C&K has over 115 years' experience in early childhood education and care, and more than 300 community kindergartens throughout QLD. Our team of dedicated educators and teachers nurture and support children to learn, play, grow and flourish. C&K community kindergartens deliver a government-approved kindergarten program for four year olds. We work with our children and families to create caring and vibrant learning communities, where children flourish and develop a lifelong love of learning.
What is community kindergarten?
Kindergarten, also known as preschool or pre-prep, is a structured, play-based program led by a university qualified teacher for children in the year before they attend school.
The program which runs for at least 15 hours per week, 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, five 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.
This table shows the year the Queensland government recommends your child attends kindergarten. Children aged 4 years old by June 30 in the year they attend kindy are also called ‘Eligible age’ or ‘Target age’.What year should my child attend kindy?
Year born
Kindy year
1 July 2019 to 30 June 2020
2024
1 July 2020 to 30 June 2021
2025
1 July 2021 to 30 June 2022
2026
1 July 2022 to 30 June 2023
2027
Our education program
C&K’s early childhood education program Listening and Learning Together: C&K Curriculum Approach aligns with both The Early Years Learning Framework for Australia (EYLF), and the Queensland Kindergarten Learning Guideline (QKLG). As well as contemporary practices and understandings of the early years.
C&K educators skilfully partner with all children and families to create caring and vibrant learning communities. In the year before school, university-qualified teachers guide and support children to be curious, capable and collaborative learners. At C&K we see children as thinkers and theorisers rich in ideas and knowledge, as powerful learners and active citizens. We carefully work with an anti-bias curriculum to promote fairness, empowerment and respect, and role-model equity and inclusion. We honour every child’s right to play, build on their existing learning from home, and provide foundations to be a life-long learner.
C&K's kindergarten program is a government-approved kindergarten program.
Kindergarten fees and government funding
As a not-for-profit organisation, we aim to keep fees affordable for families and have developed a fee system to maximise family access to available subsidies. Kindergarten fees for C&K Kindergarten centres are different for each centre and are available to view on the centre’s web page. Fees are updated every year in December for the following year. At C&K, we are proudly supported by the Queensland Government's kindergarten funding program to deliver our quality kindergarten program.
In 2024, all eligible age children attending a C&K community kindergarten will be eligible to FREE kindy.
Why choose a C&K kindergarten?
C&K is Queensland’s largest early childhood education and care provider with more than 100 years’ experience providing industry leading programs that assist children to learn, grow and thrive.
Our services provide a nurturing, engaging and stimulating education and care environment where our dedicated teaching professionals understand the importance of the early years in assisting children to develop, and have the knowledge and experience to ensure they reach their full potential. Our gavernment-approved kindergarten program, delivered through our own curriculum Listening and Learning Together: C&K Curriculum Approach, helps children develop a wide range of skills and gives them the best preparation for school and future learning through:
Our education program:
Our approach embeds the C&K philosophy in everything we do and complements the national Early Years Learning Framework.
Our educators:
Our qualified educators and teachers are passionate about helping children learn through play so they can reach their full potential. We value children and invest in quality training and professional development for our educators.
Our environments:
Our centres contain large, natural and sustainable outdoor environments that encourage children to explore, discover and learn through nature. We encourage a variety of stimulating experiences that help children build essential skills. Our educators foster a warm, safe and nurturing atmosphere that allows children and families to feel comfortable and reassured.
Embracing diversity:
C&K embraces and celebrates the diversity that exists within and between our communities and invites and welcomes you to share your culture, background and life experiences with us.
Our commitment to quality:
C&K centres have performed above the rest of the country in National Quality Standards and we have a dedicated team supporting our centres to continually improve on the quality outcomes for all children you attend a C&K centre.
Parent participation in kindergarten:
As the parent of a child at a C&K centre, you will be encouraged to participate in your child's early childhood education and care experience through fundraising, working bees and attending parent forums.