How old does my child have to be before I register with Boroondara Kindergarten Central Registration (BKCRS)?

We encourage families to express interest in attending kindergarten from birth. This enables you to receive important updates from us, including information about when to register and attend open days. You can register on the Boroondara Council website.

How old does my child have to be before they can start kindergarten?

A child is not permitted to attend a 3 year old program until their third birthday.

My child is considered ‘young’ for their kinder year level. How do I know if they are ready to start kinder?

Children born between January 1 and April 30 may be considered ‘young’ in comparison to the other children in their year level (this applies to kindergarten as well as school).

We recognise the confusion many parents face when deciding whether to send their child ‘young’ or whether they would benefit from waiting another year before attending a kindergarten program.

To answer this question, it is best to think carefully about when your child is likely to be ready to start school (i.e. whether they will be better off turning five or six in Prep) and therefore when is the best time for the child to be able to have an enjoyable kindergarten experience.

Many parents are under the false understanding that, should their child not be ready for school after one year of four year old kindergarten, that their child will automatically receive a second year of funded kinder. A child will only be eligible to receive a second year of funded kinder if they are assessed as having at least two areas of significant developmental delay that are not age related i.e. If the child is exhibiting behaviour/s that is/are deemed consistent for their ‘young’ age they will not fit the funding criteria.

To receive the funding for a extra year of second year kindergarten, your child’s kinder teacher has to, through specific guidelines, identify genuine developmental delays and to complete an assessment in conjunction with an independent Preschool Field Officer. They may seek help from other early childhood development professionals.

**There is no option to repeat first year kindergarten in 2024 and beyond.

Children accessing first year (3-4 yo) kindergarten will transition to seond year (4-5 yo) kindergarten the following year.**

Please see below the following Factsheet from Boroondara Council with further guidance and advice regarding commencing your first year kindergarten.

Factsheet - 3 Year Old Kindergarten Placement Options - 2022

How and when do I enrol?

Register your child for kindergarten:

• any time, to attend kindergarten this year
• between 1 May and 30 June to attend next year.
  If you’ve already expressed interest, you don’t need to do anything further – Boroondara Council will email you a link to register on 1 May.

When is the cut off for the 2025 year of enrolment?

30 June 2024

When will I hear from Boroondara Central Registrations regarding offers for the 2024 year of enrolment?

Enrolment offers for 2025 will be emailed to families on 26 July 2024.

Fordham Ave Kinder isn’t my closest kinder according to Central Registrations. Can I still enrol here and if so, how do I submit that in my preferences?

All families are welcome to apply with Boroondara Central Registrations to attend our kindergarten. Apply online: www.boroondara.vic.gov.au/kindergartens New families who live closest to the kindergarten will be offered a place before families who live further away.

What are the hours for each group and when do they attend?

Second Year Kindergarten attend for 18 hours per week. Monday, Tuesdays and a shorter day on Wednesdays. In 2024 Frist Year Kindergarten attend for 12 hours per week on Thursdays and Fridays (6 hours each day). Please see more detailed information under Days, Times & Fees on our website.

Are you worried about your child missing out on their kinder experience because of school drop off times? All of our sessions start outdoors and we generally do not commence our indoor activities, mat time or yarn circle until at least an hour into the session. Spending time outside at the start of the sessions helps children to settle, connect to the natural world and increases children’s creativity, problem solving and imagination.

Do you have an After Care program?

No, we do not currently run an After Care program

Do you have a Pre Prep program?

No, we do not currently run a Pre Prep program

Do you have waiting lists?

Waiting lists are managed by Boroondara Council.

What are your fees?

Fees below are “out of pocket” term costs after government subsidies have been deducted. Unfortunately childcare subsidies cannot be claimed at sessional kindergartens.

Term fees for 2024 are:

First Year Kindergarten - Free; Second Year Kindergarten - $330 per term.

All FAK families will be asked to pay an annual voluntary materials and additional activities levy of $400 per child. All FAK families will be asked to pay an annual voluntary building and maintenance levy of $150 per family.

Can my child attend two years of First Year kindergarten?

No. There is no option to repeat First Year kindergarten.

A child will only be eligible to receive the second year of funded second year kindergarten if they are assessed as having at least two areas of significant developmental delay that are not age-related i.e. If the child is exhibiting behaviours that are deemed consistent for their ‘young’ age, they will not fit the funding criteria.

Which schools do most children attend from your kinder?

