The first group of children has graduated from the new Gippsland Lakes Early Learning Centre, marking a milestone in the kindergarten’s first year of operation.
Gippsland Lakes Complete Health operates two kindergartens in Lakes Entrance, an established site on Coates Road and a new site on Carpenter Street.
The Early Learning Centre opened in term two this year and is located on the grounds of Lakes Entrance Primary School.
The families and educators of 35 graduating kindergarten students gathered last week, to celebrate the 2025 kinder group.
When asked what graduation meant
to them, the five-year-olds offered their own insights.
“It means people are coming here, like my mum and dad… and in a month I’m going to go to school,” said graduate Shep.
For Adelyn, who celebrated her fifth birthday on the day of the graduation, the excitement was about ‘wearing a cape and a
funny hat’.
But Isla kept things grounded: “Yeah, I’m actually still coming here tomorrow, and
the day after.”
And she’s right, while the graduation ceremony has taken place, classes
continue through to the last day of term on December 19.
The new kindergarten is part of the Victorian Government’s Best Start Best Life reforms, which will increase free kinder hours for four-year-old kindergarten to 30 per week by 2031.
GLCH executive manager Ainsleigh Whelan said she was thankful to the families who had supported the move to the new building partway through the program.
“I want to sincerely thank our families for the trust you have placed in us and the patience you have shown during that transition. Your support helped make it a successful and exciting adventure.”
Next year GLCH will run both three-year-old and four-year-old funded kindergarten programs at the Early Learning Centre, Carpenter Street site. Childcare and funded three-year-old kindergarten will also continue at the Children’s Centre, Coates Road site.
Expressions of Interest for 2026 kindergarten places are still open.
