Our Program and Approach

At KU Peter Pan La Perouse, childhood is celebrated. When they play and explore, children's imagination and curiosity is sparked – they enjoy learning, and are inspired to continue learning more.

Early childhood is a time when the foundations for thinking and understanding are laid down. All the interactions, experiences, activities, routines and events that occur in our preschool are designed to foster children’s learning and development.

Our curriculum is based on the Early Years Learning Framework. We plan our program with an emphasis on relationships, collaboration, creativity, problem solving and communication. Literacy and numeracy skills are fostered through meaningful play-based experiences in the creative and expressive arts, STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering and Maths), physical activity and environmental studies.

Strong relationships are also an important part of our program. Children’s emotional and social wellbeing is developed through trusting relationships that build confidence, resilience, and independence.

We aim to establish immediate rapport and a sense of belonging in our community, as families arrive through the front door.

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 Peter Pan La Perouse, we focus on expressive and creative arts.

We incorporate this into our program through activities such as expressive media, drawing, painting, sculpture, collage, music and movements, and drama.

Our creative and expressive art programme is rich, diverse and relevant to our community. We focus on the inclusion of provocations for ephemeral art, drawing painting and mixed media with a strong emphasis on environmental sustainability and the indigenous concept of Country.

We feel that the children benefit from this focus because it enables children to express themselves in various ways and at their own developmental level, which is all play-based. This promotes self-confidence which they can take with them into their future lives, throughout childhood and adulthood.

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 Exceeding the National Quality Standard.

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

“I have been very, very happy with KU Peter Pan La Perouse and would recommend it to everyone." – KU Peter Pan La Perouse parent

“Fantastic and reassuring staff. I felt very comfortable with the whole enrollment and orientation process." – KU Peter Pan La Perouse 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.

The building was purpose built in 1970 in the style of the Sydney School Style of Architecture and as such has a unique interior and exterior. It is full of character which has been retained over the years. We have a large play-area for the children, with many well-established native trees. At present, we are working on the development of an Indigenous Story Pole and an Indigenous Bush Tucker garden, with the collaboration of the Indigenous community and the KU Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Programs Manager.

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.

Our Awards

The KU Peter Pan La Perouse team were awarded the 'Making the KU Difference through Innovation' Award in 2019, recognising the team's work in developing an innovative art program that highlights the creative arts at the preschool.

Our Reconciliation Action Plan

KU was proud to launch its inaugural Innovate Reconciliation Action Plan (RAP) in 2016. At KU Peter Pan La Perouse, 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

Designed Centre

Extended Hours

Hat and Sunscreen

Transition to School

Public Transport

Play-based Learning

Parking

Outdoor Play

Award

Storypark

Maryjane Minshull

Director

Maryjane is a university qualified early childhood teacher with over 20 years’ experience working with children and babies. She has been working at KU Peter Pan La Perouse since 2003. Maryjane has a passion for environmental sustainability and demonstrates this in her everyday teaching of the children. She has completed speech and drama AMEB Grade 6 education, and has a love for children’s poetry and literature.

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.

We have highly experienced members of staff, with some staff members having been at the centre for over eight years.

The daily fees for 2021 at KU Peter Pan La Perouse Preschool are:

Fee	Amount
Attending two days (3 or 4 year olds)	FREE
Unfunded fee (single or additional days)	$72.00

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.

'Free Fees': Start Strong (3 year olds and 4 year olds) and additional COVID funding

To be eligible for Start Strong (and therefore the COVID-19 funding for ‘free fees’ in 2021), children must turn 3 or 4 by 31 July in that preschool year, and be 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.

For 2021, the NSW government has provided additional funding for NSW preschools, to lessen the financial burden on families as a result of COVID-19. This funding means preschool will be free for those two days (15 hours), for children eligible for Start Strong funding.

The NSW Department of Education requires parents to sign the ‘Consent to use and disclosure of personal information’ form at the time of enrolment (see KU’s Standard Terms for the Enrolment of Children, p.4). Your eligibility for Start Strong Funding is conditional upon signing this form.

The Unfunded Fee is charged when:

Children who:
- Only attend one day per week (less than 15 hours); or
- Attend more than two days (15 hours) per week - in 2021, the first two days will be free, then you will be charged the Unfunded Daily Fee for each day after that.