Yes. While positions are usually filled by our waiting list members, some vacancies occasionally become available. If you have recently moved to the area, please don’t hesitate to contact us to discuss placement availabilities.

Yes. Sometimes families move away during the year leaving vacancies. We often receive mid-year enquiries from families whose children currently attend long day care centres, and want to transfer to a kindy in preparation for prep.

Invitations to enrol are sent out in chronological order of receipt of wait list applications. Applicants return the enrolment forms specifying their Group preference. Group placements are allocated in order of receipt of enrolment forms and deposits.

Community kindergartens are not-for-profit organisations, usually affiliated with a long established early childhood educator such as Lady Gowrie or C&K. Fees are lower than commercial operations and any profits are reinvested into the kindy. A parent-led committee manages the kindy and employs qualified teachers to educate the children. Kindergartens tend to offer a different “feel” due to the familiarity of regular classmates and teachers, plus a more social environment at pick up/drop off times encouraging families to get to know one another and form a community. Please see kindy or day care? for further information.

1. Informal discussions at pick up/drop off times.
2. Formal parent/teacher interviews twice a year.
3. Kindy Portal – a secure, online portfolio of your child’s experiences and progress.
4. Emailed and hard-copy newsletters.
5. Communication pockets – pigeon holes for each family near the sign in/out desk.
6. Phone calls – we encourage parents to call us at any time.

Not-for-profit community kindergartens such as Stafford Heights Kindergarten are classified by The Department of Human Services as “Registered Child Care” facilities (as opposed to the “Approved Child Care” classification of commercial centres). Only ACC fees are eligible for the full 50% child care rebate, however most families paying RCC fees are eligible for some smaller rebates from the Australian government. Most families find that our significantly lower fees offset the 50% rebate of commercial fees. Health Care Card holders may be eligible for low or no fees. Please contact Centrelink to discuss your personal circumstances.

It is extremely difficult for teachers to provide the appropriate care for children who are ill and still provide the program for the rest of the group. Therefore children and teachers with infectious illnesses will be excluded from the kindy in accordance with the guidelines from the National Health and Medical Research Council of Australia. All parents will be notified of any common infectious disease.

If your child has a medical condition, such as anaphylaxis, asthma, diabetes or epilepsy please provide Stafford Heights Kindergarten with a detailed medical management plan from your child’s registered medical practitioner. Please also talk regularly with our staff to ensure that they have the necessary information to ensure your child’s experiences are safe and enjoyable. For more information please ask for a copy of our medical conditions procedure policy.

Our teachers will administer medication appropriately, accurately and safely in accordance with service policy and procedures. Medication will only be administered if it is prescribed by a doctor, in its original container with the original pharmacist’s dispensing label. Medication will only be administered if the parent/carer has completed and signed a medication form. For further information please request a copy of our administration of medication policy.

Lady Gowrie has developed an “Immunisation Policy” after extensive discussion with Queensland Health. This is based on Lady Gowrie’s belief that the immunisation of children should be strongly encouraged. Lady Gowrie does not, however, believe children should be excluded from enrolment at a service if their parent/carer has made an informed decision not to immunise. The policy requires non-immunised children to be withdrawn from a service in the event of an outbreak of a vaccine preventable disease. If a conscientious objection to immunisation is made, the parent/carer must provide such statement on a Statutory Declaration. The parent/carer must also sign an “Agreement to Withdraw a Non-Immunised Child” form.

In the event of an outbreak of a vaccine preventable disease, parents/carers must advise Stafford Heights Kindergarten as soon as their child or another member of the immediate family has been diagnosed with such disease and complete a “Notification of a Vaccine Preventable Disease” form. The kindy will display information and notices informing parents/carers of the disease. Parents/carers of a non-immunised child will be required to withdraw their child from the kindy for the duration of the outbreak and will be required to complete the form “Response by the Family of a Non-Immunised Child to Notification of a Vaccine Preventable Disease”.

A full copy of the Lady Gowrie Immunisation Policy for children and staff is available for perusal in our child immunisation information booklet located in the parent/carer library.