THOUSANDS of families in Wyndham are anxiously awaiting to hear if their children will get their first preference kindergarten spots.
Councils across Melbourne have begun issuing ‘first round’ offers for next year’s kinder placements, but final spots may not be known for more than a month.
Wyndham chief executive Kerry Thompson said the council had received 1954 enrolments to date for the 2274 spots available in 2013.
The number of available places has climbed from 2241 last year, with four extra groups opening their doors.
Point Cook South East and Tarneit Central kindergartens are scheduled to open next year and will be located on school sites.
“The number of groups has been tailored according to demand in specific local areas.
“The number of four-year-olds is decreasing in more established areas of Werribee and Hoppers Crossing, however demand is increasing in more rapidly growing areas such as Point Cook and Tarneit,” Ms Thompson said.
Point Cook Playgroup president Peta Maddaluno said the 120 families with children aged 0-5 at its sessions knew the shortage of spots in the suburb meant securing their first preference was not guaranteed.
Parents worry that if they miss out on their preferred preschool they would be forced to travel further where a place was available, disrupting school and kinder drop-off routines.
Ms Maddaluno said she held her own daughter, a March baby, back a year after missing out on her first preference so she had a greater chance of securing a spot in Point Cook.
“I held her back last year because I don’t drive, so even going somewhere in Hoppers Crossing isn’t a viable option because I’d have to get there by public transport and there is basically none in the area,” she said.
The annual jostling for first preference positions has been complicated by new federal regulations that require kindergartens to provide 15 hours a week for four-year-old programs, up from 10.75 hours a week.
Ms Thompson said the council could only provide 15 hours of kindergarten for 27 kindergarten groups at 11 locations.
She said more rooms were needed before it could offer 15 hours at most of its centres.
