Guidelines for Kindergarten Enrollment Work in Jiangyin City for 2026

To the Education Offices of All Towns (Subdistricts) and All Kindergartens:

In order to regulate and orderly carry out the enrollment work for kindergartens in the city this year, and in accordance with the national, provincial, and municipal deployment requirements regarding the reform, development, and standardized management of preschool education, as well as the spirit of the "Opinions of the Municipal Education Bureau on Kindergarten Enrollment in the Wuxi Urban Area for 2026" (Xijiaofa [2026] No. 19), the "Six Measures of Wuxi Municipality to Optimize School Enrollment for Children of Non-Local Residents" (Xijiaofa [2025] No. 12), the " Measures of Wuxi Municipality to Optimize School Enrollment for Foreign Nationals and Their Children" (Xijiaofa [2025] No. 15), and the "Notice of the Municipal Education Bureau on Issuing the ‘Implementation Plan (Trial) of Wuxi Municipality for Promoting the 'Sibling Co-Enrollment Policy for Multi-Child Families’" (Xijifafa [2025] No. 4), -- taking into account the current actual situation of the city, the following opinions are hereby put forward:

I. Basic Principles

1.Government-led Coordination with Local Responsibility. In accordance with the principle of "county-level leadership and local management," the enrollment work for kindergartens in the city is guided, coordinated, and overseen by the Municipal Education Bureau, while the specific implementation is carried out by each town (subdistrict). The enrollment work for Yushanwan Experimental Kindergarten and Yushanwan No. 2 Experimental Kindergarten is directly managed by the Municipal Education Bureau.

2.Relatively Proximity-Based Enrollment and Zoned Enrollment. Following the principle of "kindergartens enrolling students within delineated zones, and children attending kindergartens relatively close to their homes," based on factors such as the number of school-age children, the distribution of kindergartens, the scale of kindergartens, and traffic conditions, a service area is scientifically delineated for each public kindergarten to ensure full coverage of the policy of admission to preschool education without entrance exams.

3. Fairness, Justice, and Sunshine Enrollment. Kindergartens in all towns (subdistricts) shall adhere to the principles of openness, fairness, and justice, ensuring sunshine enrollment and standardized enrollment, to ensure the smooth progress of enrollment. Relying on the "Most Jiangyin" app’s new student enrollment registration platform, a "one-stop" service is provided for parents. All towns (subdistricts) and kindergartens shall make public to the community the implementation plans for kindergarten enrollment work (private kindergartens shall also announce their enrollment plans, enrollment methods, fee standards, etc.) as well as consultation hotlines and supervision and complaint hotlines for enrollment work within the specified timeframe. Kindergartens shall, through various means such as their campus websites, promptly disclose relevant enrollment information and proactively accept social supervision.

II. Specific Details

(I) Relevant Policies

1. In accordance with the principle of local responsibility, school-age children should, in principle, have household registration in the town (subdistrict) where they are applying for enrollment, reside in the same household registration as their parents or other legal guardians, and have the household registration consistent with the property (limited to residential properties, same below) and the actual place of residence. If the household registration, property, and actual place of residence are not consistent, the child will be placed through coordinated arrangements by the relevant town (subdistrict) based on the actual situation.

2. Properly manage the school enrollment for children of non-local residents. For the enrollment of children of non-local residents, for persons who have not obtained local household registration in Jiangyin but have held a residence permit in the city for three months or more, no social insurance payment requirement is set. Each town (subdistrict) will consider accepting such children based on the availability of vacant places in public kindergartens within its jurisdiction. If there are no vacant places, they shall be accepted by private inclusive kindergartens within the area of the town (subdistrict).
　　
3. For children of active-duty military personnel, national comprehensive fire rescue team personnel, cadres and workers supporting border area construction, public security heroes and martyrs as well as injured or disabled public security police officers, and individuals who have performed acts of heroism and righteousness; for students from Hong Kong, Macao, Taiwan, and foreign countries; and children of families relocated due to major urban construction projects, enrollment shall be arranged according to the relevant national, provincial, and municipal regulations, with overall coordination by the Municipal Education Bureau.

4. Inclusive kindergartens shall accept children with disabilities who can adapt to kindergarten life and provide them with help and accomodations. The identification of the type and severity of a child's disability shall be based on the confirmation or assessment by qualified professional institutions designated by the education, health, and disabled persons' affairs departments at or above the county level.

5. Encourage qualified kindergartens, on the basis of meeting the enrollment needs of children aged 3-6 within their designated areas, to open or expand nursery classes, and continuously explore the integration of care and education for younger children, to meet the public's demand for high-quality, inclusive, and accessible infant and toddler care services.

(II) Enrollment Targets and Eligibility Criteria

　1. Enrollment Age
Senior Kindergarten: five years old (born on or before August 31, 2021)
Middle Kindergarten: four years old (born on or before August 31, 2022)
Junior Kindergarten: three years old (born on or before August 31, 2023)
Integrated nursery-kindergarten programs (integrating care and education): two years old (born before on or August 31, 2024)
Kindergartens shall not admit children who have not reached the appropriate age for their respective grade levels.

2. Enrollment Requirements
(1)Enrollment of Children Aged 3-6

School-age children with permanent household registration and legal fixed residence in the city; and school-age children of non-local residents who do not have household registration in the city but reside with their parents or legal guardians in the city and meet the relevant conditions.

(2) Enrollment of Infants and Toddlers Under the age of 3 in Childcare Centers

Following the principle of "family as the foundation, supplemented by care services," qualified kindergartens are encouraged to open nursery classes. Kindergartens with vacant places after the new student enrollment for ages 3-6 can admit school-age children who possess a certain level of self-care ability, can understand and express themselves clearly, and can adapt to collective life. Specific requirements can be found in the enrollment announcements of kindergartens integrating care and education.

