Tudor House Pre-Kindergarten Prospectus

TUDOR

Welcome

The Pre-Kindergarten program warmly welcomes boys and girls five days a week from Monday to Friday, 8.30am to 3.30pm.

Learning through the characteristics of play and collaboration is at the heart of teaching our smallest learners, in the classroom and in the outdoor environment. The program perfectly blends structure to learn and freedom to grow.

To help children adapt, integrate and transition to Kindergarten, we provide them with hands-on experience in the classrooms, with the assistance of support teachers.

In our outdoor space, Pre-Kindergarten children can explore and try a range of new activities to help them develop their enquiring minds, including the Paddock to Plate agricultural program. Throughout the year, students grow and pick produce, including apples in our orchards, watermelons, pears and berries.

Every child is given the opportunity to regularly participate in ‘Chicken Duty’ which involves feeding the chickens and collecting the eggs. The produce which has been lovingly grown is shared and celebrated with other students.

The Pre-Kindergarten classrooms form part of the Lower School Precinct, allowing students from Pre-Kindergarten to Year 2 to interact positively with each other in a safe space. This helps our youngest Tudorians to learn by example as older students role model traits of leadership. The Pre-Kindergarten program also aligns itself with the PYP and our students become engaged inquirers, risk takers and collaborators.

The Pre-Kindergarten program focuses on Phonological Awareness, Literature and Mathematics. Specialist classes include Library, Music, Woodwork, Art, PE and Biblical Studies.

All Pre-Kindergarten students are assigned with a Year 5 buddy who supports them during break times, Thursday picnics and other scheduled activities. They keep the same buddy when they progress to Kindergarten.

Tudor House offers places in Pre-Kindergarten for boys and girls, who have had their fourth birthday by 31 March of their entry year. If your child is on the younger end of their cohort and will turn four in January, February or March we encourage you to discuss their readiness for Pre-Kindergarten with the school before finalising the enrolment year.

The Pre-Kindergarten program is perfect for the child who isn’t ready for Kindergarten but has outgrown their pre-school or daycare. It provides consistent opportunities for social development, risk-taking, challenge, adventure and the development of foundational literacy and numeracy skills.

The Pre-Kindergarten students literally grow in front of your eyes, but they also grow in maturity and confidence as they pursue exciting and empowering learning experiences each day.

Children who participate in our unique Pre-Kindergarten program are incredibly wellplaced for a smooth transition to Kindergarten.

Mr Adam Larby

Head of School, The King’s School, Tudor House

Our Values

HUMILITY

We do not think more highly of ourselves than we ought. We are human and we share in the humanity of others. Being humble arises from our Christian belief that we are equal in the sight of God because we are all created in His image. Humility is a fundamentally Christian value and is the starting point for all our other values, for it is when we are humble that we are able to be honest about ourselves and with others.

HUMBLE

GRATITUDE

We celebrate with gratitude to God and each other. Gratitude is important in celebrating excellence in others, for keeping us humble and protects us from a spirit of complaint.

RespectHumility

Compassion Responsibility

CELEBRATE WITH GRATITUDE

EXCELLENCE

We strive to be excellent for others and ourselves. We do this in order to make an outstanding impact for the good of society. Striving for excellence means seeking to improve and better ourselves; to be always growing. Our striving for excellence is that we may be excellent for the sake of others. Excellence begins with an attitude of Humility that enables us to be Honest with ourselves and each another, so that we might Respect each other, taking Responsibility for ourselves and each other, as a community of Integrity and Compassion.

STRIVE FOR EXCELLENCE

COMPASSION

We live to serve one another. Having compassion means caring for others, being kind and gentle. Compassion is stronger than sympathy or empathy; it is much more active and intentional. In a Christian sense, it is going out of one’s way to help others, to be generous towards others, to care for others and stand up for others. Compassion flows from our humility, honesty, respect, responsibility and integrity, and underpins our understanding of excellence.

The King’s School is a Christian community that seeks to make an outstanding impact for the good of society through its students, and by the quality of its teaching and leadership in education.

HonestyIntegrity

HONESTY

We are honest about ourselves and with others. Honesty means being trustworthy, sincere and authentic. We are true to ourselves, and one another. We do not mislead or misrepresent each other. Honesty depends on an attitude of humility. It is when we are honest about ourselves and towards each other that we are able to respect one another.

