‘World-class kinder close to home’: The new and upgraded centres opening up near you

Families will have access to 6500 new kinder spaces this year, with 65 centres opening after being built or undergoing upgrades. Search our interactive map to see all the new kinders near you.

Families will have access to more than 6500 new kinder places for their children in Victoria from this year.

Victorian families will have access to more than 6500 new kinder places for their children from this year, with 65 new or upgraded early learning centres opening their doors.

The dreaded double drop off for parents will also become a distant memory for some, with 20 of these kindergartens opening up at government schools and will accommodate up to 2575 children.

These early learning centres include Ballan Early Education at Ballan Primary, Gowrie Victoria Broadmeadows at Broadmeadows Valley Primary and Greenvale Primary School Kindergarten.

Meanwhile, another 45 new or expanded centres are opening up at council, non-government school and other sector sites, which have been funded by the Labor Government’s Building Blocks Partnerships and Capacity Building grants.

It’s hoped the new and upgraded kinders will address growing waitlists for free kinder services, with 70,000 children commencing three-year-old kinder this year and 80,000 joining the four-year-old program.

Children’s Minister Lizzie Blandthorn said she hoped the new kinders at school sites and free kinder option was providing families with cost-of-living relief.

The dreaded double drop off for parents will also become a distant memory for some, with 20 of these kindergartens opening up at government schools.

Nearly 154,000 families have saved more than $2600 in fees per child at sessional kindergartens and up to $2101 per child at long day care centres.

“This year we’re opening 20 kinders on school sites and continuing Free Kinder to save families up to $2,627 – all to give children the best start in life,” Ms Blandthorn said.

“Our Best Start, Best Life reforms are delivering 65 kindergartens this year and thousands of kindergarten places right across the state – so more children and families can access a world-class kinder close to home.”

Originally published as ‘World-class kinder close to home’: The new and upgraded centres opening up near you