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International Baccalaureate Mission Statement
The International Baccalaureate aims to develop inquiring, knowledgeable and
caring young people who help to create a better and more peaceful world
through intercultural understanding and respect. To this end the organization
works with schools, governments and international organizations to develop
challenging programs of international education and rigorous assessment.
These programs encourage students across the world to become active,
compassionate and lifelong learners who understand that other people, with
their differences, can also be right.
The Preshil Vision
At our core remains an unshakeable commitment to encouraging all children to
set and achieve their own goals and to be respected as individuals in their own
right. This is a commitment to our children to be nurtured and challenged in an
atmosphere that inspires creativity and independent thinking in all areas of life
and does not, overtly or subtly, use competition or punishment to motivate
through the fear of failure.
As global citizens we encourage an awareness of world issues and effort to make
a positive difference. We believe that education should prepare students to be
thoughtful, peace-loving and active citizens of the world. Preshil will remain a
school that puts kindness, compassion and social relationships at the centre of its
operations
Acknowledgement
We acknowledge that Preshil is situated on the lands of the Wurundjeri People of
the Kulin nation who have never ceded sovereignty, and remain strong in their
enduring connection to land and culture.
We pay our respects to the Elders past, present and emerging, for they hold the
memories, the traditions, the culture and hopes of Aboriginal and Torres Strait
Islander peoples across the nation.
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Welcome to Preshil
Welcome to the Preshil Kindergarten, and to the Arlington and Preshil Community.
Nestled in the heart of the beautiful Arlington campus, the Preshil kindergarten fosters a feeling like
home where warm familial relationships are nurtured. We build a strong sense of belonging and
community within the kindergarten and the broader Preshil community, taking part in school events
and activities from weekly whole school singing, to leading our Winter Solstice lantern parade.
The Preshil Kindergarten is a place where 3- and 4-year olds share each day together. Your child will
learn about themselves and others, become a part of a supportive community and explore and
extend their skills, knowledge and understandings. We nurture creativity and curiosity and we value
what children bring to this learning environment. We celebrate the uniqueness of each child at
Preshil, and our teachers personalise learning experiences to ensure each child is supported,
challenged and valued.
At Preshil we celebrate the knowledge that young children are capable and competent learners, with
an incredible capacity for making discoveries about themselves and the world around them. We look
forward to being a part of the many discoveries your child will make on their learning journey.
CRESSIDA BATTERHAM-WILSON
ACTING HEAD OF CAMPUS
POPPY WOODHOUSE
KINDERGARTEN EDUCATIONAL LEADER
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CONTENTS INTERNATIONAL BACCALAUREATE MISSION STATEMENT 2 THE PRESHIL VISION 2 ACKNOWLEDGEMENT 2 WELCOME TO PRESHIL 3 CAMPUS MAP 5 TERM DATES FOR 2021 7 TERM ONE 7 TERM TWO 7 TERM THREE 7 TERM FOUR 7
EXTENDED CARE 7
MORNING 7 AFTERNOON 7 SCHOOL HOLIDAYS 7
LEARNING IN THE KINDERGARTEN 8
LEARNING FRAMEWORK 8 NATIONAL QUALITY STANDARD 8 PARENTS AS PARTNERS 8 PARENT REPRESENTATIVES 8
COMMUNICATION 9
STORYPARK 9 COMPASS 10 ARLINGTON NEWSLETTER 10
A DAY IN THE KINDERGARTEN 12
STARTING KINDERGARTEN – A TRANSITION INTO OUR CARE 12 A TYPICAL DAY 12 DROP OFF AND COLLECTION 13 BAG LOCKERS 13 SHARED MEAL TIMES 13 FOOD ALLERGIES 13 REST & RELAXATION 13 BUSH SCHOOL 14 BIRTHDAY CELEBRATIONS 14 BIRTHDAY PARTIES 14 LOST PROPERTY 14 CLOTHING 14 SUN SMART POLICY 15 TOYS FROM HOME 15 WELLBEING 15 ILLNESS 15 MEDICATION 16 IMMUNISATION 16 HEAD LICE 16 ACCIDENTS 16 TOILETING 16 INCURSIONS AND EXCURSIONS 18 WHOLE SCHOOL EVENTS 18
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SUSTAINABILITY 18 ORIENTATION INTO THE FIVES AND SCHOOL READINESS 18
Campus Map
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Term Dates for 2021
Term One Term Two Term Three Term Four
Monday, 1 Feb to
Thursday 1 April
Tuesday 20 April to
Friday 18 June
Tuesday 13 July to
Friday 17 September
Tuesday 5 October to
Friday 10 December
For a complete list of dates including term dates, curriculum days and public holidays, please see the
Preshil website and the Compass Calendar of events.
