Our community is incredibly important to us, so if you don't see your question answered below, please contact us and we will get back to you as soon as we can.
How Do I enrol my child?
All enrolments are completed through the Frankston City Council website. Click below to be redirected to their enrolment site and enter "Seaford Heights Pre-School" as your preferred option.
What are the benefits of 3 year old kindergarten?
3 Year old kindergarten is an opportunity for children to build on their growing independence as they spend time away from their primary caregivers, often for the first time.
As they engage in relationships with educators and peers they are developing:
- A sense of belonging
- Self esteem and self awareness
- Verbal and non-verbal communication skills
- Social skills for developing and maintaining friendships
- Dispositions for learning (curiosity, imagination, creativity, cooperation)
How does kindergarten prepare my child for school?
Kindergarten provides children with the opportunity to develop the broad range of skills required for successful learning in the school environment.
Skills include:
- Self care (independent toileting, opening lunch boxes, caring for own belongings)
- Attention and concentration
- Physical skills (e.g. having the endurance to sit upright for an entire school day, holding a pencil correctly)
- Emotional regulation
- Language skills
- Play skills
- Social skills and participating as part of a larger group
The kindergarten curriculum is planned to develop these important skills that allow children to develop and learn effectively.
What will my child learn from a kindergarten with a play based curriculum?
Current brain research suggests that play provides active exploration that assists in building and strengthening brain pathways. Play creates a brain that has increased ‘flexibility and improved potential for learning later in life’ (Lester & Russell, 2008, p. 9).
Our play based curriculum:
- Allows for long periods of uninterrupted play; time to allow children to develop play and themes
- Is presented so resources and materials are inviting to children and encourage exploration, learning and inquiry.
- Includes developing warm and trusting relationships that allow children to feel secure and supported in the learning environment and encourage strong peer relationships
- Encourages child led experiences as well as incorporating intentional teaching.
Young children’s play allows them to explore, identify, negotiate, take risks and create meaning. The intellectual and cognitive benefits of playing have been well documented. Children who engage in quality play experiences are more likely to have well-developed memory skills, language development, and are able to regulate their behaviour, leading to enhanced school adjustment and academic learning (Bodrova & Leong, 2005).
What are the benefits of an indoor/outdoor program at kindergarten?
An indoor /outdoor program allows children to choose where they are going to play and learn. They can move between the environments freely.
An indoor/outdoor program promotes:
- Longer periods of play due to less transitions allowing children the opportunity for sustained engagement in what they are doing.
- Less routines and transition allowing more opportunity for meaningful interactions between children and educators
- Less demand on resources allowing children time to focus on and extend their interests.
- Opportunities for small group play and solitary play
- More space for different types of activities:- quiet, noisy, risky, calm
- A less cluttered environment with clear play spaces which allows for more focused and productive play.
- Children’s choices and allows for children’s different activity levels and learning styles.
How do educators manage separation anxiety?
Educators at Seaford Heights Preschool have lots of experience at supporting children and their parents who are experiencing separation anxiety. Our aim for children is to feel comfortable and gain a sense of belonging in the preschool environment.
Educators will implement strategies such as:
- A parent spending to time at kinder with their child to gain a sense of familiarity and comfort.
- A ‘special’ item from home to provide the child comfort.
- Ensuring parents say goodbye and letting the child know when their parent will be returning.
- Supporting children to recognise their emotions and manage them in appropriate ways.
- Each child and family will have individual needs and educators are flexible to accommodate these needs.
Please feel welcome to discus settling and separation with the staff. It can be a difficult time for parents, as it can be the first time you have had to leave your child.
When you feel it is time to leave let a staff member know so that we can offer comfort and support to the child. Please tell your child when you will be back, for example "I am going now, I'll be back before lunchtime".
Does my child need to be toilet trained to attend kindergarten?
The short answer is no.
Children achieve milestones at their own pace and will be toilet trained when they are developmentally ready.
Educators are happy to assist families with information about toilet training and to work collaboratively with parents to support their child to become toilet trained.
What snacks do I pack for kinder?
Meal and snack time provides many learning opportunities for children. They learn to recognise when they are hungry or thirsty and can access their food according to their own personal needs.
Children are encouraged to have something to eat but may choose not to; sometimes children are too busy to stop what they are doing!
Meal and snack time can be very social with children sitting in small groups eating and talking. For safety children must sit in a designated area to eat their snack; snack table inside and picnic rug outside.
At kinder we promote healthy eating and drinking habits. For more information on this and some snack ideas, CLICK HERE.
Families will be advised verbally and in writing if there are any foods that need to be avoided in the case of severe allergies.
can i stay at kinder or visit during a session?
Yes! Staff encourage parents to stay with their child to settle them into kinder. The time needed to settle a child will be a very individual thing. Please feel free to discuss settling and separation with the staff.
Family members, including extended family are welcome at the kinder at all times. Sometimes family members may attend for special events or for kinder duty to be part of our everyday activities.
Children enjoy having familiar people to share their special place with and it provides opportunities to build a sense of community within the preschool.
For safety reasons all visitors will be required to sign in and sign out of the preschool. This includes all parents, siblings, family members and friends who come for special events.
our committee
The kinder is run by a volunteer parent body. This is made up of the executive committee:
- President
- Vice President
- Treasurer
- Secretary
And the general committee:
- Enrolment Officer
- Fees Representative
- Fund Raising committee
- Maintenance
- Policy Officer
All parents are welcome to join the committee and all assistance is appreciated!
Our kindergarten
contact us today
If you would like to ask any questions or would like someone from the Kindergarten to contact you, please fill out the form below and we will get in touch with you soon!
