PRESCHOOL CONTEXT STATEMENT Updated: 2006
Centre number: 4632
Centre name: McKellar Stewart Kindergarten
1. General information
Centre name: McKellar Stewart Kindergarten
Centre number: 4632
Preschool Director: Julie May
Postal and location address: 17a Regent Place Kensington 5068
Telephone number: 8431 6565
Fax number: 8364 6873
e-mail address: info@mckellarkgn.sa.edu.au
DECD District: East
Geographical location: Located between Norwood Parade and Kensington Road, 4 kms from the GPO with regular bus services.
Enrolment/Attendance: We are a full time kindergarten with an average enrolment of 70 children (ie 30 to 35 a session).
Co-located/stand-alone: Stand alone
Programs operating:
- Pre Entry visits in term before start kindergarten.
- Pre-Kindy sessions for up to two terms before kindergarten sessions.
- Sessional Kindergarten for eligible children. 4 sessions a week, Monday to Thursday as 4 half days or half and full days.
- Lunch/Full Day Program: 20 Lunch care places are offered daily. Priority of access guidelines are in place to access this service .ie work /study
- Bilingual Support provided as required within DECD guidelines.
- Preschool Support for children with special needs, as above.
Local Management: The preschool is managed by the director and a Governing Council of parents.
2. Key Centre Policies
Centre Priorities: Centre priorities focus on improving children's well being and learning through the multi literacies of literacy ,numeracy and ICT's. Music and drama in the curriculum and reporting to parents on their children's progress continue as a general focus.
3. Curriculum
Framework used: SA Curriculum Standards and Accountability framework.
Core Values: Care, Trust, Respect, Equity, and Quality.
Specific curriculum approaches:
- We work with children to enable them to construct their own learning from a broad range of learning experiences. It is a strength based approach which builds children's confidence as a learner to enable them to develop learning dispositions of persistence, problem solving and resourcefulness as they learn.
- We broaden children’s access to their world through excursions, visiting performers, parents with interesting information and skills to share and involvement in our local community. These provide valuable learning experiences.
- We use Persona Dolls in our Programme to encourage the valuing and acceptance of diversity and an awareness of other cultures. The use of these dolls has dramatically increased the flow of information from home-kindergarten, improving links between families and staff and providing an excellent model for Literacy use. We also use the dolls to model social skills ( particularly problem solving skills and conflict resolution).
- Literacy and Numeracy learning kits and library books are available for families to borrow from the kindergarten.
Joint programmes/special curriculum projects: We invite local Primary and High Schools to share their musical skills with us through performance. Students from several schools also visit regularly to support the children's learning.
4. Centre Based Staff
Staff Profile: 1 Full Time Director PSD 1, 2 x 0.5 Teachers, 1 Full time ECW
Performance Management Program: Staff meet with the director each year to review and plan identified goals.
Access to special support staff: We access the Bilingual Assistance Programme, Support Services Team and Early Intervention/Assistance funds.
Other: We regularly have both High School and University Students at our centre.
5. Centre Facilities
Buildings and grounds: Well maintained building and grounds. The building is 61 years old and was purpose built. Strong community support has resulted in continual improvement of the site. The centre is situated next door to an enclosed park and has well shaded grounds.
Capacity (per session): Up to 40 children can attend per session.
Centre Ownership: DECD owned.
Access for children and staff with disabilities: There is a concrete ramp and a disabled toilet.
6. Local Community
General characteristics: (eg. types of work available, languages usually spoken at home, local developments): The centre has a happy community feel. Most families have both parents in full or part time work. Grandparents provide a significant amount of the part time care needs. We have a number of parents currently studying. Cultural backgrounds at our centre include Chinese, Aboriginal, Greek, Italian, Irish, British, Dutch, Yugoslav and Russian.- many of our children speak a second language at home.
Parent and community involvement in the preschool: We are well supported with parent involvement through the Governing Council, working bees, IT support and curriculum support. We are visible in our local community through the Norwood Christmas Pageant and receive support from local businesses when requested. We provide social opportunities for parents to meet for breakfast and a lunch each term.
Schools to which children generally transfer from this preschool: We are a feeder kindergarten for a number of DECD, Catholic and Independent Schools. The majority of our children attend Marryatville Primary School, St Ignatius College, Norwood, Rose Park Primary, Loreto, Rostrevor College or St Josephs Kensington/Norwood. There are many other schools that children also attend and we visit each one with the children before they commence school.
Other local care and educational facilities, eg child care, schools, OSHC: This area is densely populated with preschools, schools, child care centres, Montessori Preschools and creches.
Commercial/industrial and shopping facilities: The area around McKellar Stewart Kindergarten is primarily residential with shopping facilities along Norwood Parade and Kensington Road.
Other local facilities, eg medical, sporting, social, cultural, recreational: There are a number of sporting/recreational facilities nearby, with many of our children attending local swimming, dance and music classes.
Local Government body: We are in the Local Government area of Norwood, Payneham, St Peters Council. The main office is located on Norwood Parade at the Town Hall (8366 4555).