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Gowrie NSW

Gowrie NSW Shirley Road Crows Nest PRESCHOOL

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Map
Cnr Shirley Road and Nicholson Street, Crows Nest 2065 Show On Map
Times
Mon-Fri | 8.15am - 3.45pm
Ages 3 - 5 years
Phone
Enrolments (02) 8594 4200
Currently Enrolled (02) 94392247
Email enrolments@gowriensw.com.au

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Enquire Now Meet Our Centre Director Fees Book a Tour Join the Waitlist Information & FAQ

Why Shirley Road Crows Nest Preschool?

Shirley Road Preschool is Gowrie NSW first preschool service, and is a quality, not-for-profit preschool located in Crows Nest Uniting Church on Shirley Road.

Shirley Road Preschool has a long standing history within the Crows Nest community, opening on the 1st February, 1972. Today, over 40 years later and under the Gowrie NSW umbrella, Shirley Road Preschool is flourishing, with a reputation for excellence. We cater for over 45 families, their children aged 3 - 5 years. We believe that every child brings with them unique strengths, capabilities, culture, interests, knowledge, ideas and experiences…

…and that every day is filled with possibility and chances for discovery.

Community Connections and a Boutique Preschool

Statewide, our centres pride themselves on the connections we form within the community and the strong relationships we develop with our families and children.

Our dedicated and passionate educators implement a high-quality educational experience in a nurturing, stimulating and supportive environment. Educators engage in regular professional development to ensure best practice for your children.

Our small boutique preschool highlights an indoor area with an outdoor environment featuring natural play equipment, sandpits, climbing structures, water play and more. Your child will engage in a variety of experiences to promote a sense of wonder and investigation.

We keep you involved in their day via a secure online platform, so you can get through your day knowing your child is safe and happy.

We are committed to excellence and strive to make a lasting impact on children’s lives.

Learn how Gowrie NSW is keeping children, families and educators Covid-safe.

Learn More

Gowrie NSW Shirley Road Outdoor Activities
Gowrie NSW Shirley Road Little Kid Playing with Water
Gowrie NSW Shirley Road playing with clay
Gowrie NSW Shirley Road kids planting flowers
Gowrie NSW Shirley Road playing with plants
Gowrie NSW Shirley Road Arts and Crafts

How we prepare your child for school

Our school readiness program begins from the moment children enter our preschool. Building children’s confidence, a strong sense of self, conflict resolution skills, creativity and collaboration are part of our program from the start.

Your child will have many opportunities to engage with literacy and numeracy. This will also be scaffolded and extended upon. In the final preschool years, we run a dedicated Transition to School Program for children and their families. This program is delivered by Early Childhood Teachers in consultation with local primary schools and will extend children’s social and emotional skills to build sound foundations for primary school.

Children will build their confidence and resilience levels, become accustomed to school routines and lunchboxes, learn how to work in teams, develop independence and much more.

For more information about our Transition to School Program, please enquire with our Centre Manager and Early Childhood Teachers.

I enrolled my daughter at Shirley Road Preschool this year, and she settled in beautifully in a short space of time. The educators were a fantastic support to her, and they went above and beyond to foster good relationships with us. I love seeing what she's done at the end of each day, hearing her say how much she enjoyed her day, and hearing about her friends and activities.  
Mel
Parent
Image of Stefanie Overton

Meet our Centre Director

Stefanie Overton

I’m Stefanie, and I am the Centre Manager for Shirley Road Preschool. I’ve been working in Early Education and Care for over 15 years, and am proud to hold a Bachelor of Education in Early Childhood. I love sharing moments of wonder and joy with the children in my care, their families and my colleagues. Children have amazing imaginations, and they always surprise me and make me laugh. I’m passionate about literacy, especially storytelling, Inclusion, and supporting diverse learners, and for children’s agency and rights. Early Childhood Education is about connections, a sense of belonging and worth, and is incredibly rewarding. In my spare time I like playing competition soccer, yoga and reading.

FAQ

At Gowrie NSW Shirley Road Pre-school teachers and educators allocate one staff member who will be your child’s primary educator to work closely with you and nurture your child through the first three years of life.  Your child's primary educator will be highly attuned to their routines, rhythms and unique cues.

Our emphasis and commitment to working towards key educator relationships promotes continuity, consistency and nurturing relationships between educators and children both individually and in small groups.

Your child will benefit from;

  •  routines that are at their own pace and where they can participate in their own way
  •  educators who take their ideas seriously
  • support to express feelings and show empathy for the feelings of others
  • encouragement to interact with other children and develop language and social skills
  • support to interact with children and adults in ways that are respectful and responsive
  • encouragement to listen to and respect the ideas of others.

Learn More about Primary Educator Relationships

All our programs at Shirley Road Preschool are based on children’s strengths, knowledge, interests, concepts, and cultural backgrounds. The National Quality Framework stipulates that learning occurs best through play-based experiences.

Your child will enjoy;

  • Interesting and engaging experiences providing opportunities for inquiry, exploration, discovery and problem-solving
  • Active engagement with people, objects and representations
  • Experiences and provocations based on children’s emerging concepts and thinking
  • Rich play experiences by sourcing materials and creating environments which engage children’s sense of curiosity, wonder and investigation
  • Opportunities for the development of a wide range of skill areas: social, emotional, cognitive, creative and physical
  • Regular excursions to libraries, cafes and nature reserves

Extensive early childhood research shows that for children under the age of five years, play provides the best vehicle for learning. Children are more likely to persist at something in which they are interested in and play-based learning provides a great context for acknowledging children’s interests.

We also engage in learning beyond the classroom. All children participate in frequent local excursions and begin to see themselves as active and contributory community members.

We use Storypark to document your child’s discoveries and learnings and this ensures open and clear communication. We document in real time, as it happens, and share photo’s, video, audio and observations with you in a secure online environment.

Families are encouraged to participate in this process to ensure children achieve the best learning outcomes.

It’s just like you’re there with them, every day.

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Shirley Road Preschool caters for children aged from 3years to 6 years. There is one classroom.

  • Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday: 20 children
  • Thursday and Friday: 25 children

Classroom sizes may vary each year according to our waitlist and the needs of our existing families.

Children's lunch and a drink bottle.

Families are required to bring their child's lunch each day in an insulated lunch box with enough food for their child.

We are a nut-free environment and ask families to ensure the food they bring for their child is nutritious and free of nuts to support children with high allergies.

Shirley Road Preschool is funded by the NSW State Government. The NSW State Government is committed to ensuring all children in NSW participate in 600 hours of quality preschool education in the two years before they start school. This equates to 15 hours of preschool each week.

'Free Preschool' is a current initiative under the Start Strong funding with additional funding as part of the Covid-19 pandemic. This has been extended to all children in the two years before school, until December 2022. For your child to be eligible they must turn 3 or 4 by 31 July in that year, and be enrolled in a preschool program 15 hours per week.

If your child attends more than 2 days of preschool, families will be charged the daily unfunded fee for each additional day.

Fees Amount
Attending 2 days (3-4 year olds) Free
Unfunded Fee (day 3) $87.00
Unfunded Fee (day 4) $83.00
Unfunded Fee (day 5) $77.00

 

Refer to the Gowrie NSW Fee Policy here for more details.

Fill out the Book a Tour form and choose an appointment time in the calendar. You can choose a morning or afternoon tours. If you require an alternative appointment time outside of the calendar options, please email our Enrolment Team at enrolments@gowriensw.com.au.

Have a question? We'd love to help.

Call us on (02) 8594 4200 or fill in the form below.