The year before school is so important for young children. It’s where they learn the skills to develop the confidence they need to make a smooth transition to school.
If you are the parent of a three or four-year-old then you have probably already started to consider what your options are for Kindergarten (also known as preschool) for 2021.
What are your options?
For first time parents it can be a little overwhelming wrapping your head around the different options – Government run programs, sessional ELCs or Kindergarten at a centre-based long day care service.
For a government preschool you also need to consider your ‘catchment area’ (or sometimes called ‘school zone’) and priority / wait lists may apply. Then cross your fingers and wait to see if you will be offered a place. Not to mention the added challenge of the traditionally limited Kindergarten hours – either ‘sessions’ or a ‘full 9-3 day’, maybe 2.5 days per week or perhaps a five-day fortnight.
Wraparound care for up to 12 hours a day
If both you and your partner are working, these inflexible hours can be hard to accommodate. This is when a Kindergarten program in a centre-based long day care setting, such as Goodstart Early Learning, has its perks. You get wraparound care for up to 12 hours a day, so your child can attend Kindergarten with the flexible longer hours you need.
No packing lunches!
Plus, at Goodstart, nutritious meals are included (so no packing lunches, yay!!), there are extracurricular activities and all kindergarten children receive a polo shirt, hat and a drink bottle.
Subsidised care
And the icing on the cake, thanks to the Child Care Subsidy, if you attend a Goodstart Kindergarten Program you may be entitled to 36 hours of subsidised care per fortnight. And, even better is that families don’t need to meet the activity test in order to qualify for this subsidy payment – that means that regardless of how much work or recognised activity you and your partner do, you can still receive payments to offset the cost of kindergarten.
Learn more about the eligibility requirement online:
goodstart.org,au
SO, WHAT CAN YOU EXPECT FROM GOODSTART’S KINDERGARTEN PROGRAM?
At Goodstart the Kindergarten program is evidence based and is specifically designed for children aged 3-5 years. The curriculum is based on the Early Years Learning Framework, which is delivered by degree-qualified Early Childhood Teachers. This program nurtures children’s collaboration, communication, creativity and critical thinking skills.
Smooth transition to school
Goodstart’s high-quality Kindergarten program delivers a government approved curriculum and is geared towards helping children develop the foundational skills they need for a smooth transition to school. The program is built upon play-based learning which makes it active and fun for children and helps them develop an openness to learning that lasts well into adult life.
The Goodstart Kindergarten Program helps children become school ready by developing their:
• Physical health and wellbeing
• Social competence
• Emotional maturity
• Language and cognitive skills
• Communication skills and general knowledge
WHAT IS PLAY-BASED LEARNING?
Play-based learning is a simple concept but because so many of us are accustomed to seeing learning occur in formal settings, it’s easily misunderstood.
Play-based learning is all about the process that children embark on, rather than achieving a specific outcome. It’s an approach that is led by the child and supported by teachers and educators by recognising ‘teachable moments’ during play, or by carefully planning play experiences that open up opportunities for learning.
When children engage in play, they are more motivated to learn and develop positive feelings towards learning. By drawing on their natural desires, play-based learning is perfect for young children.
Enrolments are open for the 2021 Goodstart Kindergarten Program
With 51 centres across South Australia, there’s likely to be a Goodstart Early Learning centre near you. Book a tour and meet their friendly team early childhood teachers.
