Steps to secure a kindergarten place through the Wellington Kindergarten Central Registration Service

Wellington’s Centralised Registration Service (CRS) uses Department of Education Priority of Access guidelines to place children in a fair, inclusive and transparent way into kindergarten services.  

The CRS provides a single point for families to register for all participating kindergartens, which means families only need to complete one registration form to apply for multiple kindergarten programs in Wellington Shire.

Step 1. Register

Complete the registration form. Register your child for 3-or 4-year-old kindergarten between 1 May – 30 June.

Registration is free. You don't need to attach any documents to the registration form as this information will be collected by your allocated kinder during enrolment.

You will need to provide the following information to complete the registration process:

• Your child's personal details;
• Parent/carer details;
• Whether your child qualifies for the Department of Education Priority of Access Criteria (E.g. special needs, concession cards, a second year of funded 4-year-old kindergarten etc);
• Does your child have a prior connection to a service (e.g whether your child has attended 3-year-old kinder or their sibling has attended kinder in the past 5 years);
• The year your child will commence kindergarten;
• Program type (3-year-old or 4-year-old kindergarten); and
• Kindergarten program preferences.

If you are unsure of any of the information above, you can reach out to the Early Years team who will be able to assist you.

Step 2. Wait

Wait for your offer of a kindergarten place. Council reviews all registrations and allocates kindergarten places.  Some children receive priority allocation.

Once all applications are received. Council will go through the allocations process.

Want to know more about the allocation process?

Allocation of kindergarten places is in accordance with a fair and transparent process agreed on by participating services. Each child is allocated points depending on their individual circumstance. Council uses the Department of Education's Priority of Access criteria to score each child based on the information you as a parent/carer or guardian provide during the registration process.

Kindergarten places are allocated with the highest-scoring registrations placed first. Where there are several registrations at the same priority level and limited kindergarten places, there is a random ballot selection. For more information about priority of access criteria, please click here or view the Wellington Kindergarten Central Registration Service FAQs using the button below.

Please note: it does not matter what time you register during the registration period. Your child does not score higher, or received first preference if a registration is submitted earlier.

Step 3. Accept

You will be contacted with an offer to one of your preference programs in early August. You will be asked to respond (accept, decline etc) by a set date in late August.

You have received a Kindergarten offer

The offer of kindergarten placement will be sent to your email address. Once your email of offer is received, you can choose to:

• Accept - Accept the offered kindergarten place. Families will be connected with their kindergarten provider to begin the enrolment process.
• Accept and waitlist - Accept the offered kindergarten place but be put on a waitlist for a higher preference program. Families will be connected with their kindergarten provider to begin the enrolment process.
• Defer - Accept the offered kindergarten place but defer it. You will not automatically be given a place in the following year; however, you will be given priority for your place. You will need to complete another Registration Form for the following year.
• Decline and waitlist - Decline the offered kindergarten place and be put on a waitlist for a higher preference program. There is a risk that no places will become available.
• Withdraw - Decline the offered kindergarten place and withdraw from the Wellington Central Registration Service.

Step 4. Enrol.

You will be connected with your child’s kindergarten to begin the enrolment process. You will now deal directly with your kindergarten, but Council staff are still here to help if needed.

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