8:30am - 2:45pm
Conveniently located at St Anthony’s Primary School, your child will benefit from our close relationship with the school. Our children make weekly visits to the school library to borrow books and your child will be given responsibility for caring for and returning these books. They also enjoy visits with their grade four reading buddies, visits to the prep classrooms and playgrounds and attending school events including sports carnivals, book week and liturgies. During each visit your child will become more familiar with the school grounds and and learn practical new skills, like how to use the water bubblers. Our educators will watch your child’s confidence grow as they become part of our broader school and parish community and prepare for prep.
At St Anthony’s we have expansive natural outdoor play areas which provide children with a unique learning environment that encourages creativity and exploration. We believe each child is unique and learns differently. Our educators will spend time getting to know your child and family so that they can create engaging learning experiences that capture their interest and help them build new skills.
We offer a Queensland Government approved kindergarten program taught by a university qualified early childhood teacher. As a sessional kindergarten children complete a five-day fortnight, during school hours and school terms.
I’ve been an early ed director for:
23 years.
My favourite thing about being an early ed director is:
The endless opportunities to engage and inspire learning in the early years of a child’s life.
Something I like to tell all mums and dads is:
Kindergarten is an opportunity to learn, grow and discover in an environment where play is a fundamental component of the day.
My favourite way to relax is:
To find a quiet space just to be.
I’ve been an early ed assistant for:
24 years.
My favourite thing about being an early ed assistant is:
Helping children grow and learn in a relaxed play based environment.
Something I like to tell all mums and dads is:
Kindergarten is the first step in your child’s schooling journey we will support and nurture them during these early stages of their journey.
My favourite way to relax is:
Spending time with animals and in the natural environment.
Immersing children in their natural environment is a significant part of our program at St Anthony's. Each year we work with the children to build a worm farm. This activity introduces the children to early science concepts and teaching them to respect their environment.
As a group we discuss recycling and the importance of sustainable practices for protecting our planet. We also investigate insect and plant life cycles as we use the worm juice and castings produced in our vegetable gardens. After each meal the children recycle their green waste for the worms and take turns putting it in the worm farm.
The kindergarten children were excited to participate in the St Anthony’s sports carnival. We spent time practicing the games the children would be playing on the day and practicing for our all important running race. On sports day the children gathered to cheer on the older children as they raced. When it was the children’s turn for their 20 seconds of fame they were full of excitement and loved running to the cheers from the whole school community and their parents.
After their race the children were full of joy and pride in their efforts, as were we.
Early introductions to the school environment such as getting involved in the sports carnival,are an important part of our prep transition program. By introducing children to school through fun activities we help them fully embrace the experience, free from nerves or anxiety.
Gabrielle, St Anthony’s Kindergarten
We have fashioned our prayer table to provide a place for quiet reflection and sending special thoughts.
If a child seems out of sorts, restless, unwell or upset we might ask them if they want to go to the prayer table and spend some time by themselves. If we know they are dealing with a difficult family event we ask them if they would like to send a special thought to someone.
One of the first things we do each morning is gather together at the prayer table for some quiet reflection. Children are encouraged to participate in this experience in their own way. For some of our children who are Muslim this means they enter into the sujub position, kneeling and bowing down. This has provided an opportunity to learn about different traditions and ways of praying.
St Anthony's teacher Paul uses play to challenge children and develop their self-confidence. He explains that when children are at play they feel supported and are less likely to fear failure. By helping the children set up an obstacle course to guide the ball through, Paul is helping to build their motor skills in a fun and comfortable environment, helping their confidence to grow.
Michelle and David, St Anthony's Kindergarten
We understand it’s important to find the kindergarten program that works best for your child and your family. In this article we break down the differences between kindergarten programs to help you find the right experience for your family.
