C&K Redlands Community Kindergarten

We couldn’t have been happier with our decision to send our child to C&K Redlands for kindergarten. All teachers and educators are highly experienced, many long-standing, and nurturing to the little people that walk through their doors each week. A beautiful “bush kinder” feel to the space with plenty of natural elements to explore, and loads of inviting play areas set up inside. It’s a great place to send your child ahead of starting primary school. Fostering a lifelong love of learning and independence, all through educational play experiences. A true community-focused kindergarten with the child at heart. Thank you C&K Redlands!

Such a beautiful centre with the most loveliest and support team of teachers. It was suggested by a friend that we look at a dedicated list for our daughters kindy year instead of our usual long daycare center. Being a busy working mum I was hesitant at first to look at a centre with hours and days less than long day care but it was the BEST decision I could make. Our daughter has thrived at Redlands community kindy and we have all loved our time here. Very nurturing and an excellent play based Learning environment has ensured our daughter is ready for prep. I noticed throughout the year through conversation that she was learning so much during kindy. The moment you walk through the door the centre feels like home. It is a calm and positive space with smaller class sizes and much quieter than long day cares I have been into over the years. On our C&K days our daughter is much calmer and less frazzled and overwhelmed at pick up time. If you are considering a community kindy look no further that this one.AMAZING!!! We are going to miss all of the love and support 🩷🩷

(Oh boy where should I start…) Our journey with C&K Redland Kindy began when we found my daughter hadn’t talked in daycare for more than a year. Though without formal diagnosis (at that time all kid-related professionals are OVERLY BOOKED), I was pretty sure she was presenting Selective Mutism, which is a kind of social anxiety, requiring subtle balance of pushing her out of comfort zone while not to make it into any stress, according to resource I read. Luckily it’s the easiest type of mental disorder to overcome, the key (like most kid’s problems) is to intervene early and maximise frequency of right type of stimulation. As we were both working parents with a newborn baby, I was desperately finding all the resource I could use. My newborn’s daycare granny suggested that I should send my daughter to the best kindy. C&K Redland is the one she sent her own kids and grandkids to since 40 years ago, and she highly trust them. I took the advice and never regret it. My only goal for my daughter’s kindy year is to let her feel comfortable in social situations. Mrs Balcome and Mrs O are warm, kind to children and sensitive to their needs, the best type of teachers for my daughter’s SM. They have extensive experience with all kinds of kids and they put lots of thoughts into the program. I can’t imagine anyone who doesn’t love her job but spends off-work hours volunteering in children-related seminars, takes notes and applies the new knowledge next day in kindy. Or, anyone who doesn’t care about children would notice which kid plays well with which kid, and setup a bridge between parents to connect outside of kindy. As to my daughter, after months support from everyone, now can speak freely in public (or even a bit too much sometimes)! It feels like a rock dropped out from my chest. My advice to parents experiencing similar situations are: 1. Prevent burnout on yourself, especially when it’s a long time battle. You are a good parent as long as you still care. 2. Take initiative and act the next little thing you can do now. Kids’ problems are best addressed early. Health Nurse, Social Worker, Benevolent Society, Psychologist, Occupational Therapist and Speech Therapist are the help I looked for besides online resource, books, my partner, daycare teachers and friends. It seems overwhelming when looking back, but for me it began as simple as searching online or making an appointment. 3. Don’t be ashamed to ask for help, but support the people who are willing to help with understanding and respect. Print out or email handouts, explain a bit, encourage them, give them feedbacks and let them take their own pace. 4. For socially anxious kids, parents hosting a birthday party or involving in kindy/community activities works like wonder. It looks irrelevant but the kid will feel connected to others through you.

Four years ago, we sent our eldest son to C&K at Cleveland as an early starter for kindy and then for his proper kindy year following that. The teachers and admin here were always lovely and we always felt safe leaving our son here and knew that he was well looked after. The environment is amazing and calm and nurturing, but also inspiring and adventurous and inquisitive. Children are encouraged to explore and be kids! The wealth of activities and experiences open to kindy friends at this centre is amazing and a testament to the efforts of the teachers and assistants and all of the preparation and love they put into their working days and outside of them and the kindy as a community. Our son often came home having had great mud play, or having dug the sand pit down to the dirt underneath, or with a new song or painting or stories of bread making or play dough and lots of puzzles! The obstacle courses the staff build for the children here in their great outdoor environment are amazing! There is a big focus on buildings the children's gross motor as well as fine motor skills and all activities are well thought out and with fun hiding a growth opportunity. The care and understanding all staff show towards the children is lovely to see and makes a big difference, particularly for families like ours where the children have never experienced daycare and so had initial separation issues. This centre is a real family and it is a big heart wrench when you have to leave at the end of your child's time here. Thankfully, we managed to get a spot for our second son as well this year and have had the same amazing and lovely experience. The Director and lead educator, Kirsten, is still lovely and working hard (for way too many hours) and many of the support staff are still the same, making for a cohesive unit. But, we experienced a new teacher and support educator this year in Miss Lovegrove and Mrs Linda. The kindy could not have found a better fit in these 2 lovely ladies for this kindy and its handmade and hands on, gentle, tailored and encouraging ethos. If you are thinking of sending your child here, you will know you are making the right choice as soon as you step in the classroom. And if that doesn't convince you, the outside play area will. Your child will grow, have fun, learn, make friends and learn many skills and how to be independent (as much as you can at 4/5 years old) in a loving and caring and encouraging environment. As a parent, you won't feel left out, either, and will enjoy participating in community event and efforts and feeling the support of the team here, whenever you need. I can't recommend C&K Redlands highly enough. We are so glad we chose them! :-)

C&K Redlands is a fantastic start as a gentle introduction to school and life long learning. The outdoor environment is a massive hit with the kids, a creek, obstacle course, places to spend quiet time, and others to be creative and messy. The friendly and supportive teachers guide children through a play based, safe environment that has the right mix of age appropriate structure and routine which will aid with a smoother transition to school. The teachers are passionate about what they do and giving each child the care and attention they need to flourish. I also am very grateful for the kindy having a positive environmental focus, from getting the children involved with recycling, worm farm and gardening. Definitely recommend!

An amazing community kindy with the most nurturing teachers. My son has blossomed during his time at C&K Redlands Community Kindergarten, he loved the play based learning. It was great to see him go from having very little interest in learning prior to kindy to being engaged and willing to learn and being ready for prep. He came home dirty from playing in the wonderful play area and with a big smile on his face. My son has a medical condition that required close monitoring by the teachers and he was well cared for, communication was clear and he was never excluded. I have no hesitation recommending C&K Redlands Community Kindergarten.