The Centre was established in 1957, and was known as Pinnochio Kindergarten.  It has gone through many changes in premises, name and governing bodies.  It is now located in Caldarra Ave, and is a Community Based Centre known as Engadine Preschool Kindergarten.  The preschool is a non profit organisation.

Engadine Preschool is a two unit Centre, that is, two groups of children, with a total of 50 children per day (25 per room).  Each room is staffed by an early childhood trained teacher and two child care assistants.  Our teachers are qualified with either a Bachelor of Early Childhood Teaching or a Diploma of Early Childhood Education and two of our assistants are qualified with an Associate Diploma in Social Sciences (Child Studies).  Our untrained assistants have many years experience working with children.

Your child must be aged 3-5 years to be eligible to attend.  We are open 9am to 3pm daily during school terms.

Before and after school care is available between 8am and 9am each morning and 3pm and 4.00pm each afternoon for a small extra free.  Our building is a modern brick prupose built kindergarten with air conditioning.

Our centre is funded and licensed by the NSW Department of Community Services.  All staff have undertaken a "working with children check".

We believe that all children are individuals.  We recognise that early childhood is a unique and valuable stage of life.  We acknowledge that play is the way that children learn therefore staff use play to achieve their aims.  Activities are planned in a variety of developmental areas to aid the development of the child as a ?whole' and prepare the child for future learning experiences.

We recognise that learning enhances each child's strengths, competence and self esteem.  We aim to enable children with special needs to gain assistance with development through integration with their peers in an appropriate environment.  We have a commitment to a quality program that is responsive to the particular needs of each individual child.  We aim to be non-discriminatory, non-racist, non sexist and to respect cultural, social, religious and the socio-economic background of all.  We believe that an effective program is based on sound child development knowledge and be provided in a happy, safe, warm and stimulating environment.

We value the involvement and participation of families.  We acknowledge the uniqueness of each family and the contribution that they may bring to our centre.  We strive to develop and nurture a positive relationship with our families that is based on trust and open communication.

Our staff value and have a commitment to continually updating and improving their expertise and practices in the early childhood field through formal and informal professional development.  We maintain that regularly engaging in critical self reflection, and seeking input from our colleagues is a necessary and worthwhile tool for self improvement.  We believe in working to complement, and support the child rearing practices of the family.  We aim to act in the community in ways that enhance the standing of the profession.

We endeavour to provide programs which are responsive to community needs, and support the development and implementation of laws and policies which promote the will being of children and families.  We believe in cooperation among all agencies and professions working in the best interests of young children and their families.

The staff aim to provide a friendly caring atmosphere within an educational and stimulating environment.  A high priority is the development of feelings of trust and security for children and parents.

In both groups the programs are kept as flexible as possible in order to meet the individual needs and observed or expressed interest of the children as well as the group.  Within the activities available the children are free to choose the areas of interest in which they will participate and with whom they will play.

Activities are based on sound educational knowledge and on the observed developmental needs of the children.  Play is the way children learn so staff use play to achieve their aims.

Children's participation is valued rather than the production of a recognisable result.  The aim is to develop each child's confidence in his/her own ability and willingness to undertake new challenges without fear of failure.  Activities are planned adhering to the principles of the curriculum framework Practice of Relationships (a document compiled by DoCS).  The program based on these principles helps children to manage life outside the children's service and life after the children's service, including school. 

We do this by promoting:

*  a sense of curiosity           

*  a sense of achievement                    

*  experience of successful learning 

*  self-confidence

*  willingness to take reasonable risks  

*  comfortable identification with one's culture and family

*  familiarity with and a sense of belonging to the larger community

*  appreciation of others and the benefits of collaboration

*  skills to interact with adults and other children

*  the value of diversity

*  highly developed communication skills

*  an active approach to learning and problem solving

*  an appreciation of literacy and numeracy as essential to making meaning in the world

*  flexibility, a robustness of self that allows compromise

*  resourcefulness and resilience

*  perseverance in the face of obstacles

*  an optimistic and positive approach to life

*  self-help skills

*  an ability to follow directions

*  concentration skills

*  assertiveness, confidence to ask questions and seek help.             

A written program using the following guidelines is provided for the children each week:

*  realistic goals for individual children set from observations and recordings for each child's special interests and developmental level.

*  group goals set from observations as well as goals to help the group meet developmental milestones

*  emphasis learning as an interactive process with materials and people.  The environment is arranged so that children learn through active participation

*  allow the child to select their own activities during the dayfrom a range of several activities the teacher has planned or the child has initiated.

