St Mark’s has 75 places and five educational rooms. Children are allocated to rooms according to their age as well as individual needs and requirements.
Each room has its unique personality. Click on the room you would like to know more about.
| Class name | Age of children | Educator to child ratio |
|---|---|---|
| 6 weeks to 2 years | 1 educator to 4 children | |
| 15 months to 2.5 years | 1 educator to 4 children | |
| 2 to 3 years | 1 educator to 5 children | |
| 2.5 to 4 years | 1 educator to 11 children | |
| 3 to 5 years | 1 educator to 11 children |
Nursery
Infants grow and learn every day. The Nursery room provides a safe and nurturing ‘home away from home’ where a child can explore and make new discoveries. We offer an individualised program which follows each child’s home routine as closely as possible, with personalised times for meals, sleeping and activities. Young children learn through play; our play-based nursery care program provides them with the skills that serve as building blocks for a lifetime of learning. Activities are tailored to a child’s current developmental level. We appreciate families trusting us with their child’s care and education. We are committed to making this first transition away from home easy and natural for them and their child.
Toddlers
As toddlers develop friendships, self-esteem, and curiosity, our Toddler program helps a child explore their world in a safe and nurturing environment. Our unique early childhood program is based on the philosophy that children learn best through hands-on experiences. The curriculum is initiated by the children, focussing on their current interests and abilities. Each day is filled with fun activities that excite and help toddlers explore their world in ways that give them the comfort and confidence to grow and develop both cognitively and socially. At this age, children make new discoveries daily. And as toddlers begin to express their independence, our program introduces them to a world of learning, sharing, and exploring.
Senior Toddlers
As children develop their learning, our Senior Toddler program encourages and supports a child’s confidence and independence. At St Mark’s they can explore and express themselves as they play and learn with their friends. We offer opportunities for creative expression through music, arts, dance and drama. Our supportive learning environment focuses on building children’s cognitive, emotional, social, and physical skills. These are addressed through the use of age-appropriate activities and materials that help your child master important learning concepts. Every development area is stimulated by prompting imitation through play, the arts and communication. As our Senior Toddlers gain more self-esteem, they feel ready to take on the world. Our program enhances that confidence by providing activities to help them become problem-solvers and develop a love of lifelong learning.
Senior Kindy
The Senior Kindy program invites children’s learning through independent exploration, structured activities and hands-on learning. We help children develop a variety of skills and knowledge in areas such as early literacy, mathematics, science and social skills. We add to this a healthy dose of running, jumping and movement to keep our children active. Children are encouraged to express themselves through creative arts: we provide daily opportunities for them to paint, move, sing, tell stories with puppets, and build and play in dramatic scenes. Our program supports children using their knowledge in new ways. We encourage their curiosity and desire to make real choices, enabling autonomy and engagement in the child-initiated program. Children are introduced to a more structured daily routine, which improves their memories and prepares them for formal schooling. There are also endless opportunities to problem-solve and demonstrate flexibility in thinking.
Kindergarten (Pre-Prep)
As a child reaches school age, our comprehensive, academically-rich Kindergarten program helps them explore, communicate, and create – all in a nurturing, small-class setting. Our Kindergarten approved program presents reading, language, arts, mathematics, science, social studies, and physical fitness in an engaging way that encourages a lifelong love of learning. We use the Queensland Kindergarten Learning Guideline to provide a challenging curriculum that prepares children for school. Children participate in collaborative conversations, asking and answering thought-provoking questions. We support them to read aloud and develop writing skills, and encourage them to express their ideas. Movement, dramatic play, and group activities enhance confidence and support the development of new skills and individual talents. We have lots of fun with age-appropriate experiences exploring technology and science, and investigate the connections between food and healthy bodies through sports and nutrition-focused activities. Children take part in team experiences to develop cooperation skills, a sense of accomplishment and pride; and develop a sense of community and cultural awareness through discussions about shared goals and experiences.