Our children attend a variety of schools in the area including:

• Hartwell Primary School
• Camberwell Primary School
• Camberwell South Primary School
• Canterbury Primary School
• St Dominic’s Catholic Primary School
• Saint Cecilia’s Primary School
• Other independent schools in the area such as Strathcona

Fordham Ave Kinder offers a Play based program. How does that work?

Our FAK Play based program invites young children to acquire and practice a wide range of physical, social, cognitive and emotional skills in a flexible, open-ended, hands-on learning environment created by our trained experienced early years teaching team who know how to take interests and experiences and turn them into learning moments.

Play is the work of childhood and while fun is one component, young children playing will also explore/experience challenge, frustration, repetition and a sense of purpose.

How many educators per child in each group and what are their qualifications?

Our current ratio is 1 educator to 11 children.

Our Teachers all have a Bachelor of Early Childhood Education and are all registered with the Victorian Institute of Teaching. Our co-educators have either a Certificate III in Children’s Services or a Diploma or Bachelor of Education (Early Childhood).

All Teachers and Co-Educators have full First Aid Training for Early Childhood Services including Asthma and Anaphylaxis management.

How do you plan for each child?

"One of the delights and difficulties of educating children is that every day is different” (O’Conner & Diggins 2002).

Based on child interests and skills and family goals, learning plans are established for all children to meet their individual stages of development. We believe it is important to partner with families when developing learning plans. Building on each child’s unique learning foundation provides opportunities to support further learning and development opportunities for all children.

Open-ended play-based provocations (activities and experiences) support all children to develop at their own pace and provide support and extension opportunities.

How can families be involved in your kindergarten?

We encourage all our families to get involved in the kindergarten. You are welcome to volunteer for our Committee of Management which has many roles available and is responsible for the full management of the kindergarten.

We also ask parents to volunteer as parent helper once a term at the kinder. If you have any special skills, we encourage you to attend a session and share your knowledge with the children. We also hold working bees once a term and appreciate any assistance you can provide with this.

How will I know if my child is ready for kinder?

At FAK our Teaching Team supports each family in making the most appropriate decisions for their child and their family circumstances.

As Early Childhood professionals we can offer our knowledge and provide other community resources around this topic but the final decision must be yours.

That said, ours is an increasingly complex world and time to be a child is both precious and essential for a well-lived life. Within their first 5 years each child will acquire more skills and more experiences than at any other time in their life, hence the importance of both time and a learning environment that respects their individuality.

Gifting your child another year with you can be a positive move.

What is the daily routine?

Routines and rhythms are a balance between structured and unstructured blocks of play. The children come together as a group at different times of the day depending on the group needs for opportunities for dance, music, stories and songs.

Developing a routine which is predictable but flexible is desired by the teachers as it provides the children with a strong sense of security and belonging.

Do they have a rest time?

Children are provided with spaces to rest or have quiet moments through providing the children with a wide range of areas for play. If children are needing rest, the educators can support and facilitate this according to individual needs.

In our 3 year old session, quiet time may involve listening to relaxing music, turning lights off and creating a calm time of the day where children have the choice to lie down and experience some peacefulness in their day.

We also practice taking big breaths in and out to teach children to calm their body and relax after a play outdoors or before home time.

Do you incorporate a STEM program into your curriculum?

STEM concepts are integrated into daily interactions within all programs at FAK. From practical skills of observation, noticing similarities and differences, using all senses in play, questioning, problem solving, hypothesizing and reflecting supports children to build on their knowledge and foster the development of scientific thinking.

Providing a program that delights, engaging curiosity and wonder provides a positive connection to STEM learning and helps children connect and make sense of their world, thus becoming confident and capable learners.

Following the children's interests through a range of play based activities STEM experiences include: exploratory and symbolic play, puzzles, patterns, games and social play all supporting the development of each child's STEM understanding.

Our Museum Victoria and Science incursions also support children's learning and development and focuses children's creative thinking, encouraging questions of 'what', 'where', 'how' and 'why'.

Can you please explain your Curriculum?

At FAK our curriculum, while reflecting the unique characteristics and needs of our own local community, does adhere to the Victorian Early Years Learning and Development Framework (VEYLDF). There are 5 OUTCOMES in this FRAMEWORK

• IDENTITY- children develop a strong sense of self
• COMMUNITY- children are connected with and contribute to their world
• WELL- BEING- children gain and practice a wide range of understandings and skills to ensure a healthy, independent life
• LEARNING- Children are confident and involved learners
• COMMUNICATION- Children are effective communicators using a variety of mediums.