EXTENDED CARE
Morning Extended care for the morning begins at 8.00am and finishes at 8:50am, and is held in our
kindergarten rooms. Children who are signed in before 8.50am will be charged before care fees.
Before care enquiries can be directed to Poppy Woodhouse or Courtney Booth.
Afternoon Extended care for the afternoon begins at 3.15pm and finishes as 6.00pm, and is held in the Kevin
Borland Hall together with the children from the primary school. This program is provided by Kelly
Club and enrolments to the program can be made through [email protected]
School Holidays Kelly Club offers School Holiday Programs for each of the term breaks. Enquiries and bookings can be
made through [email protected]
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LEARNING IN THE KINDERGARTEN
Learning Framework Our kindergarten program is underpinned by the principles of the Victorian Early Years Learning and
Development Framework (VEYLDF). In addition, Preshil is an International Baccalaureate (IB) World
School, and as such, all children at Preshil undertake their learning within this internationally
recognised curriculum framework. For the Kindergarten, the Primary Years Programme (PYP) of the
IB sits alongside the VEYLDF, and supports our children in developing their learning dispositions, and
their ability to question and inquire about the world around them.
Our teachers work collaboratively with specialist teachers in art, music, French and philosophy to
deliver PYP units of inquiry that encompass design thinking, conceptual learning and the
development of skills in thinking, communication, research, social and self-management. Through
the Conceptual PlayWorlds approach, children from kindergarten to grade two further develop
these skills. As play partners with their teachers, children share in imaginative play to explore
scientific knowledge and concepts to solve problems.
National Quality Standard The National Quality Standard sets the benchmark for provision and assessment of the quality of
education and care services. The Preshil Kindergarten achieved an overall rating as an Exceeding
Service in the National Quality Framework assessment process in 2019.
Parents as Partners A strong part of the Arlington philosophy is the collaborative partnerships with families. We
welcome family involvement. Please speak with teachers if you would like to contribute to the
program by sharing your passion or expertise through such things as gardening, storytelling or
playing a musical instrument.
Parent Representatives Every class at Preshil has parent representatives who meet each term with parent representatives
from other class groups and the management team. This group often organises social gatherings for
the parent body as well as assisting with fundraising events. Please consider taking on this important
and enjoyable role.
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Communication
Arlington is a small and close-knit community. We welcome communication with our families, and it
is a great pleasure to chat at drop off and collection times each day. If you would like to request a
meeting, then we ask that you let us know by email so that we can schedule a time together. Across
the year the Arlington community shares in a number of events to promote school and family
communication. School reports are provided to children from The Fives to The Elevens (prep to
grade 6), and Kindergarten children receive both a midyear and end of year Learning and
Development Report.
February: Fireside Chats - Hosted in your child’s classroom, these evenings are an opportunity for
our teachers to share about their programs, held for all classes from Kindergarten to Year 6.
March: Parent Teacher Check-Ins - Held over several evenings, these meetings are an opportunity
for our teachers to share their initial observations and for families to share their story.
August/September: Student Led Conferences - Held over several evenings, these are times for our
children to share their learning with their families.
Close of the Year: Kindergarten Transition Reports
Storypark We use the digital
platform Storypark to
communicate and
document individual and
group learning. Parents
are sent an invitation to
Storypark via email and
are shown how to access
the platform on their
device. We strongly
encourage families to
view, comment and post
about their child’s
learning.
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Compass Preshil uses an online program called Compass School Manager to automate a number of
administrative processes. Compass School Manager can be downloaded as an app to your phone.
Compass enables better communication with all members of the Preshil community and includes
many different features, including the ability to:
• Enter approvals for absence or lateness
• Consent and pay for excursions and incursions
• Communicate with teachers
• Update your registered email and mobile number
• Access information regarding upcoming events and news
• View the school calendar
• View school policies
Parents new to Preshil are provided with their own unique username and password. Please
remember that Compass does not take the place of all other communication and parents are always
welcome and encouraged to contact the office staff, teachers, the Acting Head of Campus and the
Principal as the need arises. As your children progress through the school, further functionality is
accessed through Compass. If you have any issues or questions about gaining access to Compass
please contact Reception.
Arlington Newsletter Published each fortnight, this newsletter comes to you through a Compass notification, and is one way of keeping up to date with
all
happenings at Arlington.
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A DAY IN THE KINDERGARTEN
Starting Kindergarten – A Transition into our care Kindergarten is a place for your child to feel
safe and secure. Feeling comfortable to
farewell parents and having experiences
apart from primary caregivers prior to
starting kindergarten is important, and can
support children to settle into the
kindergarten day. To support your child to
transition at the beginning of the day, we
encourage parents to say a quick and
confident goodbye so that our kindergarten
team can begin the building of a safe and
enduring relationship. We acknowledge that
each child will settle in at their own pace,
and that this is a process. We encourage
families to contact the kindergarten team if
they have any concerns.
