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pre schools in Sydney

pre schools in Sydney

Old Apr 11th 2005, 1:59 am
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Default pre schools in Sydney

Hi,has anyone found any good pre schools in the eastern beaches?I have rung a few but they have no spaces and long waiting lists.I did visit one today in maroubra, but it was no very good, and I would not feel happy leaving him there.I dont mind driving around I just want him to be in a happy learning environment with children his own age.Are the pre schools here the same as at home,do the teach the children or is it just a" day care".I am a nursery nurse myself and want him to be in a learning environment,I am also unsure of the training of the staff in the centres.Any infomation would be great,we have only been here a few weeks but the schools we have found for our other 2 boys seem to be excellent and we would like our youngest to mix with other children his own age,and make friends,thanks Claire.
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Old Apr 11th 2005, 2:46 am
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Default Re: pre schools in Sydney

Originally Posted by Chalkfarm
Hi,has anyone found any good pre schools in the eastern beaches?I have rung a few but they have no spaces and long waiting lists.I did visit one today in maroubra, but it was no very good, and I would not feel happy leaving him there.I dont mind driving around I just want him to be in a happy learning environment with children his own age.Are the pre schools here the same as at home,do the teach the children or is it just a" day care".I am a nursery nurse myself and want him to be in a learning environment,I am also unsure of the training of the staff in the centres.Any infomation would be great,we have only been here a few weeks but the schools we have found for our other 2 boys seem to be excellent and we would like our youngest to mix with other children his own age,and make friends,thanks Claire.
I can't help with actual pre-schools (my kids are so old now that their pre-school closed when the director/owner retired). There are literally dozens of places in this area (Coogee/Clovelly/Randwick/Waverley/Bondi Junction) which you could try.

I can tell you that the director of any child-care facility (whether it's called a pre-school/daycare centre/kindergarten whatever) must be degree-qualified. There must also be a specific number of other qualified staff, which is dependent on the number and ages of the children. There are endless rules and regulations that must be adhered to in order to get a licence to operate any kind of centre. These rules and regulations cover safety, size of the rooms, number of toilets, equipment that must be provided etc - even down to the shapes and sizes of the wooden building blocks must be in the toybox.

Then there are even more more rules and regulations that must be adhered to in order for the centre to become accredited (government rebates can only be claimed if the child is at an accredited centre).

There is no formal teaching as such that goes on, but they must all have approved programs in place to 'foster literacy, foster curiosity' and the like. I found this link the other day for someone else that was asking a similar question, which might help. It covers the items that are needed for a centre to be accredited:
http://www.ncac.gov.au/help_csps_qia...s_summary.html .

Last edited by NickyC; Apr 11th 2005 at 2:50 am. Reason: Crrected the link
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Old Apr 11th 2005, 3:44 am
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Default Re: pre schools in Sydney

Originally Posted by nickyc
I can't help with actual pre-schools (my kids are so old now that their pre-school closed when the director/owner retired). There are literally dozens of places in this area (Coogee/Clovelly/Randwick/Waverley/Bondi Junction) which you could try.

I can tell you that the director of any child-care facility (whether it's called a pre-school/daycare centre/kindergarten whatever) must be degree-qualified. There must also be a specific number of other qualified staff, which is dependent on the number and ages of the children. There are endless rules and regulations that must be adhered to in order to get a licence to operate any kind of centre. These rules and regulations cover safety, size of the rooms, number of toilets, equipment that must be provided etc - even down to the shapes and sizes of the wooden building blocks must be in the toybox.

Then there are even more more rules and regulations that must be adhered to in order for the centre to become accredited (government rebates can only be claimed if the child is at an accredited centre).

