KU John J. Carroll Preschool

2 Phelps Street
SURRY HILLS NSW 2010
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  • Monday to Friday 8:00am - 3:30pm
Preschoolers NSW Fee Relief – Preschool

Our Program and Approach

At KU John J Carroll, our educational program is play-based, with educators collaborating with children and families to ensure that experiences offered relate to the interests, strengths and development of children and provide a balance of success and challenge.

Daily learning experiences for children include a balance of indoor and outdoor play, active and passive learning, individual and small group experiences and child initiated and educator initiated activities.

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.

At KU John J Carroll, we are proud of our reputation within the local community for providing rich education and care that concentrates on individual children in a family-focused and supportive way. We place a strong emphasis on making connections with the children and their families so that they feel connected and secure within our care.

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 John J Carroll, we focus on our community and parent partnerships. Our community is surrounded by many local businesses as well as a strong parent community with an array of expertise.

We feel that the children benefit from this focus, because Surry Hills is a unique, densely populated community encompassing a great range of cultures, businesses and diverse family groups. Through exposing the children to this variety within their community, we are enriching their awareness of the world around them and strengthening their feelings of belonging.


Our Quality


Our centre has been independently assessed by the Department of Education NSW under the National Quality Standards, and are proud to be rated as Meeting the National Quality Standard,


However what matters most is what our families think...

“The preschool’s emphasis on learning through play, the nurturing environment and the sense of community has really helped my two children become respectful, caring and interesting little human beings, as well as giving them the space they need to be ready for school.” - KU John J Carroll parent
"Our friends and neighbours had said such great things about KU John J Carroll, but it wasn't until our daughter started at the preschool that we realised what a gem we had in the community. Professional, nurturing educators, who put the child first. We couldn't be happier." - KU John J Carroll 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.

Our playground is designed to maximise the use of the natural environment and allow children to play and explore as they would in their own backyard. We offer stimulating activities that arouse children’s curiosity and encourage them to choose from a variety of planned experiences, expanding their learning potential. Our playground includes natural elements such as sand, water, grass, mud, leaves and twigs, and we also offer gross motor experiences such as climbing, jumping and physical play. We foster the holistic development of each child so they feel inspired to create, imagine and play.


Our Reconciliation Action Plan

KU was proud to launch its inaugural Innovate Reconciliation Action Plan (RAP) in 2016. At KU John J. Carroll, we began our journey to develop our centre’s RAP in 2018 and we are proud to launch it now. Please view it here.


Other Features

Hat and Sunscreen
Transition to School
Public Transport
Play-based Learning
Outdoor Play
Award
Storypark

photo of Gianna Black

Gianna Black

Director

Gianna is a university qualified early childhood teacher with over 30 years’ experience working at KU Children’s Services. She commenced at KU John J Carroll in 2017, previously working as a Director at a range of services within KU.

Gianna is a Marte Meo Supervisor and a Facilitator in the Circle of Security Parenting Program. Both of these programs have strongly informed Gianna in her practice in supporting each child’s social and emotional wellbeing within the program. Working closely with educators and parents through training and mentoring within the service, Gianna supports their understanding and implementation of the guiding principles of these programs within the service and within the home.

Gianna believes it is important to allow each child to develop their own inner capacities within an environment where their emotional and relationship needs are met, allowing children to have the opportunity to resource their own learning either independently or with others, through the learning environments provided for them each day.

Our Team

Our team of early childhood educators are qualified, experienced, caring and highly motivated. All hold specialist qualifications in early childhood education. We believe that the positive interactions children have with our staff are the most important component of our high quality program.

The majority of the educators at KU John J Carroll have been working at the centre for over 10 years, providing consistency and predictability to the children and families within the community. Educators have years of experience drawing on their expertise to ensure the educational program delivered is of a high standard and they are committed to ongoing professional learning and development.

The daily fees for 2024 at KU John J. Carroll Preschool are:

Fee Amount
4 year old Start Strong Fee Relief fee $5.50
3 year old Start Strong Fee Relief fee $22.00
Start Strong Equity Fee Relief fee FREE
Unfunded fee $90.00

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.