Parent Information

An accredited environment providing a safe and nurturing space for your child.

2024 Newsletters

February

February 2024 newsletter

Newsletter for February 2024.

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(300kb)

March

 March 2024 newsletter

Newsletter for March 2024.

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(300kb)

April

April 2024 newsletter

Newsletter for April 2024.

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(300kb)

Information

Parent Handbook - 2024

The attached handbook covers all areas of information for parents on what to expect and what to do at preschool.

Springwood 2024 Parent handbook amended 30 Jan 2024

It covers topics such as:

  • Hours of Operation.
  • Policies and Procedures.
  • Enrolment.
  • Staff
  • Arrivals & Departures.
  • Things to remember
  • General Information.
  • Health & Safety.

 

Hints for Birthdays:- Children love to celebrate their birthdays with their friends at preschool. It is a great idea to bring Pre-Packed mini cupcakes for the children. They are a great size for the children to eat and prepacked from the supermarket is in line with our Covid safe procedures. Please remember it is very important that there is NO peanuts or nut products to be included. To give you an idea of numbers, both rooms have up to 20 children on any given day.

Orientation guide to Preschool 2024

The attached guide covers orientation information for parents to get started at preschool.

orientation to preschool 2024

It covers topics such as:

  • Our philosophy.
  • What to bring to preschool.
  • Preschool as an inclusive community.
  • The flow of our day.
  • Asthma, allergies and Anaphylaxis.
  • Bush Play.
  • Early ears Learning Framework.
  • Family input.
  • Educational Program.
  • Helping your child settle into preschool.
Settling Your Child into the Preschool Environment

The introduction into preschool can be hard for children and parents. Children’s welfare and happiness are the priority for staff when welcoming new children to the preschool and when assisting the family to settle into the preschool environment. 

 

The following outlines some helpful hints for parents on settling their child into the preschool environment:-

Make sure you familiarise your child with the environment and the people in the environment (children and adults) by coming in for visits (orientation held in November) before commencement.

If your child is unsettled, we encourage you to stay if this eases your child’s anxiety.

Interactions between staff and parents or staff and other children can produce positive role models and be reassuring. This experience can help to establish trust in an unfamiliar setting.

Try to talk at home about preschool. Mention the names of the staff and other children. Talk about the things the child will be able to do at preschool that are fun and enjoyable.

Talk to the teachers about your child, for example, what they like to do, their likes and dislikes and so on. This helps teachers to get to know your child.

It sometimes helps to establish a routine when leaving. For example, giving your child a cuddle and giving them to a staff member or sitting down with them for a short play or reading a book together then leaving

  • Expose your child to many different people, situations, and environments.
  • Prepare your child by talking about the new environment.
  • Use a visual timetable to talk about the daily events
  • Be patient, it takes time to get used to new environment and it will depend on the individual child and their previous experiences in separating from you.

 

To help with saying goodbyes at parting:

  • Don’t forget to say goodbye, it is best not to just leave unnoticed.
  • Ensure you explain to your child you will come back later to pick them up.
  • Establish a routine where before leaving you do something, such as give each other a kiss.
  • Distract the child with favourite toys and activities or ask the child’s teacher to become involved. There may be a teacher your child would feel most comfortable with.
  • Stay calm and be firm. You can leave once you’ve said goodbye. Don’t panic. Your child is very likely to settle when you leave.

It is important to remember that separation anxiety might increase at certain times of changes, such as birth of a sibling, moving houses, or divorce. Also, when you are stressed yourself about something, your child might pick up your emotions and will display separation anxiety as a reaction to not knowing what is happening with you. Children feel calmer when you are in control. At those times, children might “regress” and would need more temporary support in tolerating separation from you.

 

Hints for Birthdays:- Children love to celebrate their birthdays with their friends at preschool. It is a great idea to bring Pre-Packed mini cupcakes for the children. They are a great size for the children to eat and prepacked from the supermarket is in line with our Covid safe procedures. Please remember it is very important that there is NO peanuts or nut products to be included. To give you an idea of numbers, both rooms have up to 20 children on any given day.

Attendance Procedure

ON ARRIVAL PARENTS/CARERS ARE REQUIRED TO:

  • Sign child in and note the time.
  • Enter any medication on a medication form and hand to staff.
  • Put child’s bag in locker area.
  • Place child’s drink in the designated area.
  • Put child’s lunchbox in the fridge.
  • Put sunscreen on your child.
  • Settle your child – seek out staff if help is required.

