PROGRAMS & FEES
Programs...
Programs
Our Kinder has two spacious and naturally bright rooms which are versatile and allow for us to provide a play based kindergarten program in all groups.
We have a large, sustainable and beautiful outdoor space within which there are spaces for the children to explore growing and harvesting vegetables, create their own play spaces, engage in different sports, climb, jump, imagine, inquire and explore
Added to this is our beautiful back deck, which is adorned with both artwork created by the children with an Artist in Residence and some newly planted Australian plants to create a beautiful space for the children and teaching team to retreat to! This space, in particular allows the children who attend our Kindergarten to feel a connection to Australia and our community as the artwork has been designed to represent how the children feel connected to our Indigenous people.
Gardiner Preschool is a sessional Kindergarten with highly regarded teachers and educators within the local community. Gardiner Preschool also has an outstanding reputation in the high level of care and education provided to the children and families, with our most recent assessment giving us a rating of “Exceeding National Quality Standards.”
Our teaching team are passionate about providing each and every child with the opportunity to learn and explore through offering hands on, open ended activities which assist the children in learning about their space in the world, their family, their community, sustainability, literacy, numeracy and so much more.
We have close connections to many of the local Primary schools such as St Rochs Catholic School, Malvern Primary School, Malvern Central Primary School, Camberwell South Primary School and Glen Iris Primary School. Our Programs advocate for each child’s right to an inspiring learning environment, where both the indoor and outdoor play spaces support exploration, experimentation and opportunities to construct and revisit ideas and understanding.
3YO Program
Our 3YO program is funded and runs 2 days a week with 21 children in each group. Our program is play-based and child-led and has a strong focus on developing children's social skills and emotional wellbeing and resilience to support them to become independent and autonomous beings. We also focus on developing children's fine and gross motor muscles as well as fostering pre-literacy and numeracy skills so they can work towards school readiness at the appropriate time.
3YO Bluebell Group
ECT: Kim
Educator: Ms Slavka
- Monday and Thursday
- 8.30am - 3.00pm (13hrs/wk)
3YO Buttercup Group
ECT: Holly
Educator: Mrs Tanner
- Monday and Wednesday
- 8.30am - 3.00pm (13hrs/wk)
3 year old Program
4 year old Programs
4YO Program
We offer two government funded 4YO programs that both run for 22.5 hours over the week, however offer different days for parents to choose. Each group is 22 children. Our 4YO programs build on children's social and emotional development from the year before but extend each child's development to support them in becoming independent, autonomous and capable citizens of society. Children's interests lead their learning and staff incorporate intentional outcomes to fit in with these interests. Children are taught to think critically and problem solve as well as begin to explore with their letters and numbers within a play-based environment, and motor development remains a high priority to ensure children have the strength and capacity to focus and succeed at school.
4YO Banksia group
ECT: Carlie
Educator: Mrs Charalambides
- Tuesday, Thursday and Friday
- 8.30am - 4.00pm (22.5hrs/wk)
4YO Wattle group
ECT: Priscilla
Educator: Mrs Salmon
- Tuesday, Thursday and Friday
- 8.30am - 4.00pm (22.5hrs/wk)