FAQs

Collaroy Plateau Community Kindergarten Inc. is a community managed Preschool which relies on fee payments, funding from Department of Education and Communities and occasional fundraising to operate.

Hours of operation?
We are open from 8.30am – 3.30pm Monday to Friday but are closed on public holidays and during the public school term breaks. We have one pupil free day at the beginning of term one and one at the end of term four.

Getting here
We are located in Hall Avenue, Collaroy Plateau, which is on the L80/180 bus route with a bus stop at the front of the preschool.  The bus travels from the city along Pittwater Road before heading up to Collaroy Plateau.  We are therefore easily accessible for anyone without a car who is travelling from the city, Dee Why, or anywhere on Collaroy Plateau.  Street parking is available as well.

How old are the children when they attend?
The children attend the year before they are eligible to go to school. Children need to be turning 4 by the 31st July to attend in that year. Children who turn 4 after 31st July attend the following year. Some children do come for 2 years if they are born in Feb-July and the family feels the children would benefit from another year at Pre-school. Priority will be given to children who must go to school the following year.

Number of placements
We have 80 children enrolled at the kindergarten over the week. 40 children attend Monday and Tuesday. 40 children attend Wednesday, Thursday and Friday. The 40 children who attend each day are split into 2 classes of 20 children.

Can I pick which days?
Families can request which group they would like for their child, however spots are offered according to availability. We have 2 groups of children, Monday/Tuesday and Wednesday-Friday only. Separate days cannot be selected.

Fees
The fees are set by the Management Committee. In line with the need to meet increasing costs, The CPCK Management Committee has set the fees for 2015 at $57 per day.

However, as increasing administrative time and resources are being used in chasing late payers an early-bird fee of $55 per day will be offered for families who pay the fees by the close date for each installment. The close dates and fee amounts will be outlined on the fees notice and we ask that families assist us to reduce administration time and save money at the same time by paying by the early-bird close date.

CPCK receives some funding from Department of Education and Communities (DECs) for ‘eligible’ children i.e. those children eligible to attend school the following year.

We also receive additional funding for children whose family holds a Low Income Health Care Card, Pension Concession Card or whose heritage is from an Aboriginal or Torres Strait Islander background. Subsidies are available for these families.

If vacancies remain after all 4 year old children have been offered a position at our kindergarten, positions will then be offered to 3 year old children but with a higher fee attached for 3 year old children who are not from families with a Health Care Card or who are not from an Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander background.

The NSW state government only provides funds for 4 year old children in the year before starting school and 3 year old children from an Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander family or for 3 year old children from a family who holds a Health Care Card. This applies only to registered community based preschools and kindergartens in NSW.

(4 yr old children means those children turning 4 by 31st July in the year of attendance.  3 yr old children means those children turning 4 after 31st July but before 31st December in the year of attendance).

Am I eligible for Childcare Benefits and Rebates?
CPCK is a Pre-school and classed as Registered Child Care. We are registered with the Family Assistance Office. Families may be eligible for a small rebate if both parents are working, studying or training. This is a small amount of approximately $4.66 per day.

We are not a Long Day Care Centre and therefore families cannot receive the normal rate for the Child Care Benefit nor can families receive the Child Care Rebate. If you require further information contact Centrelink.

How can I pay my fees?
A deposit of approximately 4 weeks fees is paid the year prior to a child starting at the pre-school. This is refunded at the end of the Preschool year and goes toward term 4 fees. If a child leaves prior to the end of the year, a minimum of 4 weeks’ written notice is required before the deposit is refunded. If your child stays for 2 years, then the deposit is held until the end of their final year at Kindergarten.

Fees are paid by the term either in full or in 2 instalments. We accept payment by cash, cheque, credit card, debit card or internet Banking. (Charges apply for card payments).

A fee receipt is issued once payments have been made. You can use this receipt to claim some fee subsidy from the Family Assistance Office at Centrelink as outlined above.

