A Department for Education and Child Development (DECD) Centre
13 Nestor Street, Athelstone 5076
Phone: 8336 1422 Fax: 8365 5739
Email: kindy.director@thorndonkgn.sa.edu.au
Preschool Programs
Sessional kindergarten for 4 year olds:
9.00 - 11.45 am
12.45 - 3.30 pm
Monday - Thursday
Full days are available on Tuesdays and Thursdays 9.00 - 3.30 pm
Pre-entry Program prior to starting kindergarten to support a positive transition
Early Entry and Early Intervention Program for children with particular learning needs
Playgroup
Friday 11:30a.m. - 1:00p.m.
Where are we?
Located off Montacute Road, the first turn left after the Stradbroke Road (Newton Village) roundabout going towards the foothills, then the first turn right (Nestor Street).Phone to enrol or visit and find out more about our educational early childhood program
Our Curriculum Focuses On:
- Developing children's individual strengths and interests
- Fostering self esteem and positive social interactions
- Encouraging problem solving, critical thinking and other life skills
- Providing resources and time for learning through discovery and exploration
- Developing literacy, numeracy and environmental education through purposeful and meaningful experiences
Our Vision
Thorndon Park Kindergarten will be a partnership of parents, caregivers and staff committed to developing the knowledge, skills, dispositions and values necessary to empower children to become independent, optimistic learners and respectful, responsible citizens.
Our Core Values
Respect Optimism Inquiry Excellence Creativity
Our Context
The kindergarten is situated in the suburb of Athelstone. It serves the residents of Athelstone, Newton, Rostrevor, Campbelltown, Paradise and surrounding suburbs. It offers small group sizes and two very experienced teachers. It is well resourced within a beautiful natural setting.It operates on a fulltime basis, offering the following services:
- 4 sessions of preschool a week
- Pre entry for one term prior to starting sessional kindergarten
- Early Entry for children with additional learning needs
- Lunch Care on Tuesdays and Thursdays
- Playgroup on Fridays from 11:30a.m for younger children and their families
- Specialist support for children with additional needs, available by referral to DECD Support Services through the kindergarten
- Informal unfunded occasional and emergency care when possible
Our Current Site Improvement Priority
Strong Beginnings for Children: Improving Numeracy OutcomesTo improve children's numeracy outcomes through deeper and broader engagement, high expectations and improved mathematical understandings
Principles underlying this work:
Children take their first steps towards numeracy within their families and communities.
Numeracy learning is built on what children know and how their competence is extended.
It is important to combine an understanding of the cultural, social, and personal purposes and functions of numeracy within authentic contexts of play.
Opportunities are needed for first-hand experiences and play, as well as explicit teaching of mathematical language and concepts.
Positive outcomes for young children are linked to adult and child interactions that involve sustained and shared talking time, open-ended questioning and ongoing feedback during activities.
Tried and tested ways of teaching need to be combined with new aspects of teaching to ensure that children's skills are useful in today's and tomorrow's world.
Specific one-to-one interventions which involve a range of strategies, are essential for those learners who do not progress as expected.
Wellbeing is central to learning and learning is central to wellbeing.
Educators make a positive contribution to wellbeing.
Wellbeing consists of emotional, physical, cognitive, social and spiritual dimensions.
Individual characteristics, family and community factors, and factors within the preschool setting influence wellbeing.
Practices in the preschool such as the learning environment, the curriculum and teaching practices, partnerships with families and community, and centre policies and procedures impact on wellbeing.
Feedback and complaints
Let us know if you have feedback or a complaint, or if you want to give us a compliment. Feedback is valuable as it helps us shape our services to meet your needs.
Our parent guide to raising a concern or complaint (word 901KB)
Phone to enrol or visit and find out more about our educational early childhood program
Vacancies
Vacancies are now available for children from 3 years 9 months.
We keep a waiting list from toddler age.
Links:
Department for Education and Child Development
Download our Handbook
Handbook
Download our Enrolment Form
Enrolment Form
