Our Program and Approach
At KU Grevillea Preschool, we provide a play-based learning program that encourages children to become active learners by thinking, investigating, exploring and problem solving, bringing their ideas and interests to the daily program.
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 experiences through planned, spontaneous and intentional experiences supported by educators including gardening, arts and crafts, music and movement, physical active 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.
An integral part of our program is our ‘Bushland Learning Journeys’. We take children on regular "out the gate" excursions to surrounding bushland and parks, providing them with the opportunity to discover and connect with nature, and allowing children to develop a sense of wonder, curiosity and respect for the environment.
We are also passionate about nurturing health and wellbeing and have a focus on physical activity, with our aesthetic natural garden playground being our outdoor classroom environment.
At KU Grevillea Preschool, 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.
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.
Our Specialisation
In addition to the high quality well-rounded programs we offer, all KU centres are also encouraged to develop an area of specialisation.
At KU Grevillea Preschool, our specialisation is our Bushland Learning Journeys and Nature Based learning experiences.
We incorporate this into our program through activities such as “out the gate” excursions, utilising our natural leafy playground and our commitment to sustainability though reducing, recycling, reusing, refusing and reducing our impact on our environment.
We feel that the children benefit from this specialisation because it encourages our children to reconnect with and appreciate the natural world.
Our Quality
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 Grevillea is an amazing preschool with great teachers and staff. My child loves going and always comes home happy." - KU Grevillea parent
"We love KU Grevillea for the dedicated staff who make each day an adventure, by following the children’s emerging interests and providing fantastic opportunities for exploring the environment; for the enchanting garden; and for the wonderful play experiences and friends that our son enjoys each day he is there." - KU Grevillea 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 Grevillea Preschool is a purpose-built centre nestled behind Hornsby Heights Community Centre, easily accessible by public transport. Families arrive in our natural seasonal playground, where lush trees and garden beds provide learning centre nooks for children.
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
In 2021, KU Grevillea came 3rd place in the NSW Early Childhood Environmental Education Network SPROuts Awards, recognising the preschool's commitment to learning for sustainability.
In 2017, the team at KU Grevillea was awarded the Making “the KU Difference” Award through Sustainability. In addition, Kate O’Brien from KU Grevillea was awarded the Making “the KU Difference” Award through Reconciliation.
The Annual KU Difference Awards were introduced a number of years ago, as a way of acknowledging KU staff who have made a significant contribution to KU. These annual awards are open to all KU staff, at any level (either individual staff or a team), who have worked above and beyond their normal duties.
Our Reconciliation Action Plan
KU was proud to launch its inaugural Innovate Reconciliation Action Plan (RAP) in 2016. At KU Grevillea, we began our journey to develop our centre’s RAP in 2017 and we are proud to present it here.
