In June 2022, the Victorian Government announced the expansion of the Best Start, Best Life reform.
This included making kinder free for three and four year olds in participating services across the state and transitioning four year old Kindergarten to ‘Pre-Prep’, a universal, 30-hour a week program of play-based learning.
As part of their forms, the Victorian Government is also making sure every new government primary school has a kindergarten either on-site or next door.
In August 2023, the Victorian Government announced the development of a new kindergarten at Tootgarook Primary School. Building a kinder at the school may help some families with drop-off and pick-up. It will also help some children make a smoother transition into primary school.
Previously, the Victorian Government intended to deliver a two-room kindergarten facility at the school site. However, Mornington Peninsula Shire and the Victorian Government have agreed that to best meet the needs of the community, the new kindergarten on the school site will now be a three-room facility.
This expanded service will mean that places will transition to the new Kindergarten Facility from the council-owned facility at 24 Barry Street, Tootgarook. The preschool has served the community well; however, it lacks the capacity to accommodate the increasing number of families seeking kindergarten placements.
The Shire will contribute $450,000 towards additional landscaping and carparking at Tootgarook Primary School.
Construction will commence on the new kinder in the coming months. The new facility will open Term 1, 2025. You can get more information on the project through the dedicated project webpage on the Victorian School Building Authority’s website.
Quotes attributable to Mayor Councillor Simon Brooks:
“This is great news for local families. The $450,000 Shire contribution will go directly towards funding the car parking and landscaping of the new facility at Tootgarook Primary School. This investment not only expands access to early education in the area, but also honours the legacy of the existing preschool, while meeting the demands of our growing community.”
Quotes attributable to Nepean Ward Councillor Sarah Race:
“We’re proud to say our advocacy efforts have paid off, and now families in Tootgarook can rest assured their children will have access to high-quality kindergarten education right in their township. This is a win for our community.”
Quotes attributable to Cr Antonella Celi, Council’s Health and Wellbeing Committee Chair:
“Kindergartens are a vital early learning service that create meaningful connection for our local children and families. As the “Free Kinder” reforms roll out Council will continue its advocacy to the State Government about the impact of these reforms on local infrastructure provision and the additional burden placed on Council’s resources to refurbish expand and build additional kindergartens so that can meet the extra demand for kinder services on the Mornington Peninsula.”
