The Pope Road Kindergarten Committee of Management recently made a decision about the kindergarten’s operational model for 2026.
Four-Year-Old Group Days and Fees (15 hours per week): There are three Four-Year-Old kindergarten groups.
- 33 children enrolled
- 3 x core groups of 11 children (A, B, C)
- 2 core groups attend each day = 22 children/2 educators
- Each core group attends 2 x 7.5hrs per week (Total 15hrs. per week). This is called a rotational model.
Three-Year-Old Group Days and Fees (10 hours per week): There is one Three-Year-Old kindergarten group.
- One group of 20-22 children
- 2 x 5hr sessions per week (Total 10hrs per week)
Fees: No fees will be charged, with the exception of a $100 deposit which will be refunded in Term one.
Families can elect to pay a one-off voluntary contribution per annum:
Four-Year-Old-Group: $400
Three-Year-Old-Group: $200
The decision to increase the hours for the Three-Year-Old Group and to increase the session times for the Four-Year-Old Group takes into consideration:
- Vic. State Government’s Best Start, Best Life Reforms for Early Childhood Education, which includes an expectation that all centres will work towards providing 15hrs per week of kindergarten for the Three Year Old Group, by 2029, and 30hrs per week of kindergarten for Four Year Old Group children by 2034.
- Children’s best interests and rights
- Pope Road Kindergarten 2024 Parent Survey results
- Financial viability