Beacon Hill Community Kindergarten (BHCK) is a not for profit community based preschool.  The Centre is partially funded by the Department of Education and Communities and is operated on a not-for-profit basis with all revenue reinvested in the Kindergarten.  BHCK is managed by the Teaching Director with the governance role taken by a Board of volunteer Directors from the Kindergarten community.  The daily fee charged is the difference between the funding received and the amount required to meet the provisions of the annual budget.



​BHCK is licensed for 41 children to attend each day.  The children are divided into 4 class groups, 2 of which operate for 3 days and the others for 2 days.  The 3 day classes operate on Monday/Tuesday/Wednesday and the 2 day classes on Thursday/Friday.  There are 3-4 educators allocated to each of the class groups.  BHCK employs a highly qualified staff with each of the classes being lead by a University trained Early Childhood Educator.



​The Centre is open from 8.15am until 3.45pm each day and operates according to school terms.  The children bring their own morning tea, lunch and drink.



The children enrolled at BHCK go on to a variety of schools in the local area.  The majority choose Beacon Hill Public, Cromer Public or St Johns Narraweena with the remainder spread across the other local public, private and catholic schools.  BHCK provides transition to school support for all children regardless on the school they will attend.



The Wait List Application Process

You can register your child on our waiting list on or after their second birthday.  If you are unsure about the year your child will start school you can register for both the years they turn 4 and 5 and choose whether to accept or defer a place if an enrolment offer is made.

 

Please complete the Application for Waiting List Form.  

 

 

 

 

Parking for the Kindergarten is directly opposite the lights for McDonalds - adjacent to the sporting fields.  Access to the Kindergarten is at the rear of the building - follow the sign posts from the car park.  

 

In addition to the form we also need to sight your child's original birth certificate and you are required to pay a non-refundable fee of $50.00 to confirm registration on the Waiting List. Payment can be made at the Kindy or to our bank account.  Banking details are:

Beacon Hill Community Kindergarten

BSB:  032-191

Account Number: 39-2268

Reference:  Use your child's name

 

Enrolment offers are made during Term 3 (approximately July-September) for the following year, in accordance with the Enrolment Policy.  We offer 2 or 3 day attendances.

 

A typical day may look like this



Winter / Summer

 

8.15am     Centre Opens

                  Indoor / Outdoor Play Session

                  (including morning tea, small and large language group times)



11.00am    Outdoor / Indoor Play



12.30pm    Lunch



1.00pm      Quiet Time



1.30pm      Free Play including Story Time

                  (may be indoors or outdoors weather depending)



2.00pm    Music/Movement Group



3.45pm   Centre Closes



Our Program

The program is based on the Early Years Learning Framework, the first ever national curriculum for early childhood.  The ideals of children Being, Belonging and Becoming provide us with the framework on which to base our observations of the children.  We use their knowledge, skills and interests to form the basis of our daily planning.  We believe that the greatest motivation is provided by offering the children choices that are based on the things that they like doing or where they already  have some skill or knowledge because they feel confident to engage and this enables them to grow and learn.  It also empowers them to be co-constructors of the curriculum and to make well founded decisions and choices about their learning.

The program includes group experiences each day when we share language, music and movement activities.  We have a flexible morning tea, where the children take responsibility for deciding when they eat.  Lunch is around 12.45pm when all the children and staff sit together to eat, after which the children have a quiet time.  This may be a proper "rest" for the younger children, relaxation activities such as yoga or simply sedentary activities.  It depends on the needs of individual children and the class group.



Developmental Portfolios



During the year the teachers will monitor and record your child's development through the use of a 'portfolio' system.  This incorporates the use of photographs, work samples and written observations.  The portfolios are a working document and are available for review, at any time just approach your class teacher and ask to talk.  They can be found on the shelves in each classroom.  The staff are happy to discuss the content with you at any time.  They will not be available until Term 2 as we focus on getting to know your child before we commence work on the portfolio.  Each class completes the portfolios in their own manner and they may differ from each other, however, the aim is to record your child's development and the events of their year at BHCK.  Each child is an individual and this can impact on what is available to record.  They are individual documents that do not need to be compared with other children or classes.

 

Privacy

The privacy of our families and children is important to us.  Read on for more .........





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