Beliefs about Early Childhood Education
As part of the Gilmore Primary School learning community, our preschool provides a quality play-based educational program. In partnership with families, our curriculum is drawn from the Early Years Learning Framework to develop learning programs responsive to children’s ideas, interests, strengths and abilities.
A Day at Preschool
Our program is designed to allow for child-led learning, which means no two days will be exactly the same. However, there are some familiar experiences that the children can expect to encounter every day. Here is a guide to help you talk to your child about preschool.
The preschool day starts at 9:00am. Parents and carers are encouraged to enter the classroom with their child and select a settling activity before saying goodbye. After all the children have settled in and are Ready to Learn they will participate in a whole group learning experience. This might be oral language games, reading picture books, group discussions, number songs, or building social skills.
After a healthy snack break the children will move into their self-guided learning.
We run an indoor/ outdoor program, which means children select from a range of opportunities that are designed in both the indoor and outdoor learning environments. The educators plan based on student interest, culture and ability and many of our experiences are open-ended, allowing for children to engage in learning at their point of need.
There are two scheduled supervised eating times for morning tea and lunch at 11:00am and 1:00pm, however these times are adapted based on the needs of students in our classes on any particular day. The children learn about healthy foods, build positive relationships through social interactions, and engage in predictable routines.
In the afternoons we often have a quiet rest period where children are encouraged to select calming, regulating experiences. Educators will plan whole group learning such as singing, yoga, or a visit to the library. This is also our opportunity to provide a rest or sleep for children who need one.
Across the week your child will also participate in a range of learning experiences at the primary school site. This includes weekly visits to the library to borrow books, participating in a targeted gross motor program in the school hall, visits to the school canteen, attending school assemblies, visits with their buddies, nature play ‘out the back,’ and shared excursions in the local environment.
Transition to Kindergarten
Our preschool children are very much part of our whole school community. They attend a range of whole-school events including the Athletics Carnival, Book Week and Children’s Week celebrations, Outdoor Education Day, and Fun Day.
As the end of the preschool year approaches, the children will participate in more targeted orientation activities in the Kindergarten building. All children who live in area, as well as our NSW pathways families, are automatically enrolled at Gilmore Primary for kindergarten. You will receive a letter from the school seeking your confirmation. Out of area enrolments are required to ‘re-enrol’ for kindergarten. Please ask the friendly front office staff for more information.