Three very important concepts and principles underpin the national Early Years Learning Framework.

BELONGING is the basis for living a fulfilling life. Children feel they belong because of the relationships they have with their family, community, culture and place.

BEING is about living in the here and now. Childhood is a special time in life and children need time to just BE- time to play, try new things and have fun.

BECOMING is about the learning and development that young children experience. Children start to form their individual sense of identity which shapes the adult they will become, from a very young age.

Our planning and documentation across all 4 groups- Beetles, Turtles, Frogs and Dragonflies- at FAK are informed by these outcomes and concepts and the detailed observations we collect for each child throughout their time with us.

Do you have visual diaries/portfolios?

Yes we do. In each of our classes we have floorbooks reflecting and recording what children have been doing at kinder for the week.

We also make observations to keep track of children’s learning, interests and use these for planning as well.

We use an online portfolio program/App, Storypark, where you can view your child's significant moments, special days, and learning stories.

How do the teachers deal with children who may cry when they leave (our settling techniques)?

We work hard to support the children to build a connection with the teachers and to ensure they feel safe and happy.

Through having a staggered start where half groups come for just a few hours in the first week, we find many children can say goodbye with support of the teachers.

We work together with each individual family if a child is distressed or anxious with separation as we recognise each child is individual. Ensuring trust and support for each child is our number one priority.

Sometimes parents staying for a short time may help the child settle. For some children who prefer routine, we explain them to them the routine of the day which can settle them, for example telling the child that after lunch, they will play a while and then it is home time.

What is teacher to student ratio and how much indoor/outdoor play is there?

Each class is different in how they plan their daily routines, some are all inside and all outside together while at times having an indoor/ outdoor program.

The ratios are maintained at all times to 1:11 to provide the optimum supervision and support to all children.

My child is in a non English speaking home so I have concerns around that. How will he/she cope at kinder and what can the teacher do to assist?

We at Fordham Avenue Kindergarten welcome all children and their families.

We understand that different families have different cultural background and that all the children attending bring with them much valued diversity.

We strongly encourage families to retain their main language and where English is not the first language we work together with the family to make the child comfortable while working towards the child learning a new language.

The teachers use various strategies to help develop the language: a) We seek information from the family for how to use common gestures familiar with the child;

b) We make the family and child familiar with the routine;

c) Use of visuals are displayed around the room to communicate eg: wash your hands, snack, lunch, drink bottle, outdoor/indoor play etc.

d) Frequent use to actions songs and music;

e) More opportunities for the child to have one on one play and further develop friendships;

f) Involving the child with jobs to do around the kinder to make him/her more comfortable with the kinder routine;

g) Use of simple words books, supporting family by providing simple reading books and material;

h) Seek advice/support from the family to help settle the child in the new environment.

My child still isn’t toilet trained. What are the expectations at kinder for this?

Each child is unique in their development and we support each child positively towards their development.

By working with the family, we have an understanding of what the child’s needs are with regard to toilet training and what support they might need. However, if required we suggest that the child might wear an additional toilet support like a nappy pant / pull up to avoid any unpleasant experience at kinder.

It is usually observed once the children settle in and feel comfortable with the educators, they can communicate their need to go the toilet.

Children are also encouraged as part of their routine to frequently use the toilet and wash their hands regularly throughout the day.

Do you teach children to correctly hold a pencil in their grip?

We recognize each individual child comes with their unique ability to learn and skills when they first start at kindergarten. Although, it is not an expectation for preschool children to be able to read and write, the play based program we implement at our kinder provides support and many opportunities for the child to gradually develop the literacy and numeracy skills.

Various activities are included to enhance and strengthen the child’s fine motor skills which later support child’s writing ability. Children need strong core and shoulder muscles to hold posture for school and to develop their physical endurance before they can successfully participate in a more formal setting at school.

Do you have teachers that are bilingual?

Our current 4YO Frogs assistant, Tina, can speak English, Cantonese and Mandarin. Tina will move to the 3YO Beetles group in 2025 as an Assistant Educator.

What cultural events do you celebrate at kinder?

We take pride in the diversity that our families and staff bring together.

At the beginning of the year we request families to provide us with the “Getting to know you” information and an important part of which is to learn about the cultural background and events that are important to every individual family.

We take the opportunity of inviting the families to join us talking about their cultural event, sharing their special cooking recipe, and special customs and material that the children might learn from. Besides the unique cultural events each family brings we do involve Special family days and Birthdays, NAIDOC week and other cultural celebrations which are relevant to our community as part of our ongoing program.

