Your child must be three years old to start at preschool.
The Child Care Subsidy (CCS) is only applicable to long daycare settings in NSW, so we do not qualify for it. It’s main purpose is to help families get back to work. We have Start Strong Funding (see below), which is designed to help children have access to preschool in the two years before school.
We are eligible for Start Strong Funding. This comes in two streams- one just comes to us.
For the Fee Relief Funding the parent is required to nominate one preschool that their child attends to receive the credit. If your child will attend two preschools, or a preschool and a long daycare, then you should work out which one will be of more benefit to you for the funding. This means that if your child attends two preschools, only one of them will be able receive funding and the family will be required to pay full fees at the other preschool.
Please see the Hours & Fees page for more information.
We are open from 8:30am until 3:30pm.
We have several options.
If your child is 3, they can attend either Monday and Tuesday OR Thursday and Friday.
If your child is 4 , they can attend Monday, Tuesday Wednesday OR Wednesday, Thursday, Friday.
We have some limited 5-day spots available for 4-year-olds.
No. We operate the same dates as NSW Public Schools and so are not open during the school holidays.
The preschool year is divided into four terms (the same term dates as the Public Schools)- please check the dates here:
Mostly. We have some spots available for five days, so these children attend with children who are 3-5. We find this can be really beneficial for everyone- promoting a real sense of kinship.
No. If you are having difficulties with this, we are happy to help with the process!
No. The preschool community has families from many cultural and religious backgrounds. Diversity is celebrated and the children are encouraged to respect others no matter where they come from, what they believe or what language they speak.
No. We do, however, encourage you to think about the practicalities of travelling to preschool each day. Also think about your child’s future transition to school and whether they will be moving to School with friends from preschool (having friends from preschool can be a great support during this big change).
No. You will need to provide morning tea and lunch for your child.
The preschool is Nut Free (due to allergies). Anything containing nuts (for example, some muesli bars or chocolate spreads) will be sent home.
Please ensure your child brings:
Please make sure everything is labelled with your child’s name!
We provide sunscreen, but you can use your own if you prefer.
Our preschool is a fun environment where the day is spent running, climbing, rolling, painting and playing — so your child should wear comfortable clothes that you don’t mind getting dirty/ wet/ painted. In keeping with our SunSmart policy, your child should wear clothing that covers their neck, shoulders, and other exposed skin in hot weather. They should also wear sturdy shoes suitable for climbing and running (thongs, gumboots and crocs are not recommended).
Only medication prescribed by a doctor may be administered to your child by our staff. The medication must have a pharmaceutical label with your child’s name and prescribed dosage. No other medication can be given (see our Medication Policy for more information).
If your child is sick, please email director@northbridgepreschool.com.au or call 0405 855 852 or 9958 3027.
The safety of your child is very important to us. All of our educators maintain up to date first aid qualifications. If your child hurts themselves at preschool, our educators will give them appropriate first aid (usually a cold-pack or a band aid). That afternoon, you will receive an Incident, Injury, Trauma and Illness Record informing you of what happened.
If your child develops a fever, is sick or seems to not be themselves then we will contact you immediately.
You will be contacted by phone straight away if there is any concern about an accident or illness involving your child.
Play-based learning encourages your child to make sense of the world and themselves through exploration, experimenting with new ideas and language, and exercising their physical skills. It also builds confidence and creative expression and their ability to cooperate as part of a group. Our program is built around play-based learning and our educators are happy to speak with you in more detail about how it works.
Our preschool is:
A Management Committee (made up of parent representatives and church representatives) is responsible for ensuring the preschool operates in accordance with the Education and Care Services National Regulations 2011. Representatives are elected at the Annual General Meeting held in March. Please call us if you would like more information.
1A Malacoota Road,
Northbridge NSW 2063
director@northbridgepreschool.com.au
School Hours:
Mon – Fri: 8.30am – 3.30pm
© Copyright 2023 St. Mark’s Northbridge Preschool