(III) Enrollment Procedures

1. Public Kindergartens

(1) Announce the enrollment work plan. Each town (subdistrict) shall, based on the kindergarten distribution and business plans within its jurisdiction, scientifically and rationally determine the service areas of each kindergarten and its enrollment work plan, and announce its implementation after reporting to the Municipal Education Bureau for approval. Specific opinions on the enrollment work for Yushanwan Experimental Kindergarten and Yushanwan No. 2 Experimental Kindergarten will be released separately. The specific enrollment arrangements for kindergartens in the city are scheduled for June to July this year, with the specific registration period determined by each town (subdistrict).

(2) Implement online pre-registration. Parents or other legal guardians of school-age children shall complete pre-registration for new students through the "Most Jiangyin” app’s new student enrollment registration platform before June 20.

(3) Organize on-site verification. Each kindergarten shall post an enrollment announcement at the school gate and in densely populated residential areas within its service area approximately 10 days before the on-site verification, clearly indicating the scope of the service area, the time for on-site verification, and the types of documents to be submitted. Parents or other legal guardians shall complete verification and pre-registration procedures at the kindergarten within the specified time and receive the "School Admission Notice."

(4) Nursery class enrollment. The enrollment work for toddler classes in kindergartens offering integrated nursery and kindergarten services will commence one week after the registration period for new entry-level kindergarten students concludes; refer to the specific enrollment announcements issued by the respective kindergartens.

(5) Mid-level and senior class transfers. Children applying for transfer into mid-level or senior classes are not included in the unified enrollment information registration process. Kindergartens will arrange offline registration. Parents or other guardians shall apply to the kindergarten in the area where the child's household registration is located, and each kindergarten will make arrangements based on the actual situation.

2. Private Kindergartens

(1) Announce the enrollment plan. Private kindergartens shall formulate their enrollment plans in accordance with educational laws, regulations, and relevant provisions. The enrollment plan shall be submitted to the relevant town (subdistrict) for filing and shall be made public to the community. Enrollment promotion must be factual and truthful, and must not mislead parents with false or inaccurate information.

(2) Kindergartens shall enroll students according to their enrollment plans. Parents or other legal guardians of school-age children who wish to apply for a private kindergarten shall enter the "Kindergarten" option on the "Most Jiangyin” app’s new student enrollment registration platform to register their personal information. After completing the online registration, they shall proceed to the private kindergarten to complete the registration and on-site enrollment procedures. Enrollment for mid-level and senior-level classes (transfer students) and nursery classes (for younger toddlers) shall be arranged individual private kindergarten based on available vacancies. Private kindergartens shall not enroll students beyond their planned quotas.

III. Work Requirements

1. Effectively enhance political awareness. The education management departments of all towns (subdistricts) and all kindergartens must strictly implement enrollment policies, abide by enrollment discipline, carefully organize and implement the work, and promptly and properly handle issues and conflicts arising during enrollment to ensure the enrollment work is orderly. They must optimize enrollment services, promptly disclose enrollment information, warmly receive parent visits, meticulously interpret enrollment policies, effectively carry out publicity and guidance, proactively accept social supervision, and strive to create a good working atmosphere.

2. Strengthen enrollment supervision and inspection. In accordance with the "Jiangsu Provincial Regulations on Preschool Education" and other policies and regulations, no unit or individual shall establish a kindergarten or enroll students without authorization. All towns (subdistricts) should strengthen publicity and supervision to prevent school-age children from attending unlicensed kindergartens. School-age children shall be admitted to kindergartens without entrance exams. No kindergarten shall organize any form of entrance tests or disguised tests.

3.Strictly regulate the operation of kindergartens. The enrollment scale of kindergartens must be compatible with the conditions for running kindergartens to ensure the normal conduct of various early childhood education activities. Strictly control class sizes in accordance with the relevant provisions of the "Regulations on Kindergarten Work," ensuring that the per-child land area, building area, outdoor activity area, and green area in kindergartens meet relevant requirements.

4. Carry out physical examinations for new students well. In accordance with the spirit of the "Notice of the Provincial Department of Health and Provincial Department of Education on Doing a Good Job in School Health Work in 2007" (Suweijikong [2007] No. 12), all kindergartens shall cooperate with health departments in related tasks. Upon on-site verification and registration of new students, the child health handbook needs to be checked. When new students register at the start of the semester, the child health handbook will be checked again. The physical examination of new students must be carried out properly, and student health records must be well established.

5. Strictly implement fee charging policies. Fully implement the "Opinions of the General Office of the State Council on Gradually Implementing Free Preschool Education" (Guobanfa [2025] No. 27), and meticulously execute the government subsidy policies for children from economically disadvantaged families. Provide free enrollment to children with disabilities, children of urban and rural subsistence allowance recipients, children of families with a "Subsidy Certificate for Employees in Hardship," orphans without a source of income or without legal guardianship, and orphans adopted by social welfare institutions. Adhere to standardized fee collection and strictly implement the provisions on kindergarten fee management in our city. No kindergarten may arbitrarily add fee items or increase fee standards. Fee items and standards shall be publicly displayed, accepting supervision from the community and parents. No registration fees shall be collected during on-site verification and registration. Kindergartens may pre-collect the fee for bedding (a non-compulsory fee) for the next semester based on the actual situation. All other fees shall be collected at the start of the semester during formal registration.

Jiangyin Municipal Education Bureau
May 14, 2026

Source: Jiangyin Municipal People's Government

The English version is for reference only. If there are differences between the English version and the Chinese version, the Chinese version shall prevail.
http://www.jiangyin.gov.cn/doc/2026/05/14/1394502.shtml