There is no formal teaching as such that goes on, but they must all have approved programs in place to 'foster literacy, foster curiosity' and the like. I found this link the other day for someone else that was asking a similar question, which might help. It covers the items that are needed for a centre to be accredited:
http://www.ncac.gov.au/help_csps_qia...s_summary.html .
Thanks will have a good read.
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Old Apr 11th 2005, 3:59 am
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Default Re: pre schools in Sydney

Something else to be aware of is that places in good facilities will be booked up to a year in advance. This is especially the case in the Eastern Suburbs and the North Shore where the rents are high. Our baby isn't born yet but we are looking into booking childcare for when the Mrs goes back after a years maternity leave.
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Old Apr 11th 2005, 4:16 am
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Default Re: pre schools in Sydney

Hi,

Which childcare centre did you visit in Maroubra - was it in Garden St. I remember that when we first got here the only place that had any vacancies was in Maroubra, and it was shocking. It had vacancies for a reason.

The ones I can think of with reasonably good feedback are:

Rainbow St , Randwick
Rivendell, Kensington
South Coogee, Moverly Rd
Montessori in Randwick

There's another in Kensington which I visited and was in a house and really good. Forget the road name though. It was full up at that time though.

ABC Kensington will have a space soon, because we're pulling our fella out of some of his days. I feel this centre has gone badly backwards since ABC took over. However it's only my opinion, and I did think the previous owners/company were excellent, so perhaps anyone taking over might have struggled in my eyes.

Moore Park Gardens has a centre that is run by a director I could recommend highly - left ABC when AB C took over along with some other staff who were very good. I haven't seen the inside of MPG so you'd have to go along yourself and take a look.

Be pushy over the waiting list. Many people have their names down in many places. Emphasise your desparation.
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Old Apr 12th 2005, 10:06 pm
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Default Re: pre schools in Sydney

Originally Posted by RichS
Hi,

Which childcare centre did you visit in Maroubra - was it in Garden St. I remember that when we first got here the only place that had any vacancies was in Maroubra, and it was shocking. It had vacancies for a reason.

The ones I can think of with reasonably good feedback are:

Rainbow St , Randwick
Rivendell, Kensington
South Coogee, Moverly Rd
Montessori in Randwick

There's another in Kensington which I visited and was in a house and really good. Forget the road name though. It was full up at that time though.

ABC Kensington will have a space soon, because we're pulling our fella out of some of his days. I feel this centre has gone badly backwards since ABC took over. However it's only my opinion, and I did think the previous owners/company were excellent, so perhaps anyone taking over might have struggled in my eyes.

Moore Park Gardens has a centre that is run by a director I could recommend highly - left ABC when AB C took over along with some other staff who were very good. I haven't seen the inside of MPG so you'd have to go along yourself and take a look.

Be pushy over the waiting list. Many people have their names down in many places. Emphasise your desparation.
Hi Richard,I will try and contact the ones you listed and see what happens!I have taken him to play groups,but he is 4 and the other children are 2/3 and he needs children his own age really.They of course are all at pre schools .
The one i looked at was in Anzac parade in Maroubra,it was so dirty,the toys where all over the place and the children where in one room with one member of staff, as the other was in the corner of the office on the phone.I would not leave him there, and ofsted would of had a field day in there!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!Even my older boys said it was bad,and not nice...
I will carry on looking,but I think I would be extremely lucky if a spot comes up as the good ones have no places.....
Thanks for your help though and I will keep you posted if I do find one!!!!!!!!!!!!!Claire
P.S Do you know if they do any drop in messy groups or music groups, as thats another option if I dont find a place...
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Old Apr 13th 2005, 2:03 am
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Default Re: pre schools in Sydney

some of the places offer occassional day care (there's one in Randwick that does that).

I sympathise with what you're saying about your 4 year old. when our boys were 4 and 2 we had to stop going to playgroup for the same reason.

Have you rang the family day care people in Bundock St Randwick.
It may be that you don't want a childminding solution, but they will ring around for you and offer advice.

I'm really sorry not to be able to offer more help. I have lived through exactly your circumstance, and its not much fun. We were in fact in the position where I couldn't take a job even if I found one because we had nobody to care for the kids.

You might try ABC in Kensington - I reckon they might have a space on some days. They're not as bad as I paint them to be. I just have memories of a better run place than it is now.
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Old Apr 13th 2005, 2:08 am
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Default Re: pre schools in Sydney

Things come back to me now.

