Early childhood education and care
KU's early childhood education and care services go beyond childcare. KU provides high quality early childhood education and care in a safe and nurturing environment where children have a voice.
From their very first moment, children are absorbing information and learning from the world and the people around them. The skills children develop in a KU early childhood education and care service become the foundation for lifelong learning, and in fact, can positively shape the way they approach learning for the rest of their lives.
KU's play-based early childhood education and care programs are led by university qualified early childhood teachers and highly skilled educator teams. Through secure and responsive relationships, our programs take a holistic approach to your child's development, and are designed to spark curiosity, offer meaningful learning experiences and nurture a sense of community and citizenship.
Based on Approved Early Years Learning Frameworks, our programs are thoughtfully designed by our teachers and educators to promote children’s learning dispositions such as resilience, creativity, hypothesising, problem solving, experimentation and perseverance.
Our inclusive learning environments are rich in natural and open-ended resources that enable opportunities for children to express their uniqueness, and allow spaces for investigation, exploration, relaxation and connection.
We value strong, collaborative partnerships with families, built on a foundation of respect. By working together, we are better able to understand each child's unique needs and goals and aspirations, enhancing each child’s development and experience at KU.
Service types
NSW preschool
- NSW state funded education and care for children aged 3 to 5.
- Priority is given to children in the year prior to school to attend two days per week, in line with our commitment to increased access for all children to quality early childhood education.
- Services operate across four terms, closely aligned to school terms with preschool. closedown periods.
- Food is provided by families.
Victorian kindergarten
- Victorian State funded kindergarten programs for children aged 3 to 5.
- Priority of enrolment is given to 3 and 4 year old children.
- Food is provided by families.
CCS preschool
- Child Care Subsidy (CCS) federally funded preschool program for children aged 3 to 5.
- Food is provided by families.
Long day care
- CCS federally funded services for children from birth to 5 years.
- Open for longer hours each day throughout the year, only closing for a short period over the Christmas/New Year period.
- We provide nutritionally balanced freshly prepared meals whilst also catering for individual children’s dietary requirements.
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Ensuring quality
KU has long had an unwavering commitment to providing high-quality early childhood education. Our National Quality Standard Ratings exceed the national average and we are committed to continually raising the bar.
Each KU service has a highly experienced Education and Quality Manager who plays a crucial role in upholding our high standards. They collaborate closely with the service team to ensure the delivery of quality early childhood education that prioritises strong relationships with children, families and communities, as well as compliance with National Law and Regulations.
With this specialist support, KU services are empowered to consistently deliver quality that you can trust, with teaching approaches that are evidence-based and informed by best practice.
Inclusion in KU services
At KU we value inclusion and diversity, and advocate for the rights of all children and their families to have a sense of belonging and wellbeing in our services. KU recognises the need to specifically support services to give vulnerable children the best start.
Each KU service has an Education Support Manager and access to our Autism Support Team. The team have expert knowledge in supporting children with additional needs including children with diagnosed disabilities, developmental delay, challenging behaviour, and social and emotional difficulties.
The manager or a support team member may visit the service your child attends by direct request of the family, the service, or as a part of the educational program implementation.
Don't see the answer to your question?
What types of childcare does KU offer?
At KU, all our services provide high quality early childhood education and care with a play-based program.
Our service types include preschools, kindergartens, CCS preschools, and long day care services. We also offer supported playgroups, early childhood inclusion and allied health services, and Adult Migrant English Program (AMEP) childcare.
How can I find out more about a specific service?
Each KU service offers their own program, approach, and area of specialisation tailored to their community and families.
For detailed information, please visit the service’s page. You can also contact the service directly by phone or their dedicated enquiry form for further assistance.
What is provided and what do I need to pack for my child?
KU’s long day care services provide nappies, wipes and nutritional meals freshly prepared by an on-site chef, often with fresh produce from the service’s own garden. If your child is attending a preschool or kindergarten, make sure to pack a nut-free, nutritious lunch and water bottle.
Every child will receive a sun-safe, KU hat made from sustainable materials to wear each day. We recommend bringing a spare set of clean and labelled clothes.
If your child will be sleeping at the service during the day, you will need to bring a sleep sheet, sleep bag, and dummy or comforter if required.
Speak with your service for more details on what to bring each day.
What will my child engage in at a KU service?
Your child will engage in a play-based program led by a university qualified early childhood teacher and an experienced and dedicated educator team.
Their day will consist of a combination of learning experiences both inside and outside, individual or small groups, such as listening to stories, art, construction, puzzles, dramatic play, and music and movement opportunities.
The daily routine of each service provides time for routines such as meals, rest and relaxation, and self care.
How do I organise a service tour?
How do I add my child to the waiting list?
Placing your child on the waiting list is easy.
- Find your service. If you have any questions, you may wish to call your service directly.
- Select the ‘Apply now’ button.
- Fill out your details on the waiting list form and we’ll be in touch
How can I check the status of, or make changes to, my application?
If you submitted your waitlist application correctly, you should have received an email from KU’s childcare management program Xap confirming that we have received your application.
When a place becomes available for your child, we’ll reach out to you to secure your enrolment.
In the meantime, if you would like to make changes to your existing application, you can use your parent login to update your application on Xap, or reach out to the service directly via email or phone and a team member will be able to assist you.
KU Killara Park parent
KU ANSTO Children’s Centre parent
The educators are absolutely amazing. The facilities are beautiful, clean and filled with such a variety of play items. You can tell that the children really love being there. I feel very lucky to be able to send my child to KU ANSTO. It has made my transition back to work so much easier and I can’t recommend them enough.
