Operating Hours
- Monday to Friday, 8:20am to 2:28pm
Groups
- Group 1A: Monday, Tuesday and alternate Wednesdays, 8:20am to 2:28pm
- Group 1B: Thursday, Friday and alternate Wednesdays, 8:20am to 2:28pm
Welcome
C&K Oakey Community Kindergarten is a rural setting where children learn through play and are supported in becoming ‘powerful learners’, ‘thinkers and theorisers’ and ‘active citizens’. We pride ourselves in guiding children to develop a sense of agency and take ownership of their own learning. This in turn supports children in being able to make decisions and choices, and feel that their ideas, thoughts and decisions are respected.
In addition, our kindergarten has supported the local community for over fifty five years, building a love of learning with generations of families as well as embracing our new families.
Embracing all families' cultures and heritage is something we are passionate about at C&K Oakey. We acknowledge the Jarowair peoples as traditional custodians of our land. At C&K Oakey we value and respect our First Australian’s culture, embedding Indigenous and Torres Strait islander practices within our program and throughout our centre.
Our Kindy values our natural environments and large outdoor play spaces. This is extended through nature walks along Arthur Shooter Park up to a bush space we use for ‘Nature Play’. During our nature walks and exploration of our bush space children engineer tepees, create using natural objects, mark make using sticks, learn about nature and spot a range of wildlife and neighbouring animals including kangaroos, cockatoos, pelicans, bearded dragons, tawny frog mouth and even horses. Educators are trained in nature pedagogy and through this each child experiences hands on learning in the open outdoors. Children are supported in developing a deep understanding and connectedness to country, whilst embracing the opportunity to be adventurous in their play, assessing risks and contributing to their own and others health, safety and wellbeing in the environment. Our educators and C&K’s curriculum approach values the rich learning and developmental outcomes natural environments provide children.
Children experience learning through indoor and outdoor programs flexible to children’s interests, learning and developmental needs. We care for chickens, worms, fish and gain a deep understanding of the many wildlife species in and around our Kindy space such as frogs, lizards, galahs, cockatoos and lorikeets.
Learning through play is what C&K is passionate about, all our educators value the role of play and benefits this has on children’s learning and development. C&K’s emphasis on play-based learning and success in creating confident, resilient and capable children has been evident for over a century. At C&K Oakey, we value our children’s voice whilst embracing each family and child working closely to ensure the best educational outcome.
Child-Led Learning
No two days are the same at C&K Oakey. Our teaching team tailors each day’s learning, taking into account the interests of the children in the group. The spacious and natural environment at our kindy is thoughtfully planned and well resourced. There is a focus on music, drama, literature and visual arts and we allocate plenty of time for outdoors play and discovery.
Community Spirit
Community spirit is important to us at C&K Oakey. We foster strong ties to the local community by encouraging parent involvement in the daily operations of the kindergarten. We often hold and partake in community events and love connecting with local businesses and groups around us and taking the children on excursions out into the local community.