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Camp Hill Kindergarten Open Week

About Event

You're Invited to Open Week!

Join us for our Open Week event, where we warmly welcome families to explore our centre and discover how we create a nurturing environment for children to learn, play, grow, and flourish. Experience firsthand the joy and support that have made a positive difference for so many families before. . There will be activities available for children to enjoy and our beautiful playground to explore.

Waiting list enquiries are welcome and staff and committee will be available to answer any questions.

Come and meet our dedicated educators, see our engaging learning spaces, and feel the vibrant community that makes our centre special. We can't wait to share this journey with you.

Please bring your hat and water bottle. If you have any questions please email the centre on admin@camphillkindy.org.au.

C&K has proudly nurtured Queensland children for 116 years. As a not-for-profit organisation, we always put children at the centre of everything we do, and deliver innovative early learning programs that honour every child's curiosity, individuality and potential.

We look forward to welcoming you! 💛

Open Week Events

C&K Woodhill Community Kindergarten Open Week

About Event

You're Invited to Open Week!

Join us for our Open Week event, where we warmly welcome families to explore our centre and discover how we create a nurturing environment for children to learn, play, grow, and flourish. Experience firsthand the joy and support that have made a positive difference for so many families before.

Come and meet our dedicated educators, see our engaging learning spaces, and feel the vibrant community that makes our centre special. We can't wait to share this journey with you.

C&K has proudly nurtured Queensland children for 116 years. As a not-for-profit organisation, we always put children at the centre of everything we do, and deliver innovative early learning programs that honour every child's curiosity, individuality and potential.

We look forward to welcoming you! 💛

Open Week Events

C&K Eagleby South Community Kindergarten Open Week

About Event

You're Invited to Open Week!

Join us for our Open Week event, where we warmly welcome families to explore our centre and discover how we create a nurturing environment for children to learn, play, grow, and flourish. Experience firsthand the joy and support that have made a positive difference for so many families before.

Come and meet our dedicated educators, see our engaging learning spaces, and feel the vibrant community that makes our centre special. We can't wait to share this journey with you.

C&K has proudly nurtured Queensland children for 116 years. As a not-for-profit organisation, we always put children at the centre of everything we do, and deliver innovative early learning programs that honour every child's curiosity, individuality and potential.

We look forward to welcoming you! 💛

Open Week Events

C&K Partners with QPAC to Bring the Magic of Arts to Children

31st March 2025
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We're thrilled to announce our renewed partnership with the Queensland Performing Arts Centre (QPAC) as the Principal Partner of the Out of the Box Festival 2025, taking place June 17-22.

"The Out of the Box Festival is a vibrant celebration of the arts specifically for children aged birth to eight years," says our CEO, Dr. Sandra Cheeseman. "Engaging in the arts helps children develop creativity, confidence, communication and social skills, while inspiring educators to connect with their own creativity."

This collaboration builds on our longstanding relationship with QPAC, dating back to the first Out of the Box Festival in 1992. We recently celebrated the official launch at West End State School with Queensland's Minister for Education and the Arts, The Honourable John-Paul Langbroek, and QPAC Chief Executive Rachel Healy.

During the festival, the QPAC precinct will transform into a hub of imaginative programs focused on early childhood priorities including play, collaboration, inclusion, and wellbeing. The partnership extends beyond the festival itself, with QPAC contributing to C&K's professional development throughout the year, including at the 2025 C&K Conference.

This partnership aligns with our 2024-2026 Strategic Plan to inspire our people and enhance a positive workplace culture. In practical terms, it offers:

  • Opportunities for children and families to explore the arts at QPAC events
  • Professional development workshops and resources for educators
  • Creative learning experiences at C&K centres
  • Tickets for staff to engage with the arts and enhance wellbeing
  • Deeper connections with the arts world to incorporate into learning

"Together with QPAC, we're creating something special: stronger community connections, fantastic professional development for our workforce, and discovering new ways of recognising the joy of learning, accomplishment, and mastery," Dr. Cheeseman says.