We ended up having a nanny in for some days. Look up "The Wright Nanny". They provided really excellent people for us. We had one lady drive up from Bowral to loom after our boys - she was brilliant.

Of course for us it was cost effective as 1 nanny for 2 boys was only marginally more expensive than 2 boys in day care.

The other thing you need to get hold of if you haven't already is the free magazine "Sydney's Child" the classifieds etc in there may help.

Also do you need long day care or Kindy? Kindy being 9-3 as a rule.
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Old Apr 13th 2005, 3:50 am
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Smile Re: pre schools in Sydney

Hi There !
Try this link www.ku.com.au We use their mobile pre-school and are very happy with it. We are futher out than you guys though, SW suburbs near Campbelltown.
Good luck & All the best,
Tass.
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Old Apr 13th 2005, 4:08 am
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Default Re: pre schools in Sydney

Originally Posted by Tass
Hi There !
Try this link www.ku.com.au We use their mobile pre-school and are very happy with it. We are futher out than you guys though, SW suburbs near Campbelltown.
Good luck & All the best,
Tass.
Hi Tass,thanks for the link,I will have a look.Have you had a similiar problem with childcare in your area?Claire
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Old Apr 13th 2005, 4:34 am
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Default Re: pre schools in Sydney

Originally Posted by RichS
Things come back to me now.

We ended up having a nanny in for some days. Look up "The Wright Nanny". They provided really excellent people for us. We had one lady drive up from Bowral to loom after our boys - she was brilliant.

Of course for us it was cost effective as 1 nanny for 2 boys was only marginally more expensive than 2 boys in day care.

The other thing you need to get hold of if you haven't already is the free magazine "Sydney's Child" the classifieds etc in there may help.

Also do you need long day care or Kindy? Kindy being 9-3 as a rule.
Hi Richard thanks for the info,I will try to get hold of a copy of Sydneys Child,is it out weekly?
As for the nanny I can understand why you went for that option ,as day care costs do seem to be high,or maybe its just the ones I have spoken to!
When we were in the uk my little man went to a great pre school in the mornings.This is what I wanted here but its only long term day care,which is more suited to working parents.I will go through all the links and take it from there.I am a nursery nurse myself and am use to working in nurserys and reception classes , so I can do all the hands on stuff at home.Its just I want the social aspect for him and the time away from me and vice versa.I am not planning to go back to work yet so I am not in a desperate state to get him started,its just he was at his pre school for a year at home and I know he misses his friends.Take care, Claire and a very bored (4 year old)Kai.
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Old Apr 13th 2005, 5:03 am
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Smile Re: pre schools in Sydney

Originally Posted by Chalkfarm
Hi Tass,thanks for the link,I will have a look.Have you had a similiar problem with childcare in your area?Claire

Yes ! One of my biggest shocks and I know it's silly But I thought when I had read on here, before we moved, that things were slightly behind , I didn't think it was true !
My son would have started school in August this year but now doesn't start until Jan 2006. He was in pre-school from 2 years 10 months , just for the 2 and half hours a day but was so used to the company and structure . I didn't anticipate any problems with him on the move but his little life changed so much he became very frustrated and angry all the time ! It didn't help that we had found a long day care center that was absolutely shocking and terrified the wee soul and then I found this mobile pre-school on an info leaflet at the local community hall. He only goes Tues and Weds but it's all day - 9.15am until 14.45pm and he LOVES it! He has become a different and more relaxed and settled child again.THANK GOODNESS !!
He's ready for school this year though, I think if we had come thru the system in Oz and never been thru it in the UK the transition would have been easier. Nothing to compare it to !
Anyway ,ramble , ramble , ramble !!!
Good luck ,
All the best ,
Tass.
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Old Apr 13th 2005, 6:28 am
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Claire,

Its kindys you need to look at. Sydneys Child is free. Most child care centres stock it in their entrance areas, or they have a web site too.
The web site doesnt match up to the publication IMHO, but you might get a contact number to ring up and get hold of a copy.

That Maroubra place sounds very like the one we rejected even though it was 100m from our house.
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