PRE-SCHOOL TERMS FOR 2023
| 1st Term | Monday 30th January – Thursday 6th April |
| 2nd Term | Monday 24th April – Friday 30th June |
| 3rd Term | Monday 17th July – Friday 22nd September |
| 4th Term | Monday 9th October – Friday 15th December |
HOURS OF OPERATION
Monday to Friday 8.15am to 3.45pm
Berkeley Vale Pre-school follows Department of Education school terms. Children must be dropped off and collected by an adult during our hours of operation. Please not that we are not licensed outside these hours.
Please let an educator know of any changes in the person collecting your child. Under no circumstances is a child allowed to leave the centre with another person other than their parent unless written authorisation is received from the child’s parent.
It is important to remember that the pre-school educators need adequate time for preparation, programming, evaluation and team meetings. PLEASE COLLECT CHILDREN ON TIME. It is distressing to be left after all your peers have gone home. If children have not been collected by 3.45pm parent/guardians may be liable to pay a late fee of $30.00 for the first 10 minutes (per child) and an additional $30 each 10 minutes after that, if the centre has not been notified of the parent/guardians inability to collect the child on time.
REQUIREMENTS
- Please label everything
- Small case or bag.
- A bucket/broad-brimmed or legionnaire style hat. Please apply sun screen to your child before coming to pre-school. We are a Sunsmart Centre. Pre-school hats and shirts are for sale in the office.
- Morning tea – Your child must bring a nutritious snack ie. a piece of fruit, vegetable sticks or dried fruit. Additional cheese and biscuits, cheese sticks or crackers could be added.
- Please send a simple nutritious lunch for your child including a drink of water or plain milk. We recommend a sandwich or large rice cakes and fruit. Please limit extras to healthy snacks such as cheese, dried fruit, celery or carrot sticks. Please don’t send your children with lollies, cakes, sweet biscuits, chips, chocolate, muesli bars or roll ups. These will be sent home. Please keep in mind that nutrition is an important part of your child’s education. Due to allergies nut based products including Peanut Butter and Nutella as well as eggs and quiche are NOT permitted at pre-school.
- Please bring a spoon if your child brings a yoghurt.
- A complete set of spare clothes clearly labelled. (Appropriate to type of weather)
- No toys please as conflicts arise when children are reluctant to share personal toys. Toys brought to the centre can also become lost or broken.
PLEASE LABEL ALL OF YOUR CHILD’S BELONGINGS.
SETTLING IN
Each child copes with separation in different ways. When it comes time for your child to start pre-school, try to be as positive as you can, as your attitude will greatly affect your child. Remember the more relaxed the parent, the more relaxed the child. New children and families are always welcome to come and visit prior to starting pre-school to help develop familiarity with your new environment.
You are encouraged to stay as long as you like, however, sometimes it may be more appropriate to leave your child and then return early to spend time with them. Please speak to the educators if you are worried or unsure of what to do, and together decide on the best way to handle the situation.
Your child will start to settle once they become familiar with the educators, other children and our routines. Please ensure that you say goodbye before you leave, and reassure your child of the time you will be picking them up.
Please remember the Pre-school is only a phone call away. Don’t hesitate to phone later if you are worried about how your child has settled.
FIRST WEEKS OF PRE-SCHOOL
- Introduce your child to their educators.
- Help your child unpack their bag.
- Find an appealing activity and involve your child in it.
- Establish a departure time ie. “When we have finished this story/painting I will go”.
- Establish a time for your return.
- Say goodbye, and leave quickly.
- If you are worried please ring the pre-school and put your mind at rest.
SIGNING IN AND OUT
All children must be signed in at arrival and out at departure via OWNA. Please sign in as you enter the pre-school grounds, in cases of emergencies we need to be sure who is in the pre-school. Also indicate if another person other than a parent will be picking up your child. Please notify the educator in your child’s room of this change. If you are late, the emergency contact you have mentioned on your enrolment form will be contacted to collect the child.
You must phone the Nominated Supervisor if you are going to be late for any reason.