For more information about the Out of the Box Festival and the 2025 program, visit the QPAC website.

Upskilling Queensland's ECEC Leaders: C&K College Secures $250K for Micro-Credential Initiative

27th March 2025
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C&K have been chosen as a successful recipient of the Queensland Government’s Micro-Credentialling Program, under Round 3 awarding $250,000 for C&K College to design and deliver targeted micro-credentials that build leadership in key areas including, child safety, risk management and supervision to early childhood education and care providers across the state.

This significant investment will fund C&K’s Leading for Regulatory Compliance in Early Childhood Education and Care project, which will provide 450 early childhood educators with essential skills in key areas identified by sector partners including:

- Guiding adult-child interactions
- Supervision for safety and learning
- Child safety
- Assessing and managing risk
- Leading a child safe culture
- Audit and accountability in everyday practice

C&K CEO Dr. Sandra Cheeseman expressed her enthusiasm for the program, “C&K is thrilled to be chosen to deliver Round 3 of the Queensland Government’s Micro-Credentialling Program.”

“This investment in industry training will strengthen the early childhood education and care (ECEC) workforce by providing high-quality training in key areas including child safety, risk management and supervision."

“With an estimated 10 to 15 hours of training, participants can build their expertise in key areas, ensuring their skills remain relevant to the evolving needs of the sector."

"We will deliver a flexible training model, allowing all Queensland ECEC professionals to access high-quality professional development, without barriers related to location or availability."

Bilingual pilot program supports equity and inclusion at C&K Mt Warren Park

27th February 2025
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The 2024 pilot was a collaboration between the Creche and Kindergarten Association, the Department of Education and Mt Warren State School’s Early Childhood Development Program (ECDP). The program was a testament to the power of an inclusive learning environment.

The program sees Lisa and her co-educators, Jodie and Sheneen, partner with:

  • Wendy, Teacher of the Deaf (TOD) – a trained teacher who is deaf and has specialised in deaf education.
  • Anna, Educational Interpreter (EI) – a hearing adult facilitating communication.
  • Jane, Auslan Language Model (ALM) – a Deaf adult modelling Auslan for the children.

Inclusion isn’t just about access—it’s about belonging. The pilot program provided a play-based environment where Deaf or Hard of Hearing children could fully participate, while also giving every hearing child the opportunity to learn Auslan through play.

Of the 18 enrolled children in the kindergarten program, six were Deaf or Hard of Hearing. Several of the children have speech delays, global developmental delays, or autism. Every teacher showcased their vision of ‘inclusion is a culture’ – each interaction was intentional, focused, and joyous… and every single child thrived.

With the support of Anna signing every book Teacher/Director Lisa read and Jane signing and playing with a child in the home corner, every child actively participated in the learning program.

A moment that truly captured the heart of the program was when a hearing child tapped a Deaf child on the shoulder, waited for them to turn around and look at him, and then signed for him to come and join him in the block corner. The two children played collaboratively for a long time, communicating with simple and expressive Auslan as they built an extensive block structure, occasionally supported by Wendy.

In Australia, three to six children in every thousand have some degree of hearing loss, and approximately 250–400 children are born each year with significant permanent hearing loss in both ears.

Moments like these show us that when we foster understanding and embrace diversity, every child flourishes. This is what true inclusion looks like—one sign, one story, and one friendship at a time.

C&K is proud to continue offering this program in 2025 at C&K Indooroopilly Community Kindergarten, with Director/Teacher Lisa and the wider team supporting all children to flourish.

Early Childhood Education and Care – for all families.

24th February 2025
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From January 2026, parents of young children will have guaranteed access to three days of subsidised early childhood education and care (ECEC) each week, following legislation passed by the Australian Government on 13 February, 2025.

