Welcome to the Canterbury & District Pre-school
Canterbury & District Pre-School will continue to
opt-in to Free Kinder in 2024.
Please see our “2024 Info” tab for more information.
Our Mission
To provide a safe, supportive and nurturing environment where children develop physically, socially, emotionally and cognitively.
Canterbury and District Preschool acknowledges and pays respect to the Wurundjeri WoiWurrung People of the Kulin Nation as the Traditional Custodians of the Land on which we work, learn and play and extend our respect to all Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Elders, past and present.
We celebrate, value and include people of all backgrounds, genders, cultures and abilities and are committed to the safety and wellbeing of all children, families and community.
Established in 1962, Canterbury and District Pre-school (Canterbury Kindergarten), is a community based kindergarten in leafy Surrey Hills, a suburb eleven kilometres east of the Melbourne CBD.
We provide high quality three & four year-old kindergarten programs of varying hours & days to suit your needs, catering for approximately sixty-four children each year.
Our mission is to provide a safe, supportive and nurturing environment where children develop socially, emotionally, physically and cognitively.
We would love to hear from you if you have any questions or would like to visit our facilities. To arrange a tour, please get in touch, we look forward to meeting you!
Our Philosophy
Creativity abounds at our kindergarten with our stimulating and adaptable indoor and outdoor play areas. Children are encouraged to show initiative, make decisions and develop problem solving skills. The curriculum is both play based and child initiated with creative sensory, scientific and imaginative learning experiences incorporated. There are permanent learning areas of creative craft, sensory, Science and Nature, cultural and community and Literacy and Numeracy. A transition to school program is provided with strong links to our local primary schools.
Exceeding National Quality Standards
The Canterbury and District Pre-School was assessed as Exceeding National Quality Standards in all 7 Quality Areas in 2022.
Parental Involvement
The kindergarten strongly encourages involvement from our parents. We know that your association with us will prove to be a positive and encouraging experience, not only for your child, but also for you as an involved parent. The social committee members are parents who organise catch ups for parents throughout the terms and can include stay &play at the park, picnics, wine & cheese nights, dinners, Christmas party and an annual parent get together. These events are a great way to meet other parents and raise funds which are invested back into the kindergarten’s facilities and program.
Our Commitment to Child Safety
Canterbury & District Preschool (CDPS) is committed to child safety.
We want children to be safe, happy and empowered. We encourage children to participate, share their feelings and concerns.
We support and respect all children, as well as our staff and volunteers. We are committed to the cultural safety of Aboriginal children, the cultural safety of children from culturally and/or linguistically diverse backgrounds, and to providing a safe environment for all children, including children with additional needs and children who may be experiencing vulnerability.
CDPS is committed to preventing child harm by identifying risks early and removing and reducing these risks. We promote a culture of inclusiveness and openness that supports all people to safely disclose risks of harm.
We have zero tolerance of child abuse, and all allegations and safety concerns will be treated seriously and consistently with our robust policies and procedures. We regularly train and educate our Committee of Management, staff and volunteers on child abuse risks. We raise awareness with families, children and our community about child abuse risks and children’s wellbeing.
We have legal and moral obligations to contact authorities when we are worried about a child’s safety, which we follow rigorously. We share information lawfully with other organisations where the safety and wellbeing of children is at risk.
CDPS has robust recruitment practices to reduce the risk of child abuse by new and existing Committee of Management members, staff and volunteers.
We have specific policies and procedures in place that support our Committee of Management members, staff and volunteers to achieve these commitments.
OUR 3 Year Old Program
Running on a Monday & Thursday, offering the convenience of 8:30am-3pm program hours.
For more information on our program, fees and timetable, please click the link below.
OUR 4 Year Old Program
We offer three timetables to choose from, with our sessions running 8:30am – 4:00pm, on a choice of 2 days per week.
To learn more, including timetables, fees, educational and development goals, then please click the link below.
Our Commitment to Sustainability
At Canterbury & District Pre-School, we are committed to creating positive environmental impact through our Sustainability Program.
The Sustainability Program offers practical & hands on opportunities to learn about the environment, the importance of sustainability and individual responsibility that our children will take with them for life.
We are proud to incorporate multiple initiatives to support this learning opportunity, including:
– Growing, tending and harvesting our own vegetables & herbs in a purpose-built veggie garden
– Monitoring the on-site rainwater tank
-Conscious recycling
– Feeding & monitoring our resident worms in the worm farm, & using our compost bins
– Engaging in nature play – utilising the natural wonder of our trees & gardens to promote learning & discovery
Specialist Programs: Music, Sport & Wellness
Mini Maestros Music & Movement for 0-5s
Support Your Child to Thrive
Children are our future.
As parents, we want to know we have done all we can to give them the best preparation they deserve, to face the increasingly uncertain road ahead.
We know that children who are creative, capable, resilient, and aware, have the best chances to thrive in the world that lay ahead.
That’s why at Mini Maestros, we have refined our formula for nurturing babies to 5 year old's through music and movement classes old for almost 40 years.
Mini Maestros classes are a one-stop shop when it comes to providing “brain-food” for your little one.
- Build Confidence
- Nurture Whole Brain Development
- Social Interaction for Parent and Child
- Age-Specific for Children’s Developmental Stage
- Classroom Experience in Preparation for Kinder and School
Feel reassured we are supporting your child to thrive, so they are better prepared, achieving millstones, and skipping with confidence into the future.
W: minimaestros.com.au
Mini Maestros | Music Classes for Pre-School Children | Online Courses
Ready Steady Go Kids
David Neves
Ready Steady Go Kids is Australia's largest multi-sport program for pre-schoolers, specifically designed by a paediatric physiotherapist and occupational therapist.
It teaches the basics of different sports which helps children develop a broad range of skills and build a platform of sporting knowledge. The sports include Soccer, Tennis, Hockey, AFL, Cricket, Athletics, Basketball, Rugby and T-Ball. Classes also focus on specific gross motor, hand-eye, foot-eye and balance activities to complement the sport component.
The program also teaches children a range of additional age-appropriate skills including exploration, basic counting and colour concepts. Plus it encourages teamwork and sportsmanship, and helps to build social skills, listening skills and concentration.
From participating in the Ready Steady Go Kids program, children start to develop greater self-confidence, enhanced self-esteem, and a real sense of achievement, all of which shape their physiological wellbeing and help promote a lifelong love for sports and exercise.
Life is busy. We all know that. So we believe in giving your child a moment in their week to stop, and find calm with mindfulness & movement as part of their CDPS program. At Hello Yoga our focus is to build a beautiful combo of strength & confidence in kids so they better cope with whatever the challenge, anxiety, or upset. Our classes find calm, balance, & forever focus on how incredible kids are, ‘as they are’. Best thing is that all of this is woven into a whole lot of fun!
@helloyogakids
The Canterbury Committee
Join the Canterbury Committee!
It is also a great way to meet and connect with other parents.
Committee work is varied and includes roles in: employing, managing and supporting staff, developing policies, overseeing the program, enrolling children, managing finances, purchasing supplies and maintenance.
ADDRESS
Canterbury & District Pre-School
26 Guildford Road
Surrey Hills | VIC | 3127
Melway Reference: 46 F10
GET IN TOUCH
P: +61 3 8840 7949
E:committee@canterburykinder.org.au
W: https://canterburykinder.org.au
REGISTRATION
Reg.No. A00059025