At KU North Ryde, we believe education is an active and ongoing process, whereby children learn from their interactions with their physical and social environments. Young children have a natural curiosity, enabling them to master new skills, acquire knowledge about the world and develop attitudes and values.
In our program, our focus is on the child. Children are actively involved in exploring, investigating, thinking and communicating. Our educators take the time to observe and assess each child, planning the program to suit the abilities and interests of both individuals and the larger group.
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 North Ryde, 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 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.
Our Special Interest
In addition to the high quality well-rounded programs we offer, all KU centres are also encouraged to develop an area of interest.
At KU North Ryde Preschool, our special interest is connection with and learning through our natural environments and resources.
Our tree filled playground and surrounding bush areas in nearby parks provides children with hands-on opportunities to connect with nature, making their own observations of changes and the plants and animals in their local area.
Our program supports children to engage in exploration, discovery, problem solving, imagination, communication and collaboration. We strive for children to have an appreciation and wonder at their world and their sense of belonging to this land.
Our outdoor environment supports a number of sustainability practices including seed to table gardening experiences, recycling, re-using, composting, worm farming and gardening.
Play in nature provides many benefits for children including improved immunity, physical activity, resistance to stress and behavioural issues, increased self confidence, improved muscle strength and coordination as well as improved language and collaborative skills.
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...
“It’s really lovely to find a preschool that feels like an extension of your home and family. You know you don’t have to worry about leaving your children, you know they are well cared for.” - KU North Ryde parent
“The staff are by far the best aspect. The kids love them because they show genuine interest and care for them, not just turning up and doing a job." - KU North Ryde 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 North Ryde Preschool has been a part of the local community since 1967. 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 North Ryde, we began our journey to develop our centre’s RAP in 2019 and we are proud to present it here.
Other Features
Hat and Sunscreen
Transition to School
Public Transport
Play-based Learning
Parking
Outdoor Play
Storypark
University Qualified Educators
Experienced Staff
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.
University Qualified Educators
Experienced Staff
Kathy Cole-Clarke
Director
Kathy is a university qualified early childhood teacher with over 30 years’ experience working in the early childhood sector. She has been fortunate to work across many different sectors in her role as teacher and Director, with experience in teaching primary school, in long day care and in preschool.
Kathy has always striven to develop strong positive relationships with children and their families and the staff team to work together in partnership. She sees children as capable and competent learners and believes that children thrive through engaging in intentional play-based experiences that extend and develop their interests and strengths.
Kathy has a strong interest in natural science and the endless possibilities it holds for investigation, co-learning and connecting children with Country and the natural world. She has had a life-long love for natural science and a personal interest in, and knowledge of, insects, animals, plants, wildlife and gardening.
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 staff at KU North Ryde form a strong team, working as one to provide the best quality care and education for children and families. Many of the staff members have been at the service for more than 10 years, building a strong link with the local community.
The daily fees for 2024 at KU North Ryde Preschool are:
Fee
Amount
4 year old Start Strong Fee Relief fee
FREE
3 year old Start Strong Fee Relief fee
$24
Start Strong Equity Fee Relief fee
FREE
Unfunded fee
$91
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 Fee Relief Fee(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.