Currently, to qualify for the Child Care Subsidy (CCS), families must meet requirements of the Activity Test – proving work, study or volunteer hours for at least 16 hours a fortnight.

Under the new system, the Activity Test is replaced by the Three-Day Guarantee, and all families will be eligible for at least 72 hours of subsidised ECEC per fortnight (3 days per week), regardless of their activity levels.

What does this mean for our families?

  • Every family earning under $533,280 per year will receive 72 hours (six days) of subsidised ECEC per fortnight, without needing to meet activity requirements.
  • First Nations families, and families caring for First Nations children, will receive access to 100 hours subsidised care per fortnight.
  • Families receiving more than 72 hours of CCS through their work, study or volunteering activities will maintain their current entitlements.
  • An estimated 66,700 families will automatically benefit.
  • The removal of the activity test makes quality early education more accessible and affordable, reducing stress for families.

Example of benefits

Sarah and Alex are a couple with one child accessing ECEC at 3 days (36 hours) per week. Their combined family income is $90,000 per annum. Sarah works full-time and Alex works 8 hours per week.

Previously, they received 36 hours of CCS per fortnight. From January 2026, they are automatically eligible for 72 hours per fortnight. This saves them $230 per week of care, or $11,400 per year.For different family income thresholds, the savings are:

Annual incomeSavings per weekSavings per year (50 weeks of care)
$90,000$230$11,400
$120,000$220$10,630
$140,000$200$10,110

The 3-Day Guarantee marks a significant step toward the government's goal of creating a universal early education and care system, while providing immediate cost-of-living relief for families.

At C&K, we look forward to opening our doors to new families, and seeing children attend for additional days in 2026! With 40 childcare centres across Queensland, we welcome children from six weeks to five years to learn, play, and thrive alongside our experienced teachers and educators.

Find your nearest C&K childcare centre, book a tour or begin an enrolment application ahead of time.

For more information, view the Fact Sheet - 3 Day Guarantee – Early Education - Department of Education, Australian Government

Chantelle Hoare

Submitted by m.hall on

Joined C&K September 2024

Qualifications
Bachelor of Business Accounting (with Distinction), CPA, Prince 2 Practitioner, PROSCI

Experience
Chantelle brings with her over 15 years of financial leadership experience, most recently as CFO at LifeFlight Australia and Financial Strategy and Performance Manager at KPMG. Chantelle has spent nearly a decade working within Queensland state government and has a background in financial strategy, transformation, change management, and cross-functional leadership across Finance, IT, Marketing, Travel, Asset management, Human Resources and contract management.

Shaun Astill

Submitted by m.hall on

Joined C&K November 2024

Qualifications
B.Bus (HRM), DipBus, GAICD, CPHR

Experience
Shaun is an accomplished Human Resources executive with close to 25 years’ experience spanning private, public, and not-for-profit sectors. Over the past decade, Shaun has dedicated himself to the community services sector, working in both corporate and operational settings. He has a passion for serving people and communities and brings expertise in strategic workforce management, people performance, organisational culture, leadership, and transformation. Shaun has previously served in HR executive, senior management, and advisory roles in mid-large not-for profit organisations, state government departments, and private companies.

Dr Suzy Tamone

Submitted by m.hall on

Joined C&K January 2024

Qualifications
PhD, MEd (School Guidance & Counselling), BEd, BTeach (Early Childhood)

Experience
Dr Suzy Tamone is an experienced early childhood teacher, academic and senior executive. Suzy was appointed to the role of COO in May 2024. Suzy’s previous appointments include senior and executive roles in not-for-profit early childhood organisations, leading portfolios across teacher professional learning and organisational learning and development. Suzy also has over 10 years’ experience as an academic with a focus on professional experience in initial teacher education, Mentoring Beginning Teachers program (for the Department of Education and Training), phenomenographic research and children’s behaviour. Her PhD research was acknowledged with an Outstanding Doctoral Thesis Award.

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