A Typical Day Children can be dropped off from 8.50am. At 9.00am our kindergarten community gathers together
for our morning meeting, to welcome one another to the day, and make plans for our day together.
We spend time indoors in small group and whole group activities, as well as lots of outdoor play. We
spend time listening to stories, working together on units of inquiry, and in both child-led and
teacher-led explorations. Our day encompasses learning through play and scaffolded activities
designed to support each child. We support children to feel a sense of belonging and connection to
their communities, their environment and their inner worlds.
Our kindergarten is a fully integrated part of the Arlington community. Each week we gather with
the Arlington community for whole school singing, and our children participate with all specialist
programs offered. These include; Art, Music, French, Philosophy, Physical Education, Creative Dance,
and a visit to our library. Each week we look forward to a visit from our Biggie (a mentor from the
upper grades) as they spend time in play and conversation with the children. After lunch we offer a
time of rest and relaxation, before once again venturing outdoors. At the close of each day we
gather to share our daily adventures and to farewell each other.
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Drop Off and Collection Entry to the Arlington Campus is via Barkers Road or Mount Street. There is no off-street parking for
families, but parking is available on Barkers Road or Mount Street or in surrounding streets. Barkers
Road outbound is a tow-away zone from 4:00pm.
Bag Lockers Each child has a locker in which to store their school bag and other belongings.
Shared Meal Times We consider meal times to be a social time where the children and staff sit together. There are three
meal times each day: morning snack, lunch, and afternoon snack. Children are able to access their
lunch boxes when needed and are encouraged to eat at a table or picnic blanket. Children wash
hands before and after eating. Each child needs to bring their own clearly labelled lunch box which
they can manage independently, and a drink bottle each day. Please remember to take this home
each afternoon to be washed and refilled.
We encourage nude food. This is considerate of our environment, and ensures that children are able
to access all their snacks without having to open packets and packaging
Food Allergies Preshil is not a Nut Free School. We do have an Anaphylaxis Management and Food Sharing Policy
(viewable on Compass). Due to some children having severe allergies there is a “no sharing of lunch”
policy to support these children, and to support families who adhere to dietary restrictions.
Families can access Classroom Cuisine, an online alternative to bringing a lunch from home.
Classroom Cuisine provide a packed lunch each day except Tuesdays. Families can register with
Classroom Cuisine at classroomcuisine.com.au
Rest & Relaxation We believe that the ability to enjoy moments of solitude is an important lifelong skill and an
important part of our busy day. During our afternoon rest times, children listen to stories, draw
quietly, rest on their own or nap. We create a quiet part of the day to support children in developing
their ability to value the opportunity to rest and regain energy for the rest of the day.
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Bush School Each week the kindergarten children gather with their peers in the five-year-old program (The Fives)
to spend time in our bush nook called The Pines. Together they make an acknowledgment of
country, spend time in water play, digging and exploring the natural landscape, and sometimes light
a fire and make damper. These weekly experiences lead on to further bush school experiences
woven into the lower primary school program.
Birthday Celebrations The kindergarten welcomes families who want to share the celebration of their child’s birthday by
bringing food to share. Small individual treats such as cupcakes rather than a whole cake are best for
this. While this is something some families like to do, it is not universally practised and parents
should not feel pressured to do so. If your child has an allergy, please supply a special treat to be
kept at the kindergarten for such occasions
Birthday Parties Should you wish to host a birthday party for your child, we ask that you consider inviting the whole
kindergarten cohort. If you are unable to do so, then any invitations and news regarding the party
needs to be addressed outside of school to avoid the disappointment of those not included.
Lost Property There is a lost property box in our kindergarten for clothing and other items. Occasionally items may
be lost while away from the kindergarten, and a school lost property box is located near the stairs to
the Library.
Clothing Messy play is good play and the children are offered many sensory experiences such as sand, water
and mud play, painting, cooking, tree climbing etc. Please dress your child in practical clothing which
supports this play, and pack a complete change of clothing each day. Sun hats are required and wet
weather clothing when appropriate. Hats, gumboots and coats can be left at kindergarten for
children to use when needed.
We recommend clothes and shoes that are easy for children to manage on their own to promote
independence. Please consider shoes that enable your child to confidently take them off and put
them on again, run, climb, join in ball games and negotiate the kindergarten environment. All
clothes should be clearly labelled with your child’s name.
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Sun Smart Policy Please provide a named 30+ (or above) sunscreen. During Terms 1 and 4, and any other times you
deem appropriate, please apply sunscreen to your child before they arrive at kindergarten. Staff will
supervise the reapplication of sunscreen before going outside in the afternoon.
The Kindergarten has a “No hat, no outside play” policy in Terms 1 and 4. Please provide your child
with a “sun smart” hat to be kept at the Kindergarten. The hats below provide appropriate
protection from the sun: they should shade the whole face, neck, ears and head.
