“In our caring, safe and supportive environment, our youngest learners flourish as they inquire, create and connect with each other and the wider school community.
We prepare our students for life, they take ownership of their learning through a positive mindset approach, working towards their personal best.”
Starting or considering kindergarten in 2021?
Choosing the right school for your child to begin their educational journey is an important time for all families.
Check out our Kindergarten events, open to any family who may be starting or considering Kindergarten in 2021, regardless of where you plan on educating your child.
Virtual Kindergarten Information Night
Wednesday 2nd September 2020
6:00 pm
Learn about school readiness, get an overview of the Let’s Explore program and find out what to expect in your child’s first term at school.
Registration opening soon!
Let’s Explore and Virtual Kindergarten Experience
21st October 2020 – 11th November 2020 (4 Wednesdays)
Let’s Explore is a free educational program, for children transitioning into Kindergarten. Each of the four Let’s Explore sessions are aimed at easing your child’s journey into school life.
Registrations opening soon!
Why SMGS Kindergarten?
Personalised Learning
In our safe and nurturing environment, Kindergarten students are authentically known to each teacher at SMGS and we understand that each student is on their own personal learning journey. Our Kindergarten Program is differentiated to meet individual student needs and is supported by our Teacher’s aide through consistent individual support or small group work, to further consolidate student learning.
Flexible Learning Spaces
Classrooms today are rapidly changing to adapt to different styles of learning for a more personalised approach. At Snowy Mountains Grammar School, we are progressively designing our learning spaces to be more considered for all types of learners and learning experiences, across a broad range of subject areas and age groups. The Kindergarten class room was built to maximise the natural light. The tables, chairs and ground level soft spaces are agile and dynamic, to support the learning styles of our youngest learners and stimulate learning opportunities.
Connection of our indoor and outdoor spaces has been thoroughly considered with outdoor work benches, gardens, greenery, café style tables with umbrellas and more ground level soft furnishings.
In synergy, these spaces allow for increased collaboration, connection and inclusion, focused work and creativity.
At recess, lunch and PE, students have room to move on our schools oval, playground and “Eat Street”. We have a calm playground environment where students are engaged in games and are encouraged to explore their environment.
Learning Foundations
Strong literacy foundations underpin all key learning areas for our Kindergarten students. Early literacy screening for phonemic awareness is an important tool for our staff to establish where each student is beginning their learning journey. Multiple times a week, students work with our teacher’s aide to consolidate their knowledge of letter sounds, high frequency word acquisition and reading skill development.
Numeracy in Kindergarten focuses on the use of concrete materials to build students’ mathematical knowledge. Teaching with manipulatives supports a Kindergarten child’s understanding of concepts. In our Kindergarten classroom, we support students to touch and move manipulatives when learning a mathematical skill, as their senses are thus fully involved in the learning experience. They develop their understanding with concrete materials before transferring that knowledge to numerical symbols. We love it when we hear our students say, “Maths is so much fun!”
Specialist Teachers
Teaching and Learning programs at Snowy Mountains Grammar School meet the requirements of the NSW Syllabus. Our Kindergarten program includes the following specialist classes: Visual Arts, Music, German and Physical Education.
Wellbeing
Our students build friendships across the year groups through a warm, close-knit school environment. At the beginning of the year, our K-2 students are each paired with a Year 12 buddy who develops a nurturing connection with the student throughout the year. It is so heart-warming to see Year 12 piggy-back their Kindergarten buddy in the pool for their very first swimming carnival novelty race. Our Kindergarten students are also placed in one of four houses, in which they remain for their entire learning journey.
Our youngest learners also participate in the Junior School’s wellbeing program, WeMeet, which was designed by our Junior School staff in collaboration with our Junior School students. WeMeet supports problem-solving, team-building and wellbeing and is an important start to our day in order to connect with each other, check in and build strong bonds with our peers.
Communication and Connections
Our close-knit community also means that parents have more opportunity to engage with our classroom teachers. In addition to frequent and encouraged face-to-face communication, SeeSaw is used to communicate daily activities within the classroom and share student work samples with parents. School-wide, we use CareMonkey, email, Aspects (school newsletter) and social media to connect with families.
Technology and Innovation in Kindergarten
Using technology in our Kindergarten classroom is a vital and valuable part of their educational learning. Our students have access to iPad technology during literacy and numeracy activities. They learn how to navigate a keyboard and engage in stimulating interactive learning opportunities to further consolidate phonics, phonemic awareness, spelling, reading and numeracy skills. Kindergarten students explore coding with Botley the Robot, as they are introduced to early STEM skills that promote critical thinking and problem-solving. The inclusion of technology within our classrooms creates new learning opportunities that support our 21st century learners.
Kinaesthetic learners are catered for in Kindergarten with the inclusion of pedal desks within the classroom environment. Research states that movement engages the brain and we see this in action within our classrooms. Students are excited by this innovative furniture that makes their classroom unique.
Co-curricular Opportunities
SMGS Kindergarten students also have access to a number of unique co-curricular activities, including the following:
- Garden Club
- Mountain Bike Club
- Choir
- Junior School Play
- Snowsports
School Readiness Series – Article 4 – Fine and Gross Motor Skills
Fine and Gross Motor Skills As a continuation of our discussion on school readiness, so far we have discussed the building blocks of school readiness and why they are important. We have looked at how to determine [...]
Numeracy + Food Manipulatives = FUN!
Over the past few weeks, K/1 have been practising their addition and subtraction skills. Students used a range of manipulatives that included counters, blocks, tens frames, number lines and even some yummy snacks!. First students [...]
Toy design with our youngest learners
Our youngest learners have been learning about movement in their Science lessons this term. Students have played with toys that slide, roll, spin, bend, bounce or need to be pushed or pulled. They then sketched [...]
School Readiness Series – Article 3 – How to improve school readiness skills
As a continuation of our discussion on school readiness, so far we have discussed the building blocks of school readiness and why they are important. We have looked at how to determine if your child [...]
K/1 explore 3D shapes through building their own robots!
As part of our Mathematics unit on 3D shapes, K/1 explored the attributes and properties of prisms (cardboard boxes), whilst building their own amazing robots! Students gave oral descriptions of their robot’s ability and [...]
New Kinaesthetic Furniture in Year 2/3 Classroom
Introducing our new pedal desks and wobble boards in Junior School, 2/3 classroom. Ms S has been following a school case study over the last 12 months that incorporates Kinaesthetic furniture in the classroom. Research [...]