Applications open for shire kinder in 2022

ENROLMENTS have opened for three- and four-year-old kinder in the Surf Coast Shire in 2022, and parents are invited to sign up their child in the second round of applications.

With the introduction of funded three-year-old kinder across Victoria, children will be able to strengthen the foundations of education through play over two years instead of one.

From next year, three-year-olds in the Surf Coast Shire will be eligible for five hours of funded kindergarten. This will grow to 15 hours in the coming years.

Children heading to kinder in the Surf Coast Shire will experience a wide-ranging program, including learning “Heads, Shoulders, Knees and Toes” in Wadawurrung language, finger painting, water play, and exploring a vibrant Indigenous garden.

Torquay Kindergarten teacher Meredith Dick couldn’t be happier about the extended funded programs set for next year, and likened her experience of the coastal kinder to a mini-ecosystem.

“We as educators recognise that children are the experts when it comes to play,” she said.

“The way we set up our programs and our beautiful room supports a kind of mini ecosystem – a fine balance of independence and engagement, where children explore their sense of self and develop their idea of community.”

With music and movement also embedded into the programs, three-year-old groups in particular love to learn through expressing themselves with their bodies.

“It’s wonderful watching as children engage with music and slowly transition from parallel play to co-operative and interactive engagement with their peers,” Ms Dick, a kindergarten teacher for 34 years, said.

“Important life skills are supported by the current three-year-old kinder program – and next year, with funded three-year-old kinder, more children will have the opportunity to thrive in this setting.”

To apply for your child’s place in 2022, head to the Surf Coast Shire’s website.