Choosing a school for your child is one of the most important decisions you will make as a parent. Wrapped up in that decision-making process is the consideration of when to start the formal schooling experience for your child. The information on this page is designed to assist parents in their decisions on schooling for their children.

Eligibility

In Western Australia, children are eligible to enter the Kindergarten program offered at a school if they turnÌýfour by June 30 of the year in which they commence. Kindergarten is an optional schooling year, with Pre-Primary, or Prep, the first year of compulsory schooling in WA.

The Kindy Experience

Carmel Kindy is a unique experience. From the moment families enter the room, the magic of the learning environment and the warmth of our educators is immediately apparent. Our Kindy team consists of highly skilled educators and each has broad experiences and a deep understanding of the Kindy context. The classroom environment is set up with intent and purpose to engage children and facilitate learning through play.

Our Early Learning program recognises that learning is a continuous process and a collaborative effort between teachers, students and families. The curriculum nurtures the development of our children as self-motivated, life-long and active learners with an understanding of themselves, their community and their world. Carmel students are active participants in the planning, execution and evaluation of their individual learning journey.

Our programs are underpinned by the image of the child as strong, capable, competent and curious. They aim to foster enquiry and exploration with a focus on developing and reinforcing skills across all learning areas. This aims to ensure the students are literate, numerate and well equipped socially and emotionally to function effectively in 21st-century society.

Our staff is committed to implementing the Early Years Learning Framework for Australia – Belonging, Being and Becoming. This Framework’s vision is for all children to experience play-based learning that is engaging and builds success for life. We utilise the Western Australian Kindy Guidelines to complement the EYLF. ÌýOur learning goals are to assist your child to develop:

• a strong sense of identity;
• a strong sense of wellbeing;
• confidence and involvement in their learning;
• effective communication skills; and,
• a sense of connectedness to their world.

Alongside the secular program, Carmel Kindy offers a rich and engaging program of Jewish Studies. As children develop their early literacy skills in English, they also develop an elementary understanding of Hebrew. Learning is centred on the chaggim and children come together to learn the songs and traditions that underpin each celebration of the Jewish calendar, growing their knowledge of their faith and culture.

Parents receive in-depth feedback into both the development of their child and also on the events and activities that happen each week. This is done through weekly e-newsletters and a comprehensive learning journey portfolio that all children receive in Term 4.

One of the benefits of enrolling in Kindy is that the children attending are relatively consistent from one day to the next providing our staff with the opportunity to develop strong relationships with your child. At the same time, the children are able to form friendships with their peers as they see them nearly every day. These friendships will deepen and thrive over their schooling years.

Families who join Carmel Kindy are immediately immersed in a warm and welcoming educational environment and children quickly acclimatise to their surroundings. The Ashley Schaffer Early Learning Centre has been purposefully designed to allow children to see their path of progression, with some authentic interactions between Kindy, Pre-Primary and YearÌý1 cohorts. Starting your child’s educational journey as early as possible in your chosen school environment allows for friendships to be formed, not only between children but likewise between parents, and makes for a smooth transition through the year levels.

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ÁùºÏ²ÊͶעÍø Options

We offer both the convenience of full-time enrolment and the flexibility of part-time enrolment to all our Kindy families. Full-time enrolment is a program that runs over five days, from 8.30am – 3.00pm. Part-time enrolment is offered in sessions, which are typically structured as half days. As an example, a child enrolled in five sessions might attend each day for half a day or for two and a half days a week.Ìý

Contact Us

The above information is designed as a starting point. No one knows your child better than you and it is often the case that parents wish to discuss individual circumstances in more detail before finalising their schooling choice. We encourage you to book a time for a confidential meeting with our team. Our Head of Primary, Mrs Debbie Bolton, has extensive knowledge of and experience in the Australian educational context, with a specialisation in and passion for Early Childhood Education. To book your appointment, please email us. You may also find our Handbook a useful resource.