OVERVIEW
Kindergarten is the ‘next step’ in a child’s learning journey. When children enter their kindergarten year, they continue to move through social, emotional and developmental changes and engage in play in different ways. Educators value relationships with children and families to learn about the strengths, abilities and needs of each child in the group. This informs curriculum decision making. As a government-funded program, families and educators have access to the support of preschool field officers and additional assistance through the Kindergarten Inclusion Support (KIS) programs, depending on specific learning and development needs.
A typical kindergarten day will include abundant opportunities for open-ended play. Children engage in enquiry-based learning. There are scheduled times for the group learning through songs, story telling, movement, games, experiments, cooking and group discussion. Snack and lunch time is also a great opportunity for learning and practising social skills. The session may also include a special event such as incursion. Families are welcome to participate in a kinder session. A kinder helper roster is available on the noticeboard from term 2.
Gellibrand Crescent Kindergarten offers a 15-hour government funded 4 year old kindergarten program and a 7.5-hour government funded 3 year old program, which are delivered by qualified early childhood teachers and educators.
Our kindergarten program is tailored to meet the individual needs and development of every child and is respectful of gender and culture. We follow the Victorian Early Years Learning and Development Framework and incorporate a range of interactive and fun activities into our sessions, including:
- Music, movement and storytelling
- Art and craft experiences using a variety of natural and recycled materials
- Cooking, gardening and sensory activities
- Promotion of good nutrition and active play
- Teaching environmental sustainability
Please note in order to be eligible to enrol in a 3 year old kindergarten program, children must have had their 3rd birthday by April 30th of that year.
