About

At Beaconsfield Kindergarten we provide a family centred practice which offers high-quality and nurturing early childhood education for families living in the Cardinia and Casey areas.  Our kindergarten operates across two key locations in Beaconsfield, O’Neil Road and Woods Street, and offers a range of different programs and timetables to suit the needs of your child and family.

Children need the opportunity to develop life skills which will enable them to thrive in an ever-changing world. At Beaconsfield Kindergarten we provide a wide range of experiences related to the stages of development as well as individual and group needs. We pride ourselves on working together with our community to establish strong foundations for children’s lifelong learning and for them to feel safe, valued and proud of their efforts and achievements

As an inclusive centre, we strive to:
•  encourage the involvement of our families in developing individual learning plans
   to meet the needs of their children.
•  recognise the valuable resources parents possess and invite them to share their        
   skills and knowledge with our kindergarten.
•  encourage the involvement of parents and extended family in our daily sessions.
•  welcome children with additional needs and their families.
•  work with families to achieve high expectations for every child. We recognise each
    child’s strengths and interests and extend/support these through providing
    experiences within the program, and differentiating the program to ensure that all
    children experience success and that these are celebrated amongst our group and
    with the child’s family.

At Beaconsfield Kindergarten we believe that children thrive best when the learning environment:
• has agreed boundaries, limits and consequences.
• has familiar routines and expectations.
• encourages children to participate in both planned and self-initiated learning
  experiences.
• provides rich literacy and numeracy experiences each day.
• provides opportunities to enjoy special days and events at kindergarten with peers
  and family.
• introduces children to a wide range of individuals or groups working within our
   community.
•  promotes and values educators, children and their families as lifelong learners and
   researchers.

Our Philosophy

At Beaconsfield Kindergarten we provide a child and family centred practice that strives to create an environment which assists all members of the Kindergarten community to experience physical, mental, emotional and social wellbeing. We endeavour to provide a welcoming, caring, inclusive and supportive environment to all children and their families. Beaconsfield Kindergarten encourages and promotes diversity, fairness and respect for everyone, and acknowledges that Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples are Australia’s first peoples. We embrace and support children of all skills, abilities and cultures; acknowledging children’s personal, family and cultural histories shape their learning for development. We view the whole child as an active citizen, capable of learning and contributing to their world.

Our program is based on the significance of play. Play is an important medium in children’s learning. It helps children to make sense of their lives and wider world and supports children’s creativity, self-expression, problem solving skills, language development, concentration and independence. We offer an educational program, both indoors and outdoors, which includes routines and is organised in ways that maximise opportunities for each child’s learning. We promote each child’s agency, enabling them to make choices and decisions. Educators believe in the importance of modelling appropriate behaviours and guiding children where necessary, as they assume responsibility for their choices and develop respect for their communities and environment.

We believe every child has a fundamental right to high quality education and care. Both the national curriculum, “Belonging Being Becoming-The Early Years Learning Framework” (EYLF) and the Victorian curriculum frameworks “Victorian Early Years Learning & Development Framework” (VEYLDF) are integral to our program. To enable each child to reach their full potential an ongoing cycle of planning, documenting and evaluating informs our program. Educators respond to children’s ideas and play, and use intentional teaching to scaffold and extend each child’s learning, which is recorded in individual learning plans. We recognise and support the varied learning styles of individual children. Educators draw upon a range of theories about early childhood to inform their professional practice. Reflective practice maximises opportunities for children to grow both as individuals and as a group.

We strive to develop positive and respectful partnerships with parents and families through welcoming parent participation and contribution into our program, as well as collaboration between staff and families related to family values and goals for children’s learning. We encourage open communication to support and monitor children’s achievements and progress.

The Code of Ethics 2016 (Early Childhood Australia) is embedded in our practice and informs our relationships with the children, families and each other. Our staff are dedicated Early Childhood Professionals who work together to create a supportive and positive kindergarten environment. Each staff member is recognised for their skills and ideas that they contribute to our kindergarten and wider community. The kindergarten promotes professional enquiry and development which supports best practice. Educators collaborate with other organisations and service providers to enhance children’s learning and wellbeing.

We feel that the kindergarten year is a very special time in a child’s life. At Beaconsfield Kindergarten we offer children and their families a rich and rewarding pre-school experience based on the beliefs and principles outlined above. We pride ourselves on working together with our community to establish strong foundations for children’s lifelong learning and for them to feel safe, valued and proud of their efforts and achievements.

National Quality Framework – Exceeding the National Quality Standard

Beaconsfield Kindergarten has been rated as Exceeding National Quality Standard under the National Quality Framework. The National Quality Standard (NQS) sets a national benchmark for the quality of children’s education and care services across Australia.

Services are assessed against the NQS by the state or territory regulatory authority and receive a rating for each of the seven quality areas of the NQS, including the education program, health and safety, physical environment, staffing, relationships with children, families and communities, and the management of the service; as well as an overall rating.

Term dates and timetables

At Beaconsfield Kindergarten we offer a range of timetables to accommodate the different scheduling needs of families at our centre. Please note, the 2021 timetable may be subject to change.

2020 Term Dates

Term 1 - 29th January - 27th March
Term 2 - 14th April - 26th June
Term 3 - 13th July - 18th September
Term 4 - 5th October - 18th December

2020 Timetable

Click here to view 2020 timetable

2021 Timetable

Our draft timetable for 2021 is the same as our current 2020 timetable.

Achievement Program

Beaconsfield Kindergarten is very proud to have achieved all six Health Priority Areas of the Victorian Government's Achievement Program. The Achievement Program supports Victorian workplaces, schools and early childhood services to create healthy places for working, learning and living. Click here to read the Achievement Program's case study on Beaconsfield Kindergarten.