BE HONEST

Excellence

HonestyIntegrity RESPECT

RespectHumility

Compassion Responsibility

Excellence

RespectHumility

INTEGRITY

We respect one another and ourselves. Respect involves valuing people and property so that neither is dishonoured, and follows from our humility and honesty. We respect other’s beliefs and points of view. We do not bully or impose our will on others, whether in thought, word or deed. We do not gossip or spread rumours. Respect is important for being willing to take responsibility for ourselves and each other.

SHOW RESPECT

RESPONSIBILITY

Compassion Responsibility

We take responsibility for ourselves and each other. Responsibility means recognising that we share our lives with others in a shared world. Living and learning in community means taking responsibility for contributing positively and actively to our community and our world. Responsibility depends on our respect for ourselves and each other, and is essential for living lives of integrity.

TAKE RESPONSIBILITY

We live our lives with integrity. To demonstrate integrity means to live a life that is integrated and balanced, cohesive and coherent. As a community of integrity, we are unified and work together for the common good. We are trustworthy and reliable, we follow through with conviction and courage. Integrity arises from our humility, honesty, respect and responsibility, and allows us to serve one another as a compassionate community.

DEMONSTRATE INTEGRITY

Aims for Pre-Kindergarten

A successful Pre-Kindergarten year will prepare the students for a smooth transition to Kindergarten by immersing them in the Tudor House environment and exposing them to many learning opportunities. The breadth of experiences across our five-day program is extensive and this ensures students are ready to make the leap to Kindergarten the following year.

Encourage independence, cooperation, initiative, confidence and promote student’s self esteem.

Social and Emotional Development

Develop the social and interpersonal skills of the students to enable effective communication.

Physical Development

Develop fine and gross motor skills through age appropriate activities and play.

Cognitive Development

Stimulate cognitive development.

Language Development

Enhance listening and speaking skills and emphasise language development as the basis for all learning.

Tudor House Life

Daily Routine/Timetable

A teacher will be on duty in the playground from 8.00am. Supervision of students prior to 8.00am is the responsibility of parents. Children are expected to arrive at school on time.

Morning Drop Off Routine:

8.00 - 8.30am

Outdoor play (Siblings and Early Birds)

8.30am

Pre-K students at school – line up outside Pre-K classrooms

8.30 - 9.00am

Pre-K can arrive up until 9.00am during (Term 1 only)

9.00am

Pre-K commences

10.00am

Crunch and sip

11.00am

Morning Tea

12.30pm

Lunch

3.00pm

Pick up Time (Term 1 only)

3.30pm

Pre-K Finish

Pre-K students finish at 3.30pm on Thursday afternoons when K-6 students participate in sport training and activities until 4.30pm.

Uniform

(Please label all uniform items)

Summer Uniform:

• Navy blue shorts

• Navy blue skirt

• Navy blue Tudor House polo shirt white socks

• White runners with Velcro fastening

• Navy blue floppy hat

Winter Uniform:

• Tudor House track suit

• Navy blue skirt

• Navy blue Tudor House polo shirt white socks

• White runners with Velcro fastening

• Navy blue floppy hat

• Red polar fleece (optional)

What to Bring

(Please label all personal items)

• Tudor House backpack

• Plastic A4 wallet

• Blue school jumper

• Drink bottle

• A complete change of clothes (underwear, socks, school shorts and polo shirt)

• Raincoat

• Long sleeved art smock – to stay in locker

• Gumboots – to stay in locker

• Library bag

The Pre-Kindergarten program is perfect for the child who isn’t ready for Kindergarten but has outgrown their pre-school or daycare. It provides consistent opportunities for social development, risk-taking, challenge, adventure and the development of foundational literacy and numeracy skills.

MR ADAM LARBY, HEAD OF SCHOOL, THE KING’S SCHOOL, TUDOR HOUSE

Pastoral Care

An extensive pastoral care program exists at Tudor House. Your child’s class teacher is ably supported by the Colour Housemasters (Your child will be placed in one of three colour houses - Blue, Red, White), the school counsellor and the Director of Students and Community. Explicit programs are taught throughout the year to help promote the development of social skills. The Year 5 buddies regularly spend time with the Pre-Kindergarten students to provide pastoral support.

Reports

All Pre-Kindergarten students receive a report at the end of each semester (June and December). You can make an appointment to discuss your child’s semester report with their teacher.

Food

Pre Kindergarten students have a munch and sip break at 10.00am daily.

This consists of a variety of seasonal fruit.

Pre-Kindergarten students join the Lower School students in the dining room for a sit down lunch.

They are encouraged to try the food that is served.

