Frequently Asked Questions

Kindergarten, also known as preschool or pre-prep, is a structured, play-based program led by a university qualified early childhood teacher for children in the year before they attend school.

The program which runs for 15 hours per week or 30 hours a fortnight, 40 weeks per calendar year, focuses on helping children to develop a wide range of essential skills and prepares them for their transition to school.

Community kindergartens are usually open for approximately six hours per day, for example 8:30am to 2:30pm, 5 days per fortnight (3 days one week and 2 days the following week) but can vary depending on the kindy.

A kindergarten group has up to 22 children, who are turning four years of age by the end of June.

At C&K, your child will make friends, explore new environments, build confidence, play and have fun learning. C&K's kindergarten program provides meaningful experiences and interactions that support your child's early learning, wellbeing and development now and into the future to become lifelong learners.

Our approved kindergarten program Listening and Learning Together: C&K Curriculum Approach, addresses the expectations from the Early Years Learning Framework for Australia and the Queensland kindergarten learning program.

C&K's inclusive learning program honours every child’s right to play, builds on their existing learning from home and provides foundations to be a successful, lifelong learner. At C&K, your child will have the opportunity to: 

• use language to communicate ideas, feelings and needs
• make friends, cooperate and play with other children
• become more independent, resilient and confident in their abilities through decision making and negotiation
• develop literacy skills, promoting their imagination and creativity through reading, writing, arts, music, and media communication
• identify, explore and solve problems and engage with early numeracy
• develop early reading and literacy skills
• build on their knowledge and explore new ideas through investigations and play

Routines blend indoor and outdoor activities with rituals that ease transitions and build familiarity. Through nature, group, and individual play like block-building, painting, and storytelling, children learn, cooperate, and form friendships. These consistent routines support their mental health and wellbeing.

C&K teachers and educators are open to your child’s ideas and will foster their social and emotional growth and ignite their curiosity.

Kindy is free for eligible age children (those turning 4 by 30 June, in the year they attend kindy) for 15 hours per week for 40 weeks (up to a maximum of 600 hours a year) at centres delivering government-approved kindergarten programs.

If your child is attending kindy in a second group or as a 3 year old, fees may apply (known as the non-eligible fee). These fees are different for each centre and are available to view on the centre's web page. The non-eligble fee is updated every year in December for the following year.

In addition to this, a one-off, non-refundable enrolment fee of $100 is payable when you confirm your child's enrolment at a C&K branch centre. This fee is not subsidised and is issued to cover the administrative costs of your child's enrolment at a C&K branch centre. However, the enrolment fee can be waived if you are an eligible concession care holder. Please discuss this with your centre's Director.