Toys from Home Children are welcome to bring unique items such as culturally significant artefacts, photographs or
books to share with the group. Children are also welcome to bring comfort items, such as a favourite
soft toy or blanket. We ask that commercial toys be left at home, along with special or delicate items
as children’s curiosity can cause breakages or loss.
Wellbeing At Preshil, the ideal of wellbeing extends to nurturing and valuing relationships, creating safe spaces,
and building strong communities. Teaching teams take an active role in modelling and building
positive relationships. These relationships are the foundation of connection within our community.
Whole school wellbeing is overseen by Amir Tatai. Should you want to seek specific support around
wellbeing, then please contact the kindergarten team who can advise and in turn seek support from
Amir.
I l lness Cooperation from parents is important in preventing the spread of infection. There are several
childhood illnesses and conditions, which, due to their infectious nature, necessitate exclusion. In
the event of your child having a contagious illness, it is important that parents inform the school so
that we can confidentially notify other parents of the illness and symptoms they should look out for.
The kindergarten is guided by the National Health and Medical Research Council regarding exclusion
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of children with infectious diseases. To be fair to your child and all members of our community,
please keep your child at home if they are unwell.
Medication Medication cannot be given to your child without written authorisation. If your child is taking
medication (prescription or other), and a dose is required during school times, it must be labelled
with their name and dosage details, and given to one of the kindergarten team for storage. Please
do not leave medication in your child’s bag.
Immunisation Under current legislation, no child can attend kindergarten without providing the service with an up-
to-date copy of their Immunisation History Statement, which can be obtained from the Australian
Immunisation Registry. Families must provide the school with a current copy at the beginning of the
school year, and updates as they occur.
Head Lice Parents can help the kindergarten minimise issues with head lice by regularly checking their child’s
hair. Parents will be called to collect their child if live lice are found in their hair, and will be able to
return once appropriate treatment has been administered, which may be as soon as the next day.
For comprehensive information about treating lice please go to www.health.vic.gov.au/headlice.au
Accidents If your child experiences a minor accident at kindergarten, staff will provide first aid where
necessary, and parents or carers will be informed. At collection, you will be provided with an
Incident Report to sign. If we deem an accident to be of a more concerning nature, we will contact
you by phone at the first possible opportunity. In the event of a serious accident, we will make every
effort to contact you immediately after calling 000. If we cannot reach you, we will contact the
person designated as your emergency contact. Parents and carers are responsible for any medical or
transportation fees incurred as a result of an accident.
Toileting The kindergarten requires that all children are fully day-time toilet trained and able to manage the
bathroom independently prior to enrolment. We acknowledge that accidents may occur, and ask
that a change of clothing is packed into your child’s school bag each day.
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Incursions and Excursions Visiting performances and on-campus incursions are sometimes organised. These experiences are
designed to support and extend the children’s learning within the kindergarten. The children also
have the opportunity to participate in local excursions outside the kindergarten like a walk to the
senior campus, to a local park, or to the post box. For an excursion further afield, notification and
permissions will be provided through Compass.
Whole School Events Children in the kindergarten are an integral part of all whole school events. These include our end of
term shared lunch named “Doo Dah”, weekly whole school singing, the biggies and buddies program
which matches children in the kindergarten up with a special buddy in the upper grades, and our rich
specialist program. The kindergarten program also makes use of all the facilities that Alrington has to
offer by taking Music in our Kevin Borland Hall, P.E in our front garden, Art in the tree house art
room and weekly visits up the stairs to the Arlington library.
Kindergarten children are often visited by the children in the older year levels, sometimes a Biggie,
sometimes a sibling. We welcome these visits as a demonstration of our strong community.
Kindergarten families are also a part of all whole school events such as the Whole School Picnic to
celebrate the beginning of each school year, our many musical soirées and our Winter Solstice
celebrations with the amazing parade featuring lanterns created by Preshil children.
Sustainability The kindergarten children take an active role in the sustainability initiatives that are
a part of our Arlington campus, from composting and caring for our worm farms
to growing vegetables and picking our mulberries. Recycling and water use are considered and
discussed by the kindergarten community and together we make decisions reflecting our desires and
care for our planet.
Orientation into The Fives and School Readiness By the time our kindergarten children reach the end of their time as kindergarteners, they are ready
to take flight and graduate to becoming a Lighthouse Keeper in The Fives (our prep year at Preshil).
Our children have many opportunities across the year to spend time with the Fives children and
teaching team, and our four-year-olds take part in an orientation program which is hosted in the
Lighthouse. We work towards school readiness and prepare a Transition Report in collaboration with
families of children in their four-year-old year. We also provide a thorough hand-over to the
teaching team in the Lighthouse.