MEDICATION
On arrival please write information on a medication authorisation form and hand deliver your child’s medication and completed form to their educator. Medication will not be administered unless it is prescribed from your doctor. Medication authorisation forms are located next to the attendance sheet outside your child’s room and will be signed and witnessed by staff. See Medication Policy for more detailed information.
PLEASE DO NOT LEAVE MEDICATION IN YOUR CHILD’S BAG.
Your child MUST NOT attend pre-school within 24 hours of commencing antibiotic treatment.
ATTENDANCE
If you are going away during the pre-school term, fees are still payable.
In the event of your child being unable to attend pre-school due to illness or for any other reason, “make up” days are not available and fees are still payable.
PLEASE NOTE: The Nominated Supervisor must be given two weeks written notice if your child is leaving the pre-school and if you are unable to give this notice, two week’s fees are due in lieu of written notice.
ILLNESS
If your child is unwell, please do not send them to pre-school. Infectious diseases spread very quickly among young children.
Pre-schools cannot provide the comfort and care that a sick child needs. At the discretion of the Nominated Supervisor, we reserve the right to request a doctor’s certificate and/or to refuse attendance of sick children. Please assist us by keeping your child at home if they display any of these symptoms:
| Temperature above 38ºC | Vomiting | Tonsillitis |
| Diarrhoea | Conjunctivitis | Scabies |
| Excessive discharge from eyes, nose, ears | Mumps | Rubella |
| Productive cough | Measles | Whooping Cough |
| Ringworms, Impetigo and cold sores | Head lice | or is generally unwell |
The health and welfare of all children depend upon following these guidelines. If in doubt, consult the team. In the event that your child becomes ill during the day, you or the emergency contact will be immediately notified in order to make appropriate arrangements for your child to be taken home.
In the event of an emergency, when neither parent or the emergency contact person can be reached, educators will contact an Ambulance to attend. Please keep the pre-school informed of any changes of phone numbers.
Refer to our Policies for definite periods of exclusion. Please ensure that the pre-school is notified if your child is away for illness. (This can be done via the OWNA app under “Mark my child absent”.)
PRIORITY OF ACCESS
Priority of access is set by the NSW Department of Education and Communities.
The Early Childhood Education and Care Grants program guidelines are:
- Children who are at least 4years old on or before the 31 July in that preschool year and not yet in compulsory schooling
- Children who are at least 3 years old on or before 31 July and from a disadvantaged background (ie from a family holding a low income Health Care Cards and/or is Aboriginal)
- Children with English as a second language (ESL)
- Children with disabilities
- Children who are at risk of significant harm (from a child protection perspective)
PAYMENT OF FEES
Upon enrolment two weeks fees, a two week bond and the yearly registration fee are to be paid before commencement. Fees are charged each fortnight and are to be paid fortnightly/weekly to be kept up to date. For your convenience you may pay for longer periods or for the term in advance.
We encourage families to pay fees by electronic funds transfer through Direct Debit via OWNA or Internet banking.
| Internet Banking details: | Please insert your child’s name as a reference. |
| BSB: | 082 868 |
| Account Number: | 686921153 |
| Account Name: | Berkeley Vale Pre-school Kindergarten Inc |
Please keep your fees up to date as the cost of running the pre-school is met by these payments. Reduced fees are available to families who have a current Health Care Card / Concession Card and Aboriginal children. This is based on guidelines set down by Department of Education and Communities.
If you wish to apply for reduced fees please see the Nominated Supervisor or Administration Officer.
IMMUNISATION
To enrol your child at pre-school you must provide a copy of one or more of the following documents:
- Immunisation History Statement which can be obtained at one of the following:
- Medicare / Centrelink Office
- Contacting 1800 653 809
- www.medicareaustralia.gov.au/online
Berkeley Vale Pre-school are unable to accept your child without this information.
NOTICES
All families at the Pre-school have access to OWNA, please check daily/weekly. Reminders and community notices will be communicated via the OWNA app.
