Star of the Sea students benefit from five-day Kinder

At Star of the Sea Catholic College, the move to a five-day Kindergarten program has reshaped the way children learn, engage, and grow.

Photo Caption: Students enjoying their time at Star of the Sea Catholic College

Kindergarten Teacher Selina Taylor has witnessed first-hand the impact of moving from three to five days over the past two years.

“I did not imagine that children would one day be attending kindergarten five days a week," said Selina. "Having now witnessed the benefits of this for all involved, I am a strong advocate for five-day kinder.”

“Daily attendance has ensured that there has been more opportunity for us as educators to track progress, tailor learning experiences, and provide many more enriching experiences than are available in just a three-day model,” Selina says.

For the children of Star of the Sea, the additional days have been transformative. They have formed friendships, settled into routines, and explored learning in depth.

“I have witnessed the relationships between the children become much stronger,” says Selina. “They have an increased range of opportunities in a safe and predictable environment to build deep, trusting and meaningful connections. Their social and emotional development has been boosted enormously.”

The educational benefits are also measurable.

Selina notes, “Having children for extra time has enabled us to provide much more extensive intervention against the Kindergarten Development Check. The percentage of children at Star of the Sea achieving all markers during Term Three has increased as a direct result.”

Catholic Education Tasmania Subject Matter Expert for Early Years, Tash Williams, agrees that time is a key factor in quality outcomes.

“With more days available, educators have a greater scope to observe, plan, implement, and reflect with depth and consistency," says Tash. "This ensures children’s learning and development are supported across all domains.”

Five-day kinder also provides consistency and peace of mind for families as they focus on the responsibilities of combining parenting and working.

“The children have learned who the teachers are and what is expected of them as students in a safe and consistent environment,” says Cassy, a parent at Star of the Sea.

“I think the children have learned to trust the teachers who are there to help them. The teachers have the time to learn about and understand who the child actually is and how to work with them.”

The program has strengthened staff collaboration as well.

“Offering five-day kinder has created a team approach with other educators becoming increasingly adept in working with young children. Additional teacher assistants have also come on board as well,” Selina explains.

Reflecting on the overall impact, Selina sees all the elements involved in delivering five-day kinder coming together to enhance outcomes for early learners.

"Five-day kinder is creating a robust foundation that benefits our youngest learners in a way no other model can.”