We understand that each child is different and develops at their own pace. With this in mind it can be a very confusing decision for families about when to start their child at kindergarten and school. Your child’s years at kindergarten are a time to build their skills, especially in regards to social and emotional development. In many cases children will benefit from starting school later as they have had more time to develop their cognitive, gross and fine motor, language, social and emotional skills allowing them to thrive in the school environment. Our Educators are more than happy to talk with families about this decision.

Yes, absolutely. We understand that children develop at different rates. We also find that even children that are toilet trained may have accidents as they become so engrossed in exploring this new exciting environment at kindergarten!

Community Kindergarten is a very special place to learn and grow. At East Beaumaris Kindergarten we foster a sense of community by building strong relationships with the children and their families.

At community kindergarten the same group of children attend each session and children are dropped off and picked up at the same time. This creates a very settled environment for the children, allowing them to feel safe and secure in their environment.

One of the other benefits of our kindergarten is it really is a community. You have the opportunity to meet other parents, and also play at the park next door before or after a session.

Parent involvement in our program also adds to the experience for the children. We have many parents who bring their skills along to the kindergarten. We love for families to be involved in the program by doing duty, allowing you to experience your child at play and speak with Educators about your child’s interests and development.

Yes we do. We are committed to creating an inclusive environment where all children can learn and thrive. Our Educators are more than happy to discuss the individual learning needs of your child.

Our kindergarten program is based on the children’s interests and development. We plan on a fortnightly basis considering observations of individual children and the group as a whole. Children learn best through play and all activities are planned to maximise the children’s engagement and learning. As Educators we look at how we can take a child’s interest and build on their play considering numeracy, literacy, problem solving, collaboration, language and more.

Our program also considers the importance of intentional teaching as we encourage the children to consider events going on in the community and the wider world. Intentional teaching extends children’s thinking, builds deep understanding and occurs in planned experiences.

Throughout the year we have many incursions and excursions and special events. The program changes from year to year based on the interests of the children.  Our previous year’s incursions and excursions have included:

Incursions:

  • Seaweed Sally
  • Hey De Ho Music Program
  • PALS Social Skills Program
  • Dentist Incursion
  • Responsible Pet Ownership
  • Bunnings Construction Workshop
  • Swim Right
  • Henny Penny Chicken Hatching Program
  • Rain Hayne and Shine Animal Farm
  • Drama Toolbox

Excursions:

  • Rickett’s Point
  • Chesterfield Farm
  • Royal Botanical Gardens

On arrival at kinder the children are asked to wash their hands before entering the main room to play. The children are asked to wash their hands before and after meals, after playing outside and throughout the session as required.

Throughout the year the children learn songs that encourage correct handwashing and the importance of coughing and sneezing into their arm. We communicate with families throughout the year about children’s illnesses and emphasise the importance of not sending your child to kindergarten if there are unwell.

Our equipment and resources are washed regularly and we have a cleaner who visits the kindergarten after each session.

Our 3-year-old program has 22 places with 2 Educators and our 4-year-old program has 28 places with 3 Educators. Ratios for Victorian centre-based education and care services, and funded kindergarten programs are 1 Educator to 11 children, so we are well below this in our 4-year-old program.

The very first kindergarten session for the year is a ‘Stay & Play Orientation Session’ where at least one parent attends with their child for a short play and information session with the Educators. In this session, the Educators typically discuss what to expect in the year ahead, answer any questions you may have and discuss your child’s particular needs while your child settles in and meets new friends.

Following this session, children then enjoy a Staggered Start timetable for the first kinder sessions, where the class is split into smaller groups and will attend for slightly reduced hours in order to allow the children to settle in and the Educators to build stronger connections with each child. This enables a gradual adjustment to the environment and facilitates a positive transition.

The main schools our children attend are Beaumaris Primary School, Stella Maris, and Beaumaris North Primary School, as well as other local schools.

We are committed to fostering open and warm communication between Educators, the Committee of Management and families.  We recognise parents as the child’s first teacher and welcome collaboration and feedback.

There are many ways that we communicate throughout the year, including:

  • Parent handbook
  • Termly Newsletters
  • Social representatives from the Parent Committee of Management
  • Notices in individual pockets on display at kinder
  • Emails
  • Regular communication with your child’s Educator
  • Educational program and reflections (displayed in the foyer and/or shared digitally)
  • ClassDojo platform to share children’s kindergarten experience and details for the learning environment on a weekly basis

Please email our Enrolments Team at ebkenrolments@gmail.com to arrange a tour.

Yes, our sessional kindergarten programs operates on 4 terms in line with Victorian schools and breaks for school holiday periods. East Beaumaris Kindergarten also observes all public holidays and will not operate should a public holiday fall on a kinder day.

Enrolments at our kinder are managed through the Bayside City Council central enrolment system which places children in the area based on a number of criteria, one of the most significant of which is whether they hold an exisiting place at the kinder. More information can be found on the Bayside City Council’s website.

Young children learn about the world through play. Research shows that play-based learning is the best way to help young children learn, develop well and prepare to thrive at school.

At East Beaumaris Kindergarten, play is supported by qualified educators, who closely consider the development of the whole child and create meaningful experiences that build on the children’s interests, cultures, strengths and knowledge. The experiences set up in the kinder environment are planned from observations of the children and encourage exploration of literacy, numeracy, science and technology concepts, while also offering children the opportunity to enhance their social and emotional skills, and extend their problem-solving abilities. Children are supported to take risks, use their initiative, focus their attention and investigate their natural curiosity, while becoming self-motivated learners.

Through our play-based learning program children are supported to grow and develop into happy and active learners who contribute in meaningful ways to shape their learning journey. Throughout their time at kinder children are developing skills necessary for school readiness.

A water bottle and all food your child needs for the day are to be brought with them to kinder in a suitable lunch box or storage bag that your child can open. Blue Wrens (3-year-old group) and King Parrots (4-year-old group) will be required to bring along morning and afternoon snack as well as lunch.

We love our kindergarten community and welcome family involvement. Parents are invited to be helpers during kinder sessions, involved with special events including Mother’s Day, Father’s Day, excursions/incursions and concerts. You may volunteer to be a social rep or join the Committee of Management. Our connections with family are one of the very special things that sets us apart and what makes community kindergarten such a wonderful experience.

Our 3 and 4-year-old programs are funded by the Victorian State Government. From 2022 children will only be eligible for one year of 3-year-old funding and one year of 4-year-old funding unless they are assessed to have a developmental delay. Please consider the age of your child when enrolling in a 3-year-old program and the age they will be when they commence primary school after two years of kindergarten.

Sessional kinder offers your child the ideal setting to prepare them for the transition to school. Children develop socially and emotionally in these formative years and the kinder experience naturally offers opportunities for the educators to guide and support your child through navigating social situations. Through the kinder program children learn about emotions and having opportunities to recognise their emotions and emotional responses. Children are supported in becoming responsible for their belongings as they will be expected to at school. They learn the routine of the kinder day and in four-year-old kinder this is broadly inline with a school day. An advantage of the full day in the King Parrot group allows children to adapt to coping with regular eating times, outside break times and pick up. Children learn to cope with tiredness and develop skills to pace themselves through the day. Toward the end of Term 4 the King Parrot teacher prepares a Transition Statement to provide valuable information for your child’s Prep Teacher. Educators are available throughout the year to discuss any questions you may have and how your child is traveling in their preparation for school.