Rooms
Crocodile
4 Year Old Kindergarten
We have two four year-old kindergarten rooms that offer an integrated Long day care and Kinder program, the program is designed for 4 and 5 year old children the year prior to them attending school.
The Kinder program runs between 8.30am and 3pm from Monday to Friday over the school terms. On the school holidays, our teachers are on annual leave and the room is run by a Diploma trained educator in the room.
Our Turtle and Crocodile rooms accommodate up to 18 children. Our Kindergarten teachers are highly experienced and have worked in a variety of educational settings and have over 20 years experience in Early Childhood Education.
​
The Turtle and Crocodile program is informed by the Victorian Early Years Learning and Development Framework, Howard Gardner’s Multiple Intelligences theory, Bronfenbrenner and the Reggio Emilia approach. These influences create a holistic program that gives every child a chance to learn, be successful and achieve their fullest potential during the Kindergarten year.
Experiences and Activities
We offer three specialist classes that rotate every four weeks - Music and Drama, Active Antics (PMP) (Perceptual Motor Program) and Auslan- Australian Sign Language.
​
Our service offers a range of exciting initiatives for Four -Year-Old Kindergarten, that are all inclusive of our fee schedule. These activities and experiences include:
​
-
At least one incursion per term, these may include: Splash Water Safety workshop, The Responsible Pet Ownership program, Librarian Visits, Animal Encounters such as Australian animals, reptiles and ocean creatures and Dental Visits.
-
One excursion per term – these may change from year to year: Chesterfield Farm, Kew Traffic School, Oakleigh Fire station, Cranbourne Botanic Gardens and Wheelers Hill Library.
-
School Readiness Funding which goes towards projects such as ‘Book buddies’ where each Kindergarten child received a set of books throughout the year which inspire a group project to engage in, or extra training for staff in areas such as ‘Brain Development in Young Children’ and ‘Hey Little Warrior: Anxiety in Little Kids’.
-
Intergenerational Program - our grandparents are regularly invited to visit our classrooms to engage with children in learning and play.
-
A School readiness program in Term four which includes a Pack-a-snack Program, Library Reader Program and Visits from Prep Classes and Teachers
-
Nature explorers program – we plan to explore our community surroundings and learn about what is around us
-
Cooking program - our Kinder has a wonderful Kitchen and dinning area where the children can cook meals and eat together
-
Puppet Program - a variety of puppets are used in the classroom to support literacy and language, social and emotional skills amongst the group.
-
Information Technology - we have a range of ICT resources to use in the Kindergarten Program including Surface Pro devices, an interactive whiteboard and a screen projector in the theatre room for presentations.
-
Parent meetings held at a minimum twice a year to discuss your child’s progress and Transition to School Statement.
-
School Readiness Talk held mid-year to assist families in preparing their child for school and also choosing a school to suit them. This involves a practical tips, handouts and a question and answer session.
-
Restaurant catered events – Mother’s Day afternoon tea, Father’s Day afternoon tea and Four year old Graduation ceremony.
-
Each child has a portfolio that has observations, photographs, artwork and special memories that is added to over the year. This portfolio is presented to each child at our Graduation Ceremony in Term four.
-
Graduation is a special day for teachers, children and families in our service, and we have a performance for all to enjoy.
Kinder Routine
Time
Activity
7.30am - 9.00am
Centre opens and children arrive for the day, put their bags and drink bottles away.
Children may family group in another Kinder Room during this time.
9.15am - 9.45am
Morning Group Time, may include morning greeting, time / weather board, information for the day
Children are encouraged to arrive in time to be part of the morning Group Time
9.45am - 10.00am
Morning Tea. Children to self-serve and have a choice of milk / water to drink
10.15am - 11.30am
Morning indoor / outdoor Kindergarten Program begins (run dependent on children’s needs / weather)
Specialist Programs (times may vary – Active Antics, Auslan, Music and Drama, Nature Walks)
11.30am - 12.30pm
Group time and lunch. Children are encouraged to self-serve and use bottles to drink.
12.30pm - 2.30pm
Relaxation and Quiet Time. For some children in three-year-old Kinder this may also include a rest / sleep after lunch. Children engage in quiet relaxing activities such as storytelling, literacy or numeracy games or passive group games. Children are encouraged to make their own choices in regards to whether they want to be indoors or outdoors.
2.30pm
Afternoon Tea, this may also include a group time story or another activity before eating.
3.00pm - 5.00pm
Indoor / outdoor program runs, depending on weather.
5.00pm - 6.00pm
Late snack provided during this time.
6.00pm
Centre closes
The routine may change due to special events, weather and the needs of the children on the day. We will endeavour to keep a flexible and adaptable routine to optimise all learning needs and cater to the requirements of the day.