What do children need to bring each day?
Parents provide all meals. Morning tea is to be provided in a separate container to lunch. We have a no nuts and no eggs policy. Please do not send any foods that contain nuts (including muesli bars, peanut butter, nutella. Please also do not send egg sandwiches or boiled eggs. Products that contain eggs are OK.

• Morning tea in a small lunch box (No nuts or eggs)
• Lunch in a lunch box (No nuts or eggs) Lunch is stored in a fridge so you can send items that need refrigeration like ham, cheese, yoghurt. Fresh food known as ‘nude food’ is preferred. Nude food uses reusable containers and takes care of the children’s health as well as their world.
• Drink bottle filled only with water  
• Backpack with spare clothes (top/bottom/underwear)

We promote healthy eating and ask that you do not send coloured popcorn,chocolate, lollies, LCM’s, roll-ups, etc.

We encourage children to drink water throughout the day. We ask parents to bring a transparent drink bottle filled with water in the morning.  Staff will fill the bottle through the day as needed.

While we do not have a sleep time, we do have quiet time after lunch. Lights are turned off and quiet activities only are available. Activities may  include relaxation activities, yoga, stories, books, drawing, puzzles etc.

Some parents like their children to have a sleep and we set up a separate area with mattresses for those children.

What will my child do during the day?
We have a play based curriculum where children learn through play. Through play, children learn to socialise, to regulate their emotions, to take responsibility for their belongings and personal needs, to focus their attention and develop listening skills in addition to numeracy and literacy skills and understandings.

Details of the children’s day and time schedules are displayed in the classroom.

Generally, one group of children start inside and one group starts outside. These groups change over at approximately 11.30am, with both classes being inside from 1.30pm until home time with maybe a group time outdoors in the afternoon. There is a two week roster for outdoor starting times to minimize the time spent outdoors during the hottest part of the day. This roster system has been designed in collaboration with the Cancer Council.

What type of behaviour management is used at the kindergarten?
We understand it is part of children’s natural development to sometimes behave in ways that is not appropriate. We believe this is a time for adults to support and guide them. In any group there will be some conflict and preschool children are learning many skills to resolve conflict.

• Teachers set limits and boundaries and discuss these with the children
• Appropriate behaviour is role modelled, encouraged and acknowledged
• Genuine choices are given
• Role-plays, discussions, puppets and stories are experiences where children can learn appropriate ways of dealing with conflict
• Teachers support children to enter play appropriately
• Teacher’s model the right way, repeat the same messages often
• Teachers help children develop their self control and their own capability of making the right decisions about behaviour

Does the service cater for children with additional needs?
CPCK aims to cater for all children’s needs. We have an additional staff member in each classroom to allow for greater interaction with all children. Teachers and educators implement inclusive experiences and practices. Please contact the Director if you would like to discuss your child’s needs.

What is the Staff:Child ratio?
Each class has a full time Early Childhood Teacher and a Diploma in children’s services educator as well as a Certificate 111 in child care educator who is present for 4.5 hours per day. There are first aid, anaphylaxis and asthma qualified staff on the premises at all times.

How do I place my child on a waitlist?
Children’s names can be placed on a waitlist from birth. Please click here to download an Application Form. The completed form can be forwarded to us via scanning and emailing, posting to us or dropping the form into us. There is no booking fee or application fee payable to put your child’s name on our waitlist.

Management
We are managed by a parent committee which has a minimum of 10% of the current parent numbers (or a minimum of 8 parents). The committee and staff work together in accordance with a Code of Ethics and the National Quality Standards set by The Australian Education and Care Quality Authority (ACECQA). We also abide by the Education and Care regulations and The National Law governing children’s services. Our committee members are elected into office at our Annual General Meeting.

The kindergarten relies on the support and involvement of the committee – parents are encouraged to consider becoming a committee member. We appreciate them greatly!

For the purpose of social activities and extracurricular activities we rely on family support. 

Is there a uniform?
At Collaroy Plateau Community Kindergarten children are free to wear their own clothes.  However, we do issue each child with a kindy hat for outside play and a kindy t-shirt.  The Kindergarten also has additional t-shirts with the kindy logo available for purchase.