year before they are eligible to attend.
Prior to January, expressions of interest are not accepted as this does not increase the chances of being offered a place.
Families who submit an expression of interest for their child by the 30 May in the year before they attend kindergarten will be contacted once the timetable has been released. In June, families will then be invited to submit a registration where they will choose their preferred kindergarten and session for the upcoming year.
Registrations remain open after this date however will be marked 'late' and considered for a place in future offer rounds.
- Choosing kindergartens
At this stage of the process, families will select up to three different kindergartens on their expression of interest form.
When choosing a kindergarten for your child, it is important to understand:
- Listing one kindergarten does not increase the chances of your child being offered a place at this kindergarten
- Kindergartens are not zoned and proximity does not increase the chances of your child being offered a place at your closest kindergarten
- Kindergarten attendance does not guarantee your child a place at a particular school, and the school you wish your child to attend does not increase your chances of being offered a place at a particular kindergarten
See the Find a kindergarten | City of Casey for a list of all kindergartens under the Central Registration and Enrolment (CRES) scheme.
- Visit a kindergarten before you choose
Choosing preferred kindergartens can be difficult. Feel free to visit a few kindergartens before making a choice. Please contact the kindergarten directly to make an appointment before your visit.
The Victorian Department of Education and Training has a list of things to look out for during your kindergarten visit
- Submit an expression of interest for kindergarten
Submitting an Expression of Interest (January to May)
Submitting an expression of interest is free. With a valid email address, you can submit your child’s details through our online system EnrolNow.
Between January and May of the year before your child will attend kindergarten, an expression of interest can be submitted with your preferred kindergarten service/s.
- A separate expression of interest form must be completed for 3-year-old and 4-year-old kindergarten
- Expressions of interest can only be submitted in the year prior to when your child will attend
Documents required
Families will be requested to submit the following documents with their expression of interest form:
- Proof of birth (passport, birth certificate, or Immunisation History Statement – issued by Medicare)
- Concession card (if applicable)
- Refugee or Humanitarian Visa (if applicable)
- If you have already submitted an expression of interest form, please contact a Kindergarten Enrolment and Planning officer to make any changes.
- If you are unable to submit an expression of interest form online or do not have an email address, please contact a Kindergarten Enrolment and Planning officer on 9705 5200 or kinderenrolment@casey.vic.gov.au
- How to update my details
If you need to update your or your child’s details on the expression of interest, please email the Kindergarten Enrolments and Planning team at kinderenrolment@casey.vic.gov.au.
Please include your child’s full name and details of what you would like to have updated.
- Key dates
Stage Date Expressions of Interest (to be included in first rounds of kindergarten offers) January to May Registration period (for existing expressions of interest or late registrations)
Families who have submitted an expression of interest will be asked to submit a registration to update their preferred kindergartens and nominate their preferred sessions
June onwards Kindergarten Offers
While every effort will be made to place your child at the same service for four-year-old kindergarten, this cannot be guaranteed.
From August Enrolment into Kindergarten November and December Kindergarten program begins End of January
What’s Next?
Once the timetable has been released, the Kindergarten Enrolment and Planning team will contact families who have submitted an expression of interest and ask them to submit a registration to update their preferred kindergartens and nominate their preferred sessions.
For further information on the registration stage, see Register for Kindergarten | City of Casey