Pre-Kindergarten at St Columba Anglican School is a rich, formalised school-readiness program. Offered one day a week for children in the year before they begin Kindergarten, it is guided by experienced early childhood educators who understand the importance of a nurturing yet enriching start to learning.
The program provides a gentle and engaging transition into formal schooling, supporting each child’s development through creativity, play and connection while beginning their journey as confident learners within a primary school setting. Children also enjoy opportunities to connect with specialist teachers in STEM and the Arts, fostering a strong sense of belonging to the Primary School.
Our program, specifically designed for four-year-olds, goes beyond play to provide a rich foundation for lifelong learning. It honours the whole child as a curious, engaged investigator, valued as a co-creator of knowledge within a stimulating environment. Through a balance of play-based discovery and intentional teaching, children develop confidence, curiosity and early literacy and numeracy skills while enabling the early development of core competencies that support success as lifelong learners.
We are offering the Pre-Kindergarten program on either a Wednesday or a Thursday.
It's not about memorisation, it's about readiness. The program isn't about teaching them to read and write. It's about developing the fine motor skills for holding a pencil, the cognitive skills for recognising patterns and numbers, and the attention skills for sitting and listening. These are crucial for a child's ability to engage with the learning process itself, not just the content.
A positive first experience. By exposing your child to the school environment and its routines in a fun, low-pressure way, the Pre-Kindergarten class helps to reduce anxiety and fear. It makes the transition to kindergarten or school a familiar and exciting step, rather than a scary and overwhelming one.
School readiness is much more than academics. The opportunity to develop social skills- like sharing, taking turns, and communicating with peers and teachers - is one of the most significant benefits of a Pre-Kindergarten class. Children who are confident and comfortable in a group setting are better able to focus on academic learning.
Through a balance of play and purposeful teaching, children enjoy engaging evidence- informed learning experiences that spark curiosity and growth. Our program aligns with the NESA Early Stage 1 outcomes in an age-appropriate way, helping children building early literacy and numeracy skills while exploring creativity, problem-solving and self- regulation.
Activities like art, music, performance, and gross motor skills are central to early childhood education because they are how young children learn best. They integrate academic concepts into play and creative expression, fostering a love of learning and curiosity that will carry through to their formal schooling.
Our Vision is to inspire imaginative, compassionate and confident learners who begin their lifelong journey of purposeful learning, service to others and meaningful engagement with their community.
Pre-Kindergarten runs from 9:15am to 3:00pm, aligning closely with the rhythm of the Primary School day. This helps children experience the routines of “big school” in an age-appropriate way.
No, Pre-Kindergarten is carefully designed to prepare children for, not duplicate, Kindergarten. The focus is on building the strong foundations in confidence, independence and core learning skills that allow children to flourish when they begin school.
No, it is a year-long program that builds skills and confidence progressively across the year. Consistency and continuity are key to helping children grow in independence and belonging.
Below is an example of what a day in the life of a pre-kindergarten student will be:
9.00am - 09.15am: Arrival and Morning Activities
9.15am - 09.35am: Welcome and Pre-Literacy
09.35am - 10.00am: Sensory/Gross Motor Skills
10.00am - 10.30am: Reading Shared Text/Oral Work
10.30am - 10.50am: Purposeful Play
10.50am - 11.05am: Morning Tea Break
11.05am - 11.30am: Pre Numeracy
11.30pm - 12.00pm: Visual Arts
12.00pm - 12.30pm: Music
12.30pm - 12.45pm: Social and Emotional Learning
12.45pm - 01.30pm: Lunch and Play
01.30pm - 02.00pm: Learning Explorations - STEM
02.00pm - 02.30pm: Fine Motor Skills
02.30pm - 03.00pm: Library
03.00pm: Home Time
They will be turning 4 before the end of January 2027 and be ready to begin Kindergarten in January 2028. This means we are specifically welcoming children the year before their formal school year entry.
For families who have already applied for Kindergarten in 2028 and paid the $135 application fee, they need to email enrolments@scas.nsw.edu.au to confirm their interest in Pre-Kindergarten for 2027. The Enrolments Team will then update the enrolment start year in our system accordingly.
For families who have not yet enrolled, you will need to complete the application process.
© 2025 St Columba Anglican School. All Rights Reserved.
Yii Birpai Barray – This is Birpai Country
Gathay Nyiirun Wakulda – Let us all go together as one!
Site: YourSchool
