Priority of Access
We use priority of access (PoA) when there are more eligible children seeking a place in a kindergarten than there are places available.
Priority one - High priority children (Department of Education criteria)
- Children at risk of abuse or neglect, including children in out-of-home care
- Aboriginal and/or Torres Strait Islander children
- Asylum seeker and/or refugee children
- Children known to Child Protection or the child’s family has had contact with Child Protection
- Children with additional needs, defined by the Department of Education as children who:
- have an identified specific disability or developmental delay
- require additional assistance in order to fully participate in the kindergarten program
- require a combination of services which are individually planned
- children that meet the eligibility criteria for the kindergarten fee subsidy
Priority two
- Children of Hobsons Bay residents where the parent/guardian or child has a life-threatening or debilitating illness / disease.
- Children of Hobsons Bay residents where a parent/guardian has a disability.
- Children of Hobsons Bay who have attended or have a sibling who previously attended the families preferred kindergarten program.
Priority three
- Resident/ratepayer of Hobsons Bay.
- Parents/guardians who currently (or soon will) live in Hobsons Bay.
- Families who select their closest service as a first preference will be prioritised over those who do not.
Priority four
- Non-resident children who have a connection to Hobsons Bay and meet one or more of the following criteria:
- Child’s parent/guardian is working or studying within Hobsons Bay (minimum of 2 days per week).
- Child is attending formal or informal care in Hobsons Bay (minimum of 2 days per week).
Priority five
- Non-residents of Hobsons Bay
Where multiple children meet the priority one criteria and there are limited places available, registrations will be weighted based on the number of PoA criteria (within priority one, two and three) that the registrant meets. In the event that multiple children are weighted equally for a limited number of places, we will operate a random ballot for the equally ranked children to determine allocation.
More information about the priority of access and evidence required can be found here(PDF, 371KB).
Kindergarten central registration policy & procedures
This policy and procedure outlines the criteria, processes and priorities used when registering a child for funded three and four-year-old kindergarten programs through Hobsons Bay City Council’s Kindergarten Central Registration Scheme (CRS).
Kindergarten CRS Policy and Procedures 2024(PDF, 371KB)