Welcome
Welcome to St Stephen’s Preschool. We hope you find lots of interesting and helpful information about our preschool on this site.
As a starting point here is a “snap shot” of our Preschool.
We…
- are open from 8.30 am and 4 pm during NSW public school terms. For an extra fee your child can start their Preschool day at 8.00 am.
- offer fee reductions for low income health care card holders and ATSI families.
- are proudly rated Exceeding under the National Quality Standards.
- value, promote and facilitate high quality interactions between children, staff and our families. Child:staff ratios are significantly above the regulatory requirement.
- have highly experienced, passionate, university trained Early Childhood Teachers, Diploma and Certificate three qualified educators.
- have an Inclusion Support Team including a Special Education Teacher and a Social Worker/Behaviour therapist who work in conjunction with our team and families to ensure that the children are receiving the most relevant and appropriate supports.
- are a Community Based, ‘not for profit’ Preschool. Each year our Board of Management is elected at our Annual General Meeting and comprises members of St Stephen’s Church and preschool family members.
“At St Stephen’s it is our belief that it is our role and responsibility to champion the rights of children above all else and that underpins all that we do.”
Our Preschool sits on the land of the Durag and Guringai people, the traditional custodians of the land. We pay respects to elders past, present and emerging.
Welcome from our Director – Ariane Simon.
Warami wellamabami and thank you for visiting our website. St Stephen’s Preschool sits proudly on the land of the Dharug and Guringai people and in the grounds of St Stephen’s Church, Normanhurst, where we were established in 1972.
St Stephen’s Preschool is a very special place, a place for children, where children are noticed and known, where they have a voice and are heard, where they are central to every decision that is made. For over 20 years it has been my greatest privilege to lead this Preschool and to work with a team of incredible early childhood professionals.
It is well documented that a high quality preschool education benefits children and the community during their preschool years and well into their future.
We believe that all children and families have the right to accessible and equitable early childhood education and we believe that our early childhood educators are our greatest resource.
During these COVID times we are not able to welcome you to visit us to see what a high quality preschool looks, feels and sounds like, however we have made a virtual tour for you. Whilst we can not show the relationships that develop once you join the St Stephen’s family we can show you the setting in which they happen.
I hope that our website gives you a glimpse into our Preschool and that you are able to get a feel for who we are and we look forward to welcoming you to the St Stephen’s family.
Ariane
What Parents Say
‘My husband and I chose St Stephens for our youngest son who had struggled significantly in long day care, so much so that I had to reduce work hours because of his anxiety and the revolving door of staff in larger centers. St Stephen’s showed us a new way of educating and nurturing through care and compassion – he left there a different child – cheeky, confident and school ready. The teaching staff endeavor to weave skill development through play based learning, create a strong connection to the environment and demonstrate ways for children to connect with their peers respectfully. We would not hesitate in recommending Ariane and her team to any family looking for a forward- thinking, safe, educational space for their child to be embraced into..
The Wayland FamilySt Stephens preschool offers an incredibly loving and nurturing environment for our children. The teachers provide just the right amount of guidance for our children as they learn how to become good friends and explore the world around them. All of the staff are kind and caring and instill a love of learning. We are so fortunate to have found St Stephens Preschool and are so grateful to the St Stephens community for enriching not only our children’s lives but also our family as a whole.
Shelley Whitfield