MESSAGES
Messages cannot be accepted from children. Parents must inform the educators personally or via the OWNA app.
CLOTHING
As worthwhile play is often messy play, please provide your child with suitable clothes. Loose, comfortable clothes allow free movement for climbing and toileting. Clothing that children can manage alone promotes self-confidence and independence. Pre-school t-shirts and hats can be purchased from the office.
PAINT: WARNING: Some paints used are vinyl and clothes need to be soaked in COLD water overnight. DO NOT treat with pre-wash stain removers.
NEEDED – USEFUL JUNK
Many important skills are developed by the children’s use of clean junk materials. Therefore we greatly appreciate parents helping us to collect such materials as:
For Cutting and Pasting:
| Magazines | Old cards, postcards | Silver and Gold foil |
| Computer paper | Stamps, envelopes | Bark and seeds |
| Boxes (all shapes and sizes) | Ice-cream containers | Cardboard |
| Paper | Paddle pop sticks | Cylinders |
| Wrapping paper | Cellophane, crepe paper | Material scraps |
| Cardboard sheets | Polystyrene trays (no polystyrene packing material, thankyou) | |
| (No nut product containers, egg cartons or toilet rolls, thankyou) | ||
For Carpentry:
| Softwood | Cork | Nails |
| Cotton reels | Bottle tops | Sandpaper |
| Lino pieces | Vinyl pieces |
Other pre-school needs:
| Large and small containers | Squirt bottles (pump spray actions) |
| Tupperware or plastic containers | PVC piping |
| Lengths of strong rope |
Any home accessories
| Dress up clothing | Pots and pans | Shoes |
| Bags | Old mobiles phones | Old camera’s |
WE TAKE YOUR JUNK AND TURN IT INTO WORKS OF THE CREATIVE MIND!
SUN POLICY
Berkeley Vale Pre-school Kindergarten has adopted a sun protection policy. Every child that attends the centre is to wear a bucket/broad-brimmed or legionnaire style hat and shirt with sleeves whenever they are outside in the sun. Sun block will be re-applied throughout the day when necessary. Educators will be positive role models by wearing hats outdoors and will incorporate sun and skin awareness into the program. This is instilling sound “sun sense” practice at an early age.
BIRTHDAYS
Birthdays are very important in a child’s life and we want to make them enjoyable. You are welcome to send a plain cake or cupcakes if you would like your child to celebrate with their friends. We take photos to include in the children’s portfolios. If you want to send in your own camera for photos we will be happy to take them for you. If your child has specific dietary needs, please provide an alternative which we can store in the freezer for such occasions.
BOOK CLUB
Berkeley Vale Pre-school participates in the Scholastic Book Club for young children. The catalogues and order forms are sent home at regular intervals during the school year. There is no obligation to purchase any books but they do represent excellent value and provide an opportunity to foster the love of books in young children.
BAG HOOKS
All children have a bag hook at the pre-school where their belongings are stored. Please clearly label all your child’s belongings with their name. Although we look for any lost items we cannot take any responsibility for them. There is a lost property box which should be checked regularly.
PARENT LIBRARY
A collection of parent resources are located in the library. Here you will find a wide range of interesting books and pamphlets for parents and guardians to borrow as often as you wish. If there are any special books you feel we should add to the collection, please let us know. Please see a staff member to borrow these items.
INTERVIEWS
Your child’s educators are available throughout the year to discuss your child’s progress and development. Please feel free to talk with your child’s educator daily/weekly about their progress. You are encouraged to participate with the educator in developing a program for your child. Please make an appointment with your child’s educator if you would like to discuss their progress and development in more detail and in privacy.
PARKING
The Kareelah Ave car park is the team car park. Pre-school families are asked to use the Kurraba Oval car park in Kurraba Pde to ensure the safety of pedestrians. Please ensure no child is left unattended in a car. We encourage you to phone the pre-school and we are happy to collect and bring your child out to you, if you have a younger child asleep.
In order to assure that parents clearly understand the procedures and policies of the pre-school, we ask all parents to read the policies enclosed with the application package.
