Kindergarten
3-4 year old integrated kindergarten
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St Luke’s Uniting Kindergarten Mt Waverley
94 Essex Road, Mount Waverley Victoria
Early Learning Centre
Early Learning in Mt Waverley.
Our kindergarten has been educating and caring for children in Mount Waverley and surrounds since 1963.
Our integrated groups offer a great opportunity for child to mix with children of other ages.
We will nurture your child’s sense of adventure and imagination by providing hands-on, nature-based activities to develop their interests and social skills.
Our educators provide an inclusive environment and can support children who live with physical and intellectual disabilities.
Program hours and fees
Our centre
- Planned indoor spaces
- Large outdoor spaces
- Sand and mud pit
- Trees and natural shade
- Worm farm
- Water tank
- Vegetable and herb gardening beds
- Shade sail
- Swings
- Bicycle track
- Play equipment for climbing, skipping, throwing and catching
Our centre
- Planned indoor spaces
- Large outdoor spaces
- Sand and mud pit
- Trees and natural shade
- Worm farm
- Water tank
- Vegetable and herb gardening beds
- Shade Sail
- Swings
- Bicycle track
- Play equipment for climbing, skipping, throwing and catching.
The children say
“I like show and tell. I like to play Lego and make my box constructions."
- Johnny, Little Learner
Learning experiences
At our kindergarten, your child will participate in indoor and outdoor activities to inspire and inform them about art, culture, nature and exercise.
Your child will:
- Help care for our pet guinea pigs, lovebirds, fish and worm farm
- Play with the latest educational toys, books, instruments and puzzles
- Enjoy our drama play area
- Learn about recycling, sustainable living and composting.
Excursions and incursions
We enjoy excursions to:
- Chesterfield Farm
- Kew Traffic School.
We have educational visit from:
- Hatching chicks
- Chinese dancing
- Monash Council
- One Song Drumming
- Little Woodworkers
Family and community connections
We love it when families get involved in our kindergarten. We also foster connections with the local community to broaden your child’s understanding of the outside world. You are encouraged to participate in:
- Celebrating significant cultural festivals and days
- Talking to the children about your job, hobbies or other interesting topics
- Volunteering your time to support our programs
- Assisting with fundraising
- Joining our Parent Partnership Group
We regularly engage with:
- Local primary schools
- Local emergency services
- Box Hill Hospital
- The Stephanie Alexander Kitchen Garden Program.
Languages
We are part of the Victorian Department of Education and Training (DET) Early Childhood Language Program. Our kindergarten offers a Mandarin Language Program. Mandarin is incorporated into everyday learning experiences to give children meaningful opportunities to use the language themselves. Children learn this language through play, art, music, singing, dancing, and stories. A qualified Mandarin teacher delivers the language program in partnership with the other staff at the kinder. Learning in languages other than English helps children to improve their overall literacy and understanding of how language in general works. Benefits to learning a language include:
- Increased literacy
- Boosting self-esteem and wellbeing
- Strengthened cultural identity.
Our educators are trained to use some key word signing. We can also have communication translated and interpreted for families who speak languages other than English.
Program hours and fees
Kindergarten Teacher
Debra Parslow
Hi, I’m Deb and I’ve been the Service Co-ordinator and a teacher at St. Luke’s Uniting Kindergarten, Mt Waverley for 20 years. Prior to this I was a teacher in Kew and then a stay-at-home mum (with some occasional teaching). I am very fortunate to have been nominated five times in my career for Teaching Excellence awards.
I have a Diploma of Education in Early Childhood, and a Bachelor of education in Early Childhood.
At St. Luke’s, we value each child as a unique individual and as such tailor our curriculum to meet their level of development and personality. Working together with parents as a “team” ensures the best outcomes for children, so we collaborate to discuss child’s development, strategies for learning, and support for the challenging job of parenting.
Whilst all areas of development are incorporated in our program, we emphasise social and emotional development, as we believe this underpins the success of academic learning. We empower children to voice their emotions, wants and needs and to be the most capable, independent, and resilient they can be.
Our team strives to give you and your child our very personal and professional best in a warm and welcoming community, in a kindergarten with great facilities and a beautiful outdoor environment. You are very welcome to visit and see if the service is what suits you.
Health and wellbeing
Mental health
A big part of our program is supporting children in social and emotional learning, so they can build a positive and healthy self-esteem and express their feelings, wants and needs. Our educators are skilled in working with children who have experienced challenges and trauma. We also offer mental health support for families if you find yourself in need of assistance.
Nutrition
Children are involved in the growth and preparation of our home-grown produce to encourage them to make healthy eating choice. At our kindergarten, we:
- Grow our own fruit, vegetables and herbs
- Learn about food safety
- Discover a range of foods from other cultures
- We also participate in the Smiles 4 Miles program to promote good oral health.
Safe environment
As a child safe organisation, our educators undergo regular working with children’s and police checks. We are focussed on delivering learning and development in a safe and supportive environment, so you can trust that your child is in good hands.
Policies and downloads
News
When Louise introduced the Food for Families program to her students at Buninyong Uniting Kindergarten, she never knew how widely popular it would …
The government’s recent increase to Child Care Subsidy (CCS) on July 10 is helping Thuy put her family through childcare. With her …
For most of us, the COVID-19 pandemic was anything but normal. However, for the children born during its wake, a life of lockdown is all they have ever known.
From 10 July 2023, Child Care Subsidy (CCS) is changing. Most families using child care will get more subsidy.
Congratulations to our Early Learning educators who were finalists in this year’s Victorian Early Years Awards.
If you have more than one child aged 5 or under in care, you may soon get a higher Child Care Subsidy …
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