10.00am: Fruit Break

11.00am: Recess with sandwiches

12.30pm: Lunch in the Dining Room

Thursday - whole school picnic and buddy play lunch.

Events

Pre-Kindergarten students participate in some special activities throughout the year. These include:

• Easter Hat Parade (Term 1)

• Cross Country Carnival (Term 1)

• Grandparents Day (usually Term 2)

• Mother’s Day Morning Tea (Term 2)

• Kite Flying and Bonfire Night - Saturday (usually Term 2)

• Athletics Carnival (Term 2)

• Book Week (Term 3)

• Ski Week - optional (Term 3)

• Father’s Day Breakfast (Term 3)

• Billy Cart Derby - Saturday (Term 3)

• Swimming Carnival (Term 4)

Facilities

The Pre-Kindergarten students have access to all of the facilities on the 169 acre Tudor House campus.

The facilities include:

• Agriculture plot

• Multiple playing fields

• Playground equipment

• Sandpit

• Old Blue Car

• Wilderness play area

• Specialist classrooms

• Library

• War Memorial Hall

• Dining Room

• Gymnasium

Specialist Lessons – Overview

Mini-Kahiba

Mini Kahiba is part of our Outdoor Educational program. Pre-K join the Lower School in Little Wildee on Friday afternoon. This unique learning experience enables our smallest Tudorians to:

• Extend their learning environment through challenge-based programs, developing skills and qualities not taught in the classroom.

• Develop a respect for others and the environment.

• Explore personal boundaries and to be equipped with life skills for success.

• Encounter new physical and emotional challenges in a new environment.

• Create opportunities for great friendships.

• Practice acceptance of others and teamwork.

• Develop confidence and co-operation with others.

• Become skilled and resourceful individuals.

Paddock to Plate

Each week, the Pre-K students had a special gardening experience in the agricultural plot. These immersive experienes include exploration of the greenhouse, planting fruit and vegetables, collecting chicken eggs and checking on the sheep and alpacas.

Music

Pre-K students have weekly lessons in the Music Room and are given opportunities to make music, listen to music and appreciate music. Singing, tuned and untuned percussion and other musical experiences provide Pre-K students a chance to make noise, have fun and build their basic music literacy skills.

Art

Art lessons take place in the Art Studio and art experiences involve engagement with the five senses. Sometimes lessons take place outdoors and involve collecting natural materials. Exposure to drawing, painting, clay and other mediums provides the perfect place for the students to develop their creativity and express themselves.

Physical Education (PE)

PE provides the opportunity for Pre-K students to build on their foundational gross motor skills of running, jumping, hopping, skipping, balancing, walking and climbing through obstacle courses.

Biblical Studies

The King’s School, Tudor House has historical and active connections with the Anglican Church. Biblical Studies lessons are held each week and provide an opportunity for students to learn about God from the Bible. A regular lesson will include singing Christian songs, praying and reading from a children’s picture Bible. Students are encouraged to ask questions and engage in discussion about the stories.

Library

The Tudor House Library supports and enhances the International Baccalaureate PYP. Our Library is central to our Learning space in our school and we aim to:

• Create a life-long love of reading.

• Promote the attributes of IB Learner Profile.

• Cater for diverse learning styles, cultures, beliefs and the mother tongues.

• Inspire inquiry and a love of learning.

The Tudor House Library provides curriculum-based resources, literature and recreational materials in a variety of formats which support the continually changing needs of our school’s community. Students and staff have access to a broad fiction and non-fiction collection with an international perspective designed to support the Primary Years Programme (PYP). Special interest collections in both print and electronic formats are also available. These collections supplement the main collection and cover a range of academic and general interests. Our students from Pre-K – Year 6, visit the Library weekly, to browse, read, borrow, interact and undertake research and inquiry.

Woodwork

Teaching, supporting and guiding active, engaged students through both physical and mental activities, and challenges through designing and making.

Students from Pre-K – Year 6 experience Woodwork for one hour per week. There is a focus on safety awareness and understanding procedures, before students move onto designing and building.

Developing their self-management skills, students learn new skills using hand and machine tools. They independently solve design problems, identify appropriate materials and investigate different processes. Students evaluate their creations upon completion.

Participation in Woodwork develops our students:

• Critical and creative thinking skills

Collaborative skills

• Communication skills

Physicality

• Practical Life skills

Decision making

Problem solving

Educational Philosophy

In Pre-Kindergarten, our Educational Philosophy is guided by the Reggio Emilia approach where students are at the centre of their learning.

