Our Program
Children need time and personal space in which to grow. They need time to be themselves, to stand and watch and to repeat again what they have already done. In short, they need time to live in their own childhood. At Kindy we try to offer children rich and appropriate learning opportunities combined with enough time to enjoy and experience these opportunities to the full. With this in mind, we have to establish a program at Kindy that is basically orderly and workable but flexible.
The daily pace at Kindy is relaxed, allowing many opportunities for teachers and children to relate. At group times the children are divided into classes of 20 children. In these groups they have music, language, lunch and quiet times. These smaller groups help to facilitate each child’s conversation skills and ability to participate.
There are daily routines planned to provide alternative quiet or active play. Both indoor and outdoor free play periods are very busy.
Between the routines many interesting events take place. These are planned with individual and group goals in mind. Each day they include: some activity that is creative, another that is messy, something that is different or new, something that requires the children to think on a deeper level, some activities to foster motor development and many chances to experience books, pictures, poetry and listen and be listened to. Within these activities are situations that the staff “pick up” and use spontaneously to develop social awareness and emotional strengths in the children.
What we term as “Free Play” are two generous blocks of time during the morning and the middle of the day, where materials and equipment are set out and the children take the responsibility of selecting for themselves what they would like to do. During these times, the staff move about the room, talking with children and extending their language, helping them, sharing experiences and interacting. The other parts of the day focus on teacher/child initiated experiences where the children interact and work in their focus groups of 20.
Concord Kindergarten has 40 children a day, split into 2 groups of 20 in each room
The Monday to Wednesday groups are:
The Echidnas and the Wombats
The Thursday to Friday groups are:
The Koalas and the Wallabies
Music Program
We have a Music Teacher - Kylie Montague who is a trained Early Childhood Teacher and a
writer for the ABC's Playschool who attends the Kindergarten once per week for each group.
The children participate in groups of ten and are introduced to various musical components
combined with singing and movement.
Ready Steady Go Program
This is a multi-sports program that attends the Kindergarten once per week for each group. The
main objective of the program is to provide children with the opportunity to explore a variety of
different sports, encouraging them to pursue a healthy and active lifestyle.
Ready, Steady, Go aims to provide children with a positive and safe environment in order
to develop self-esteem, confidence, social skills and a healthy mindset focused on the
benefits of physical activity.
