Welcome to our Preschool. This is a place of safety. It is a place where we stimulate enquiry, engage the senses, invite discussions, and offer choices. We ask everyone to contribute to and influence the Preschool.
We believe that adults and children are unique and special. They bring their own skills and abilities to the Preschool Everyone is a capable, resourceful, and meaningful contributor to our group.
The preschool years are vital foundations for children's life-long learning. Play is fundamental for children to make meaning of the world around them. As their teachers, we support and facilitate their learning as well as learn with them and from them.
In order to learn effectively we need to build strong relationships throughout the preschool community. We help families to make links with local services. Our environment reflects the local neighbourhood
It is vital to build self-confidence. Through the program we experience, investigate, explore, solve problems, create, practice and daydream together. It is important to us to take risks and meet new challenges. We learn through our achievements and mistakes.
As a community, we value honesty and openness in our interactions with one another. We strive to communicate with one another freely and without judgment. We ask questions. We listen to suggestions and follow them through as much as possible. We accept that people are all influenced by their own family culture their upbringing, and life experiences. We share these with one another.
We try to empathise with others and are respectful of everybody's point of view. We try to be positive, optimistic & tactful. We establish partnerships based on common interests & goals. We value each individual for the special qualities they bring. In these ways we build trust with each other.
We strive to be fair to everyone. We encourage each other. We celebrate each others' achievements. We strive to be compassionate, tolerant and patient. We have chosen a career that involves a lifetime of learning and are committed and enthusiastic in our work. We work together in the spirit of friendship and enjoy the humour and joy that is part of everyday.
Our learning environment and the natural world are integral elements of lives. We appreciate their beauty together. We enjoy spontaneity and the great value in learning from each moment and person we encounter.
PRESCHOOL HOURS
The Preschool hours of operation are 9.00am to 3.00pm. Children must be collected by 3.00pm. We are not permitted, by license, to allow children on the premises before 9.00am or after 3.00pm
The Preschool is closed for all school holidays, and a pupil-free day the first day of term 1. The Preschool will be closed for any Public Holidays that fall within school terms.
ATTENDANCE
Children can attend 2 days per week, Monday & Tuesday or three days per week, Wednesday, Thursday & Friday.
OUR FEES
Our fees are $36.00 per day. (Please note these are subject to change)
WHAT TO BRING
Children's bag should hold:
packed lunch (see lunchbox section above)
Bottle of water
Nutritious Morning Tea Snack (fruit preferred)
Sunhat (all year round, can be worn over beanies if necessary in Winter)
Change of clothes (full set, including underwear)
Sun Screen (optional, if you don't wish to use ours)
Please consider all of the above when you choose your child's bag. It will also need to fit any art or craftwork we may send home, plus a jumper or raincoat in cooler months.
If your child wishes to sleep s/he will need 2 sheets to fit the Preschool bed. Dimensions: 132cm long x 15cm wide. One sheet needs to have elastic diagonally across each corner, or alternatively, fitted cot sheets will also fit.
Your child will need a drawstring bag for their sheets. Sheets are taken home at the end of each week for laundering
Both should be clearly marked with your child's name.
ABOUT THE PROGRAM
The following is taken from the NSW Curriculum Framework for Children's Services, which is supported by the Program our staff implements at the Preschool.
