At KU Castlecrag, our program intentionally provides opportunities and activities based upon the Early Years Learning Framework, for your child to discover and pursue their own interests and strengths.
We encourage children to laugh, think, question and learn. Their sense of self and confidence grows as they make connections with each other and build warm, trusting relationships with our team.
KU Castlecrag has been established for 60 years and has long held a reputation for excellence in the education of children aged 3-5 years. We operate within the Castlecrag community centre, boasting large and inviting natural play areas, encouraging children to explore, investigate and learn through play. We are proud of our reputation within the local community of providing rich education and care that concentrates on individual children in a family-focussed and supportive way.
Our program offers children the opportunity to engage in a wide variety of learning experiences and activities, each specifically designed to promote children’s confidence as capable, active participants in their own learning. Children are presented with a range of activities including gardening, arts and crafts, music and movement, physical play, block building, sand and water play, science experiments, early numeracy activities such as counting and measurement, and early literacy activities such as reading, drawing and writing.
We greatly value the strong relationships between our staff, children and families, and we look forward to the opportunity of including your family in the life of our centre.
We Focus On
In addition to the high quality well-rounded programs we offer, all KU centres are also encouraged to develop an area of focus.
At KU Castlecrag, our area of focus is connecting with Nature.
We incorporate this into our program through our regular “Yana Nura” Bush Kinder Program, which is unique to our service and provides children and educators opportunities to connect with nature on a regular basis in a local community bushland.
The program is designed to promote physical wellbeing, spiritual and emotional wellbeing and explore connections to the environment. We feel that the children benefit from this focus, because it leads to more environmentally aware children who participate in sustainable living practices and develop creativity, independence and resilience, as well as an appreciation of the natural environment.
Our centre has been independently assessed by the NSW Department of Education under the National Quality Standards, and are proud to be rated as Exceeding the National Quality Standard.
However what matters most is what our families think...
“KU Castlecrag is truly a wonderful experience, with dedicated staff that focus on the individual child and their learning story.” – KU Castlecrag parent
“KU Castlecrag is nurturing and caring. The Bush Kinder program enhances the excellent program offered and enhances the children’s learning through the engagement of nature.” – KU Castlecrag parent
Our Environment
Each KU centre is unique. The best outcomes for children are created within relationships and interactions between children and staff, and children and their families, not within four walls. We work hard to create beautiful, interesting, homelike learning environments for children – whatever our setting.
KU Castlecrag is housed within the local community building, and our outdoor play space offers natural play areas that encourage exploration and a connection to nature. These represent the early foundations for a healthy, happy and nurtured child.
Our playground is designed to allow children to explore nature and discover the natural environment. We want children to be able to dig in the mud, climb trees, discover and learn about insects and enjoy connecting with nature. The many activities we offer enable children to immerse themselves in the natural elements of their surroundings and feel inspired to create, imagine and play.
As the preschool is situated next to Castlecrag Community Library, this allows children to visit and borrow books from their local library.
Other Features
Hat and Sunscreen
Transition to School
Public Transport
Play-based Learning
Parking
Outdoor Play
Storypark
Award
Education for Sustainability
Hat and Sunscreen
As part of the centre’s duty of care in minimising exposure to Ultraviolet Radiation (UVR) and promoting sun safe practices among children, families and staff, the centre provides each child with a KU hat and sunscreen is administered by staff where possible 20 minutes before commencing outdoor play.
Transition to School
The centre offers a full preschool program and places a strong emphasis on programs which challenge and extend children’s abilities and confidence, aiding their transition to school.
Public Transport
The centre is accessible by public transport and is close to a train station and/or public buses.
Play-based Learning
Our high quality play-based programs are based on current research and are planned by experienced and qualified early childhood staff. Through play children learn the skills, knowledge, feelings and dispositions that provide a solid foundation for their life-long learning.
Parking
Parking for drop-off and pick-up is available.
Outdoor Play
The centre provides a natural outdoor environment designed as an active place for learning. We encourage children to develop an understanding about sustainability by exploring the natural world around them.
Storypark
The centre provides a secure, private online communication portal called Storypark at no cost that is designed to document your child’s progress and learning and provide you with updates about your child.
Award
The centre has been recognised and awarded as an outstanding service provider.
Education for Sustainability
The centre has embraced a commitment to a more sustainable early education community, embedding sustainability into pedagogy and practice. We welcome families participation.
Ainslie Quinn
Director
Ainslie is a university qualified early childhood teacher with over 20 years’ experience working with children. She has been working at KU Castlecrag since 2022.
Ainslie is dedicated to supporting children’s emotional wellbeing, focusing on neuroscience and recent brain research to guide her teachings. She has a strong interest in nature-based pedagogy and is a strong leader within our Bush Preschool Program.
Our Team
Our team of early childhood educators have been part of KU Children’s Services collectively for over 45 years and are qualified, experienced, caring and highly motivated. All hold specialist qualifications in early childhood education and passionate about the care, education and wellbeing of children. We believe that the positive interactions children have with our staff are the most important component of our high quality program.
The daily fees for 2024 at KU Castlecrag Preschool are:
Fee
Amount
4 year old Start Strong Fee Relief fee
$9.50
3 year old Start Strong Fee Relief fee
$35.00
Start Strong Equity Fee Relief fee
FREE
Unfunded fee
$100.50
Which fee will you pay?
The NSW Government is committed to ensuring that all children in NSW can participate in 600 hours of quality preschool education in the year before school, no matter where they live or what their circumstances are.
To ensure that affordability is not a barrier for families with young children, the NSW Government provides Start Strong funding making 600 hours, or 15 hours per week, of preschool participation in the two years before school more affordable. In KU preschools, this 15 hours per week is met by enrolling for two days per week.
Start Strong Free Preschool(3 year olds and 4 year olds)
From 2024, the NSW government has provided additional fee relief funding, based on $4,220 per eligible child. This enables NSW preschools to reduce the daily fee as much as possible, within the Start Strong funding parameters.
This funding is for children who turn 3 or 4 years of age by 31 July in the preschool year and are enrolled in a preschool program for 15 hours per week. Across KU Preschools, the ‘15 hours’ is usually met by enrolling in two x 7.5 hour days per week.
Start Strong fee relief can only be accessed at one service, either a preschool or long day care service. This ensures as many children as possible can access affordable early childhood education.
Start Strong Equity Fee Relief Fee
The NSW government provides further funding for children who meet the Start Strong Equity funding criteria. If you think you may be eligible for Equity funding, please speak with the Preschool Director further about this.
Unfunded Fee
The Unfunded Fee is charged when a family has chosen to access the Start Strong fee relief at another community preschool or long day care service.
