In the Gamilaroi language Kootingal means ‘starry night’. Our classrooms are the Mirii Room (meaning star) and Gilay Room (meaning moon) in honour of this.
Our classrooms cater for children as they build their independence, individuality and confidence. For some children this is the first time being in a preschool environment and it can be a little overwhelming. Our friendly and caring educators support each child to go at their own pace and explore the space as they feel comfortable.
We offer mixed age grouping in both of our classrooms. There are many benefits to this;
At 'Kooty' Preschool, children are given lots of opportunities to build their relationships with peers and educators through planned and spontaneous play experiences. Each week educators set up spaces that allow children to extend their interests and develop their skills. As they start to become more interested in making these connections with others they begin to play collaboratively in groups and are also beginning to navigate social interactions and interacting with others, taking turns, listening and communication.
Children are learning so much through play and our play-based learning experiences come from the children’s interests and are supported by the educators. The children are fascinated by the world around them and ask questions to build their understanding. We use these questions and interests to spark conversations that grow into group projects, letting the children extend on their own learning. Their memory is developing, and they are taking in so much information that will start to form who they become.
Our safe and nurturing environment allows each child to develop at their own pace and prepare for life after preschool. School readiness skills are developed in fun and engaging ways which helps the children cope with and thrive during their transition to formal schooling. Open-ended materials are used in many activities to promote exploration and imagination.
We also offer children the opportunity to engage in a range of programs with different businesses from our community. The team from Maran.Giirr come each week to teach the children the local Gamilaroi language through songs and games.
We also have a variety of programs from fitness and yoga to music, library and art that occur regularly throughout each term. It is so valuable to have people with different skills and knowledge coming into our preschool to share new experiences and assist the children in developing new interests and abilities.
The children also go on regular outings within our community to places like the Post Office, train station and IGA. These allow children to gain real world experiences and build confidence and friendships during each shared experience. We love our Kootingal community!