The Pre-Kindergarten students can experiment and engage in their own learning through play-based and constructivist classroom activities. In alignment with our school values and attitudes, the Reggio Emilia approach is based around students developing and growing independently as individuals focusing on embodying the key values of respect and responsibility in our community. Through this approach, students are encouraged to investigate, explore, discover, research, connect and reflect on their learning through interacting with the natural world. In our program we focus on students constructing their own learning in a natural environment; learning through interactions with the people in their communities, learning to express themselves, and becoming global thinkers and citizens of the world.

Through the IB Primary Years Programme (PYP), students are able to build on their foundational skills, knowledge, and understanding through inquiry-based learning. Each term the students will engage in one Unit of Inquiry focusing on one of the following transdisciplinary themes: Who We Are, Where We Are in Place and Time, How We Organise Ourselves, How the World Works, How We Express Themselves and Sharing the Planet. This framework provides students with authentic learning that transcends the boundaries of traditional subjects in the classroom. The students each term will be making connections in their learning to the world around them, develop deeper understandings of concepts and to take action and reflect on what they have learned.

Pre-Kindergarten students are the leaders of their own learning, where they guide their inquiry through asking questions, finding out information, making connections, taking action and reflecting on their own learning experiences. The PYP allows students to take responsibility for their own learning and enable them to connect their learning to real life situations.

Our Pre-Kindergarten program follows the Early Stage 1 outcomes from the NSW Education Standards Authority. PreLit is a systematic and skills-based program we use in Pre-Kindergarten to teach literacy to students. This program includes teaching oral language, phonological and phonemic awareness, knowledge of the alphabet and understanding print concepts. in Mathematics, Pre-Kindergarten students learn through a constructivist approach exploring through a range

of hands-on activities. Our students will explore the concepts of number, algebra, measurement, spatial and non spatial structures as well as statistics.

Our Pre-Kindergarten program emphasises the importance of student-directed learning through an inquiry-based approach, blending learning experiences in indoor and outdoor settings. Our unique Tudor House campus provides many opportunities for our students to thrive in their learning in the natural environment. Students regularly wear their gumboots and raincoats because wet weather is not a deterrent, but an opportunity for new experiences.

In this program, your child will have the opportunity to connect with their surroundings, teachers and develop their friendships with their peers. At Tudor House, our aim is to create a safe and nurturing environment where your child is supported and feels valued. Our goal for your child is to set them up for success in the future so they strive to be independent, confident and resilient students that are ready for the transition to Kindergarten.

FAQ’s

Does my child do sport on Thursdays as part of the whole school sport program?

No. The Pre-Kindergarten program finishes at 3:30pm on Thursdays and the children do not participate in the extra sports program.

What if my child does not like or eat the food?

Not all students will like the food. They are encouraged to try the food that is served. All allergies and intolerances can be catered for.

What if my child does not like to carry their own bag?

A Pre-Kindergarten bag shouldn’t be too heavy and each child should be encouraged to carry their bag.

How do I notify the school if my child is absent from school or needs to leave early?

All requests for leave are submitted via KingsNet (our school intranet).

How do we communicate with the school?

The school diary is a good starting point for communication. Directly emailing the Pre-Kindergarten teachers is another option. The Tudor House staff will generally use the diary to communicate with you or may catch up with you at the end of the school day.

How is Pre-Kindergarten at Tudor House different from a regular pre-school or daycare?

Our Pre-Kindergarten program provides things that most regular pre-school or daycare facilities cannot offer:

Significant opportunities for the students to learn from older students.

Year 5 Buddy program.

Specialist lessons - Woodwork, Visual Art, Biblical Studies, Outdoor Education and Music.

Access to the 169 acre campus.

Meals provided by the school and shared together in a formal dining context.

Chapel services.

Smooth transition to Kindergarten.

Visiting the Library each week and borrowing books. Numerous playgrounds areas including wilderness zone.

Access to fully qualified teachers for every subject.

A sense of belonging to a larger school that they will continue to be part of.

What is the class size in Pre-Kindergarten?

We have two Pre-Kindergarten classes with a maximum of 20 students per class.

What support is available in the classroom?

The Pre-Kindergarten teachers have a teacher assistant in the classroom every day.

At Tudor House, our holistic approach to education means there are moments of wonder around every corner. Children are consistently given opportunities to develop academically, socially, emotionally, physically, relationally and spiritually through challenging and memorable experiences within and beyond the classroom. Come and experience the magic and adventure of Tudor House.