3 Year old kindergarten
Our 3-Year-Old Kindergarten program provides a warm, nurturing and
engaging introduction to early childhood education. We understand that this may
be your child's first experience in a learning environment away from home, and
we are committed to making this transition a positive and exciting one for both
children and families.
At South Mornington Preschool, we believe children learn best
through play, relationships and meaningful experiences. Our program is designed
to spark curiosity, encourage exploration and support children to develop
confidence as they begin their learning journey.
We currently offer both an 8-hour program (2 x 4-hour sessions)
and a 15-hour program over 3 days of the week in our multi-age program. Each
group is led by a Bachelor-qualified Kindergarten Teacher and supported by
Diploma-qualified Co-Educators, ensuring children receive high-quality care,
education and support.
Our educators create a safe, welcoming and inclusive environment
where children feel a strong sense of belonging and are encouraged to learn at
their own pace. Through play-based learning experiences, children are supported
to:
• Build confidence and develop a positive sense of self
• Form friendships and develop social skills
• Learn to share, cooperate, negotiate and take turns
• Express and understand their thoughts, feelings and emotions
• Develop resilience, independence and self-help skills
• Explore, create, investigate and problem-solve
• Participate in both individual and group learning experiences
• Develop communication, language and early literacy skills
• Strengthen their physical development through active play
Repeating Three-Year-Old Kindergarten
Three-Year-Old Kindergarten is funded as the
first year of a two-year kindergarten program in Victoria. As such, children
are generally expected to progress from Three-Year-Old Kindergarten to
Four-Year-Old Kindergarten the following year.
Repeating Three-Year-Old Kindergarten is not
routinely available and will only be considered in exceptional circumstances
where there are identified and significant developmental delays. Any request to
repeat must be supported by appropriate professional documentation and is
subject to Department of Education funding eligibility requirements.
It is important for families to understand that
once a child has accessed funded Three-Year-Old Kindergarten, they are
considered to have commenced their two-year kindergarten pathway. This may
impact eligibility for repeating a year and for future funding.
For children born in April (close to the school
cut-off), families may wish to carefully consider whether commencing
Three-Year-Old Kindergarten in the following year may better support their
child’s long-term learning pathway. We encourage families to discuss their
child’s readiness and individual circumstances with us so that an informed
decision can be made.
Please speak with our team if you would like to
discuss your child’s enrolment timing further.
