What is Kindergarten?

Kindergarten now starts at 3 years of age. It is a two year educational program for children aged 3 – 5 prior to starting school that focuses on school readiness. All government recognised Kindergarten programs are delivered by a Bachelor qualified Early Childhood Teacher. Kindergarten is an important step for young children and is strongly recommended for all children. Research shows that Kindergarten improves children’s health and wellbeing, helps them to develop strong social skills and encourages a love of learning. Children who attend a kindergarten program are more independent and confident and are more likely to experience a smooth transition to primary school (Prep).

At Complete Kids we view all children as capable and acknowledge them as active participants in their learning. Interactions are nurturing and respectful, integrating care and education. When you visit our preschool rooms you will see a variety of activities; free choice and intentional teaching, small and whole group experiences including music, movement, literacy, mathematics and discussions. Our qualified Teachers use the four areas of play and development; social, creative, cognitive and physical to plan experiences to meet the five learning outcomes articulated in the frameworks.

A multiple age program brings together children aged three to five, offering a unique opportunity for learning and development. Teachers adapt the curriculum and their teaching strategies to support individual children’s development.  Research has found that play across mixed age groups is often more complex, further supporting children’s ideas, decision making and language development.

Some benefits of an integrated, two year Kindergarten program and are;

• Children develop friendships and engage in scaffolded learning

• Children have access to peer support and lead learning

• Promotes stronger relationships between children/families and educators, supporting our philosophy of working closely with families and the community.

• Allows for extended learning, building on existing interests, knowledge and skills without the interruption of room/service transition.

What days does our Kindergarten program run?

Our qualified Kindergarten Teachers are available five days a week, offering families the flexibility to choose days that best suit them. The minimum requirement for participating in a government funded kindergarten program is to attend two days per week (15 hours).

What are the hours of the Kindergarten Program?

8:30am – 4:30pm are our Kindergarten hours, however children are welcome to attend from 6:30am to 6:30pm to access quality care throughout the day. We ask that all Kindergarten children arrive by 9am each day as this is when we have our ‘welcome group time’.

What does a funded program mean?

The State Government Kindergarten Funding is provided to services, to allow each child to attend a Kindergarten program, run by a qualified Kindergarten Teacher before they start school.

Children must be enrolled for a minimum of 15 hours per week and 15 hours of funding per child is provided to the service to allow for Kindergarten teacher wages, program planning time, educational resources and incursions etc.

At Complete Kids, we ensure we offer more than 15 hours (or 2 days) per week wherever possible, and our highly trained Kindergarten assistants ensure the smooth running of the Kindergarten programs outside the teacher’s hours.

What is the difference between sessional Kindergarten and Long Day Care Kindergarten?

Both sessional Kindergartens, and Long Day Care Kindergartens have Bachelor qualified Kindergarten Teachers, both are funded by the Government and both programs adhere to the Victorian Early Years Learning Framework. Where they differ is, Long Day Care Kindergarten hours are more flexible, accommodating those families who work longer hours and allowing more flexibility with regards to day choices and pick up and drop off times. Long Day Care Kindergartens remain open throughout the school holiday period where a flexible holiday program is implemented by our wonderful Kindergarten Assistants. At Long Day Care Kindergarten, our class sizes are smaller with a maximum of 22 children in each class per day. This allows for smaller group times and more intentional teaching opportunities.   Our children also participate in weekly wellness incursions that include Little Sports Heroes and Happy Feet music program. All meals are provided and cooked on site and include breakfast, morning tea, a hot lunch, afternoon tea and late snack. Our meal times are progressive, allowing children to choose when they are ready to eat and a bowl of fresh fruit is available to children at all times. We offer 2 set parent teacher interviews per year however, our Kindergarten Teachers are always available for families if further meetings are requested. Families are provided with Daily Reflections, offering a snap shot into your child’s day via our School Stream app. Similarly to Sessional Kindergartens, we hold Mother’s Day and Father’s Day events, a Kindergarten Christmas Concert and parent helper opportunities. Our School Readiness program includes visits to local schools, nature walks, snack boxes and visits from grade 6 primary school children.