The general list of qualities that we desire for children are as follows:
Sense of Self
The child is developing:
An awareness of their uniqueness and what contributes to that A sense of curiosity, desire for challenge, and joy in learning and achieving A view of self as competent, creative, and capable communicators An appreciation of his or her own strengths Feelings of belonging to and pride in their culture and their family Broad inclusive notions rather than restrictive ones of what it means to be male or female A view of self as powerful and effective Growing ability to assert him- or herself appropriately and at the same time appreciation of the rights of others Confidence to ask questions and seek help A sense of belonging to the community and contributing to it An appreciation of what it means to be an Australian An ability to add to and alter the picture they and others have of themselves, by taking reasonable risks, meeting new challenges, and having new experiences and relationships Sufficient confidence and resilience to persevere in the face of obstacles and not be devastated by a lack of success
The Communicating child
The child is developing:
The ability to seek and understand information, express opinions, convey feelings effectively Skills to communicate freely and effectively with peers and adults in familiar situations An increasing ability to use and understand non-verbal communication Pleasure in playing with language through rhyming, making up words and sounds, and telling stories Recognition and valuing of a range of kinds of literature An appreciation of literacy and numeracy as invaluable means of making meaning in the world Understandings and skills needed to learn to read and write
Thinking, investigating, exploring, problem solving child
The child is developing:
Increasing understanding of the world and pleasure in learning and problem solving An active approach to learning and problem-solving Skills to use other people to support their learning Delight in self-discovery and exploration
Healthy, active, physical child
The child is developing:
Confidence and skills in using the body Daily living habits, understanding and skills that support health and well-being
The social child
The child is developing:
Familiarity with and a sense of belonging to the larger community Skills in interacting with adults and other children Appreciation of others and the benefits of collaboration The ability to function as a member of a group, including skills of negotiating, leading, following, conflict resolutions, appropriate assertiveness Increasing empathy, caring, a sense of justice, appreciation of the worth of all people Comfort with diversity A sense of fairness, the courage to work to eradicate injustice and racism The capacity to control behaviour from within and to be motivated primarily by care and respect for self, others and the environment The feeling child
The child is developing:
The ability to recognise and accept their own feelings The ability to express feelings appropriately and to judge the impact of behaviour on others The ability to read other people's feelings and situations The creative child
The child is developing:
The capacity to express ideas using a range of media Understanding that some problems do not have an easy solution Recognition that many problems have a number of good solutions Appreciation of the individuality and diversity in approaches and solutions Realisation that working creatively and collaboratively to find solutions is an enjoyable activity The spiritual and moral child
The child is developing:
Respect for and enjoyment of the natural environment and living things Appreciation of beauty in its many manifestations
120-122 Nicholson Parade Cronulla NSW 2230
Ph: 9523 5397
Please feel free to call us on the number/s above or enter your details in the form below and we will contact you as soon as possible.
BRIEF HISTORY OF CRONULLA KINDERGARTEN (By Pam McDowell)
In 1939, my aunt, a Mrs Alma Hubery and her very good friend Mrs Ferguson-Woods, who both had small children, recognised the needs of mothers and children in the local area. Both women began door-knocking at homes where there were obvious signs of young children, such as prams, strollers and nappies on the clothes line, or they would just stop mums in the street to gather interest in starting a kindergarten. This was very successful and the first kindergarten was opened in an old white wooden house owned by the Church of England. Sunday school was held there on Sunday mornings, fellowship for older children at night and during the week days it was a kindergarten for three to five year olds. This was situated on the corner of Ocean Grove Avenue and Gerrale Street where there are now units and restaurants.
The Kindergarten then moved to an old house on the grounds of South Cronulla Primary School. The house was situated on the corner of Lucas street and Ewos parade. It was run from there until the South Cronulla Primary School was extended and the extra land was needed.
The next move was to a very large old house on the corner of Sunset Avenue and Nicholson Parade - the site where it still operates today. The original house was used for many years caring for the needs of most of Cronulla's children and those of surrounding areas. Some children used to be picked up from the station on a regular bus run. One of the staff always accompanied them. They were then picked up by bus in the afternoon from the kindy.
The grounds were always a lovely play area, but the rooms of the house were small and the toilets, bathroom and kitchen were not up to standard. One large room had been built on the back of the house with a small stage area and this opened onto a big cement play area. All of this part was then used by the three year olds and we held our concert and parties there.
Finally the wood in the old part of the house was very much affected by whit ants and it all had to go. During this time (circa 1975) when Gough Whitlam was the Prime Minister, he granted us funds for a new kindergarten to be built on the same site. During the years that the Whitlams lived in South Cronulla, their children had attended the Kindergarten, both parents had been on the Committee and Margaret Whitlam had been President.
When the old Kindergarten came down, we were allowed the use of the Congregational Church Hall in Wilshire Avenue for the six months needed to build the current structure.
Cronulla Kindergarten was officially opened on 7th August 1976. Kurnell Kindergarten was built around the same time and was designed by the same architect. The new Cronulla Kindergarten was financed by the Federal Government and the land was owned by the local Council. At this time the Council always gave money towards expenses but that stopped some years ago, and now the Kindergarten is Government subsidised only. Good financial management during the past few years has kept the fees down. No donation of money or property left in wills has ever been given to the Kindergarten despite rumours to the contrary.
Over the years since 1939. so very many children have attended this Kindergarten and so many have gone on to be outstanding citizens in their chosen fields of science, commerce, law, medicine and sports and numerous other rewarding occupations and lifestyles - and many past pupils now bring their own children or grandchildren back here to the Kindergarten they have once attended.
Mrs. Pam McDowell was a loyal and dedicated staff member of the Preschool who provided 29 years of service until she retired in early 2003.
Family Information Book
To download a copy of the family information book please click on the link above.
Waitlist Form
To download a copy of our waitlist form please click on the link above.
