Our Lady of the Rosary Kindergarten exceeding

A multi-level outdoor play area and a program that supports sustainable practices has helped earn Our Lady of the Rosary Kindergarten at Kenmore an ‘exceeding’ rating under the National Quality Framework.

Assessors for the National Quality Standard, which sets a benchmark for the quality of children’s education and care services across Australia, rated the service as ‘exceeding’ in four out of seven quality areas that are deemed important outcomes for children.

Assessors pointed to the natural environment, exceptional communication with families, health and safety practices and the warm and respectful relationship between educators and children as evidence of the service’s high-quality practice.

Our physical environment is a real drawcard for families and children,” said Our Lady of the Rosary Kindergarten Director Rebecca Handasyde.

“We use open-ended resources and create natural, uncluttered play spaces, which allows children the freedom to explore their own interests, express their ideas and knowledge and take considered risks in their play.

“Our outdoor area incorporates three levels, which allows us to intentionally create rich and diverse spaces for children to explore. The vegetable garden is an integral part of the way we support children to understand sustainability and has evolved into a ‘paddock to plate’ project in our kindergarten program.”

Starting in Term 1 last year, the children learnt how to germinate bean seeds. As they cared for the seedlings, they constructed a trellis in the garden and prepared the soil for transplantation. They watched as the shoots began to wind onto the trellis and learnt about sharing the land with animals. In May, the children harvested their first beans and decided to use them to make vegetable fried rice.

“The children really enjoyed this project,” said Rebecca. “Checking the plants for beans became a daily practice and they loved bringing their family members to the garden to share their progress. The project grew to include carrots and tomatoes and the children enjoyed making connections between what they were growing and what they were eating at kindergarten and at home.

“When the kindergarten was invited to join Our Lady of the Rosary School’s annual art show, the children decided to make their vegetable garden the focus. Since they couldn’t take the real garden to the show, they created a book and a series of artworks to demonstrate their experience.

“This year’s children are equally enthusiastic about the vegetable garden project and have expressed interest in planting corn and wheat and making bread, so that will be interesting.”

Our Lady of the Rosary Kindergarten is co-located with Our Lady of the Rosary School in Kenmore and shares a close relationship with the school, parish and broader community.

The kindergarten program runs from 8:30am – 2:45pm, with before and after school care and vacation available for families through Our Lady of the Rosary Outside School Hours Care.

To find out more information about the National Quality Framework and service ratings, visit the ” target=”_blank” rel=”noopener”>ACECQA website or ACECQA’s family focused website, Starting Blocks.