Nestled amongst a leafy residential street in Chapel Hill is one of the western suburbs’ best kept secrets – Chapel Hill Community Kindergarten. For over 50 years, Chapel Hill Community Kindergarten has been educating children from suburbs across Brisbane’s west including Chapel Hill, Kenmore, Indooroopilly, Jindalee, Brookfield and Pullenvale.
From the minute you walk in to Chapel Hill Community Kindergarten, an overwhelming sense of calm envelops you. This is due to the engaging and peaceful surroundings that are highly conducive to early learning and the approach taken by the wonderful teaching team of early childhood qualified educators.
Queensland Government approved Kindergarten Program
Chapel Hill Community Kindergarten offers a Queensland Government approved Kindergarten program and is affiliated with the Crèche and Kindergarten Association of Queensland. They employ the C&K ‘Building Waterfalls’ curriculum which is a play-based approach where children are free to play inside or outside according to their own interests and needs.
Child-led learning
No two days are the same at Chapel Hill Community Kindergarten. The teaching team observe the children and tailor each day’s learning according to their ideas. The spacious environment is thoughtfully planned and well resourced – there are wonderful trees for children to climb, a sand pit, a mud kitchen, a cave, a cubby house, swings and a garden to tend. There is also a focus on the arts – music, drama, literature and visual arts are all encouraged, culminating in the Kindergarten’s annual art show.
Chapel Hill Community Kindergarten’s Bush Kindy program
Another truly unique offering from Chapel Hill Community Kindergarten is their Bush Kindy program. There are weekly sessions during terms 2 and 3, where they visit local bushland with their everyday teachers and their specialised Level 3 Forest School Leader and Nature Play trained staff member. The children love their time at Bush Kindy where they can explore and make discoveries in the natural environment. Beginning in 2013, Chapel Hill Community Kindergarten was one of the first kindergartens in Queensland to offer such a program and they are thrilled to be able to offer it to their families each year.
Community spirit
As a community kindergarten, Chapel Hill Community Kindergarten is run by a dedicated group of volunteer parents. This means there is a great community spirit fostered amongst the parents and teachers at the Kindergarten. There are social outings planned within each of the Kindergarten groups and all families come together at working bees and for events such as the Family Fun Day, Open Day and Art Show.
Here’s what some parents say about Chapel Hill Community Kindergarten:
“My son is loving his time at Chapel Hill Community Kindergarten. It is not our local kindergarten but well worth the distance we travel to be part of this Kindy community. Both the Pre-Kindy and the kindergarten program have been wonderful and my son has thrived in both. The grounds of the Kindy are just beautiful and the focus on nature is nothing like I have seen in other kindys (the Bush Kindy program in particular is fantastic). My son loves the fact that he can choose to be inside or outside most of the day (there is no set inside and outside play times) and is especially fond of the sand pit and the mud kitchen. My son loves all his teachers and as parent I couldn’t be happier with our overall experience at Chapel Hill.” – Siobhan, Blue Group Parent 2015
“Chapel Hill Community Kindergarten is the most wonderful place for children to learn and grow. The staff care for the children as if they were their own. There are a variety of activities for the children each day and the children are free to play where they choose. The Kindy has a focus on the natural environment and the Bush Kindy program they run is a fantastic unique offering. My eldest child was very shy and did not cope well with being away from me. I sent her to a local day care with some success but I was never entirely comfortable leaving her at this day care. A friend recommended I look at Chapel Hill Kindy and I am thrilled that I did. Since starting at the Kindy in their Pre-Kindy program, my child has blossomed into a confident and social child. She is now in the Kindy program and absolutely loves going and seeing all her friends. I have no hesitation in recommending Chapel Hill Community Kindergarten to any parent.” – Gina, Yellow Group Parent 2015
Five day fortnight
Chapel Hill Community Kindergarten is a one unit centre, operating two Kindergarten groups of 22 children each within a five day fortnight. Blue Group runs on Monday, Tuesday and alternate Wednesdays. Yellow Group runs on Thursday, Friday and alternate Wednesdays. Each group runs from 8.25am to 2.35pm. A Pre-Kindergarten group (Red Group) of 16 children operates on Monday and Tuesday afternoons from 3.15pm to 4.45pm.
Chapel Hill Community Kindergarten is located at 27 Fawkner Street, Chapel Hill. For more information, please contact (07) 3378 2008 or email info@chapelhillkindy.com.au.. You can also visit their website at www.chapelhillkindy.com.au or their Facebook page.
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