UPON LEAVING PARENTS/CARERS ARE REQUIRED TO:

  • Sign your child out and note time please.
  • Look on the TV screen for photos of your child’s day.
  • Collect your child’s belongings and craft.
  • Ensure you have your child’s hat, lunch box, drink, jumper etc.

 

Enrolment Dept of Ed. Data Collection consent form

Consent to use and disclosure of your Child’s personal information :

Data collection consent form 2024

  • As part of your child’s enrolment in this Service, we are required to seek consent to collect and share Personal Information with the NSW Department of Education (the Department) where required for funding and support purposes. The consent form attached provides information about what information is collected and how it is used. Parents give consent by completing the attached form to the use and disclosure of your Child’s personal information to the New South Wales Department of Education for the purposes of data collection pertaining to the subsequent funding of our Preschool. Failure to agree to this may impact the funding allocation made available to the preschool resulting in an increase in your attendance fees. Please complete the attached form and return to form part of your enrolment package.

 

Start Strong Fee Relief form

Start Strong Fee Relief form:

2024 Start Strong Community Preschool Fee Relief declaration form

  • As part of your child’s enrolment in this Service, we require parents to complete the Start Strong Fee Relief form. If families wish to nominate Springwood Preschool to claim the fee relief, we will receive Fee Relief from the NSW Department of Education on their behalf which in turn reduces the daily fee payable to our preschool.
  • Affordable Preschool Fee Relief can only be claimed at one (1) service. If your child attends another service (preschool OR long day care) on the alternate days to preschool then families must complete a form at each service clearly showing only one (1) service is nominated to receive the fee relief. Please note families who do not nominate Springwood Preschool to receive fee relief will be required to pay the full amount of attendance fees. Please complete the attached form and return to form as part of your enrolment package.

 

Clothing

Paint, play dough, sand and messy play are an everyday part of our preschool day, please keep clothing comfortable. Practical shoes for climbing and running are also advisable. Please ensure that all clothing is clearly named for easy identification.

Please include a complete change of clothes in your child’s bag for any accidents that may occur.

We also sell preschool T-shirts that you may purchase for your child to wear, this sometimes takes the stress of wear and tear of your own children’s home clothes.

CLOTHING PRICES

$11.00  T-shirt
$20.50  Jumper
$11.50  Bucket hat

 

Sunscreen

Sunscreen is provided for the children by the preschool. Parents may supply their own sunscreen if preferred. According to the recommendation of the preschools Sun Protection Policy sunscreen is applied to the exposed skin of children. We ask parents to apply sunscreen in the morning as the children arrive and staff will apply it again when children go outside again in the afternoon.

When playing outdoors the children will also be required to wear a sunhat and be appropriately dressed (Refer to attachment 2 for our sun care policy). For further information on sun protection please refer to the Policy Handbook or speak to staff.

Complaints process

Regulatory Authority contact details

2023 Commendation and Complaints Policy

Our Education and Care Service affirms that people have a right to question and influence decisions made and services provided. We take complaints seriously and manage them in a confidential, timely, transparent, and meaningful way. Springwood and District Preschool Kindergarten is accountable to clients and to the wider community.  Consumers’ rights to complain and have complaints addressed effectively are protected by the Community Services Complaints, Appeals and Monitoring Act 1993.

Springwood and District Preschool Kindergarten supports consumer rights to receive a high quality service.  Parents have a right to have a say in their child’s care and be satisfied with the service received.  We also recognise their right to complain about or appeal against any action or decision that has consequences for themselves or their children.

Past years Newsletters

February/ March

February March 2023 newsletter

Newsletter for February/March 2023.

Click the button to download the PDF.

(300kb)

August

August 2023 newsletter

Newsletter for August 2023.

Click the button to download the PDF.

(300kb)

April

April 2023 newsletter

Newsletter for April 2023.

 Click the button to download the PDF.

(300kb)

September

September 2023 newsletter

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(300kb)

May

May 2023 newsletter

Newsletter for May 2023.

 Click the button to download the PDF.

(300kb)

October

October 2023 newsletter

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(300kb)

June/July

Jun 2023 newsletter

Newsletter for June/July 2023.

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(300kb)

November

November 2023 newsletter

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(300kb)

December

December 2023 newsletter

Newsletter for December still to come.

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(300kb)

Enrolling at Preschool

Contact

9 Macquarie Rd
Springwood NSW 2777

4751 3360

admin@springwoodpreschool.org.au