Alexander Thomson Uniting Kindergarten

Our kindergarten offers two kindergarten rooms and two outdoor place spaces that are intentionally planned to support children’s learning. We have the use of a spacious tennis court area which is utilised for group games and activities.

We implement Nature Play kinder sessions in a natural space at Barwon Valley Reserve during Terms 2 and 3.

At Alexander Thomson Kindergarten we respect children as unique individuals that are capable, active participants in their learning. We acknowledge their strengths, abilities and interests, giving children the freedom to contribute to their learning and to become active citizens in their community. We invite the children’s participation and voices into the educational program.

Our kinder offers:

• Nature Play Program
• Japanese Language Program
• Programs that develop children’s social competence though intentional social skill teaching and learning, staff that support and facilitate children’s developing friendships and the mixing of kinder groups to give children the opportunity to engage with a range of children.
• Programs that emphasise the importance of children’s mental health through mindfulness, meditation, emotional regulation and connection with others.
• Regular outings to the local park, school visits, walks around our community, library and local shops.
• An emphasis on recycling; we encourage ‘nude food’, composting food scraps and recycling of rubbish where possible.
• The opportunity to participate in gardening; planting seedlings for our garden and growing plants from seeds to explore the life cycle of plants.
• A strong emphasis on emerging literacy skills through the use of picture story books, story and song props, literacy opportunities in play and a supportive environment for developing communication skills. Participation in the Premiers Reading Challenge each year.
• Creative experiences such as exploration of art, sensory experiences, drama, music and movement.
• Road Safety and Dog Safety programs.
• A variety of incursions and excursions dependent on the children’s interests.

Health and wellbeing is an integral part of our kindergarten program. We encourage healthy eating and support families to provide nutritious lunch box foods. We work closely with our local supermarket which supplies us with fruit and vegetables so that we may offer nutritious snacks throughout the day.

Mental health and wellbeing is actively supported throughout our program with staff being trained in various programs such as Be You and Respectful Relationships so that we may support the health and wellbeing of not only the children at our service but also our families.

Our program includes mindfulness, meditation, yoga and caring for self and others.

At Alexander Thomson Kindergarten we acknowledge families as the children’s first educators valuing and building on families’ knowledge of their children, recognising and responding to their specific and diverse needs.

We actively encourage families to be involved in their children’s kindergarten year in ways in which they feel comfortable. This may be coming to kinder to share a skill or interest that is important to them, joining our Parent Advisory Committee or participating in excursions.

Alexander Thomson Kindergarten acknowledges that Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islanders are Australia’s First Peoples and the traditional custodians of the land on which we live and play. We acknowledge the Wathaurong People as the traditional custodians of the land on which our kindergarten is situated and pay our respects to their Elders both past, present and future.

4 year old kindergarten

$440 per term

3 year old kindergarten

$146.50 per term (funded for 5 hrs)