*  encourage the child to try new activities to extend his/her development

*  provide a range of developmentally appropriate activities and materials

*  allow flexibility according to the changing needs and interests of the children, to cope with changes in weather, or other situations, which bring about change in routines.

*  provide for integration of additional needs children

*  reflect cultural and linguistic diversity

*  include gender equity

*  evaluation of the program is carried out continuously.

After your initial application for enrolment is accepted, you will be required to pay your deposit.  You will then be asked to attend the annual Orientation Evening held in October each year, where you will complete an enrolment form.  Once accepted your child's place is confirmed, until your child begins school, or is withdrawn from care.  Please ensure that your enrolment form is correctly and completely filled out, as this will assist the staff in getting to know your child, and deal with any incidents or emergencies that may arise.

It is important always to update addresses, telephone numbers, contact people etc., so that in an emergency you or a person nominated by you can easily be contacted.

It is also required by law that only children who's contact details are accurate and up to date are accepted at the Centre.

Priority of Admission

A waiting list presently exists.  We follow strict guidelines as dictated by our licensing body and as stated in the guidelines for centre based child care funding agreement with the State Government.  Therefore priority of access is given to:

*   children of non English speaking background

*   Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander children

*   children with disabilities

*   children from disadvantaged and vulnerable families and communities

*   children requiring additional assistance

Fees

The maximum fee for 2007 will be $33 per day.  A deposit of $100 is paid on enrolment.  A fee of $2 is retained for membership to the association and the balance of $98 is refundable when the child leaves the Centre.

Fee assistance is available for low income families.  To be able to claim assistance you must complete a form, provided by the Centre, re your family's income. Engadine Preschool is funded by the State Government.  We receive a one-off grant per annum and must budget accordingly.  We are not a federally funded Centre and have no affiliation with Centrelink.  Fee assistance is provided from our own budget and we can therefore only help 12 families each year.

The 2007 Fee Assisted rate is $20 per day.  As a guide, your combined gross annual income needs to be under  $40,794 per annum.  Please ask at the office for eligibility criteria.

Before and after school care is available between the hours of 8am - 9am and 3pm - 4pm daily.  There is a fee of $3.00 per session. 

Holidays and sick days taken in term time are to be paid in full.  Public holidays are not charged

Non attendance

If a place is unused for more than three weeks without notifying the Centre of the absence, then the booking and place may be cancelled.

Notice of Withdrawal

Two weeks notice in term time is required if a child is to be withdrawn from the Centre.

Punctuality

116A Caldarra Avenue
ENGADINE  NSW  22233

Ph: 9520 8011
Fax: 9520 1587

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.

The Centre aims to provide families with the opportunity to participate at all times in their child's care and education and welcomes such participation.

It is hoped that parents will play an active role in the day to day running to the Centre.  Skills in such diverse fields as cooking, crafts, music, drama, science, etc., can be shared with the children. 

Each family is encouraged to put their name on the Parent Roster at least twice each term.  Parent Roster requires only two hours help in either the morning or the afternoon, and duties include washing up, participation in the classroom and helping clean the craft kitchen. Parents are welcome to bring their other children and your help is hugely appreciated as it frees the teachers and assistants to spend quality time with your children. 

Participation on the Parent Roster during the day will give parents an insight into their child's development and allow for informal discussions on the child's progress which can be mutually helpful.

From time to time parents will also be approached to assist the Centre in various ways e.g.. sewing, coming along on excursions, providing scrap material, fund raising, serving on committees, coming to working bees.  Any help will always be appreciated and it is a good way to get to know the staff, other parents and the children.

Family Values

Staff at Engadine Preschool will, at all times, respect the family values of the parents of the children enrolled at the centre.  This respect will be reflected in all dealings with the family as well as in the program presented.

Multiculturalism

Engadine Preschool recognises and honours the diversity of peoples in the broader Australian community. 

We will endeavour through our programming to broaden children's perspectives and learn to deal with unfair behaviour as well as promote positive self identity and self-esteem in all children. 

We will help children value the many differences, as well as the similarities between people.

Any necessary help and support will be provided to enable children and families with a non-English speaking or Aboriginal background to have access to Engadine Preschool.

Engadine Preschool will provide the staff with support when developing the individual programs for all children and families at the centre.

Engadine Preschool will provide additional support for staff when developing the individual programs for children with a non-English speaking or Aboriginal background.