Do children bring their own food to kinder and if so, what do they bring?

As we do not have a cook on the premises, children are required to bring their own healthy snack and lunch along with a bottle of water. Children are not allowed to share food and no nuts please.

How do you manage children not sharing their food?

At FAK we very mindful of individual children’s food allergies and safe practices. Discussing the importance of keeping all children safe is vital and empowering children as capable and confident learners empowers children to support safe practices and procedures.

We strongly encourage parents to discuss with educators their allergies and individual child’s needs before the commencement of the kinder year.

My child has anaphylaxis, an allergy or food preference. How does the kinder cope with this?

Parents of children with allergies or medical conditions provide an action plan before beginning at FAK.

The teacher will work with you to develop a risk assessment to provide the safest strategies to prevent reactions while at kinder as best as possible.

Medication is kept on site in an allocated spot where all staff are aware, as well as a copy of the child’s action plan.

How do you support children with additional needs?

We are an inclusive kindergarten and recognise each individual child for who they are and their individual learning styles and needs.

We work with families to support the child with the best learning opportunities possible and encourage children to see themselves as active learners, capable and with many unique skills to share with the class.

We are very open and work closely with other professionals who may be working with the individual child. We also are open to having other professionals attend kindergarten and work with the child in the kindergarten setting which in turn provides the child with the optimum learning as all professionals, teachers and parents are working together to best support the individual child.

Do you celebrate special events such as birthdays?

We celebrate all children’s birthdays at FAK with their friends, Teachers and Co-Educators. We have introduced Grimms' birthday rings to remove the focus from "treat" food and promote healthy eating.

Child are encouraged to think about how they would like to celebrate their birthday at kinder such as dancing and games instead of cake and treats.

My child’s school time starts around the same time as kinder. Am I able to drop my child to kinder earlier than the start time? Alternatively, does it matter if they arrive 10-20 minutes late for the session?

When initially enrolling your child at FAK, we encourage you to choose the kinder group whose times suit your family schedule. All sessions commence outside and children will begin to move to inside activities after an hour or so. Consequently, you are welcome to drop off your children after the session commences.

As teachers use the time before the commencement of the kinder session to prepare to prepare the learning environment, discuss individual and group goals and strategies for the learning day to come, unfortunately children cannot be dropped off early to sessions.

However, you are welcome to enter the playground and wait with your child till the teachers opens the session, subject to current social distancing guidelines.

Does kinder provide hats and bags?

We provider a kinder bucket hat at the commencement of the term which we encourage your child to decorate. We ask you to provide a small backpack for your child.

What are the term dates?

Please see more detailed information in our Term Dates & Fees tab.

Term Dates 2024 Term 1: 30th January - 28th March Term 2: 15th April - 28th 24th June Term 3: 15th July - 20th September Term 4: 7th October - 20th December

When does 2024 start and do you have staggered times at the start of the year?

We stagger session times at the start of the term so that children are not overwhelmed.

First Year will start with a short orientation session on Friday 2nd February 2024 and classes will commence on Thursday 8th February or Frkday 9th February 2024 depending what staggered group your child is in. Please see your information pack for further details sent to you in November 2023.

Second Year will commence with a short orientation on Wednesday 31st January 2024 and classes will commence on Monday 5th or Tuesday 6th February 2024 depending what staggered group your child is in. Please see your information pack for further details sent to you in November 2023.

What if my child moves to a prep class at a school where no other FAK children transition to?

Each child will have a unique experience when they transition to school and this varies because of many factors such as temperament, transition processes and social connections. We often have children going to about six different local schools, with a few being the only student from Fordham Avenue Kindergarten to a school, and from our understanding they have always had smooth transitions in the past.

Our focus on strong social skills and emotional literacy and resilience within our kindergarten program helps support children with their transition to school by building strong, capable and confident students. We have Music and Yoga programs where the children have different teachers come in and this helps children know how to relate to a range of adults/ teachers, as they would in a school environment. Many schools now have very thorough and intensive transitions to help support children and to make it as smooth as possible. Teachers also come and visit us at the kindergarten, and it would be worthwhile asking the school about their transition program as well.

Community based kindergartens are a great way to form connections in your local community and we have many families keen to be involved and be social together.

It is great to see all this online, but when can I come in and have a tour so I can see the kinder in action?

Tours can be booked online here

Please do not hesitate to call to speak with one of our teachers or call (9836 9341) or email us on fordham.ave.kin@kindergarten.vic.gov.au to register your interest in a tour.