Enrolling

How to Apply

Please complete the Enquiry form on this page page or call us on (02) 6355 7440 to put your child’s name on our waiting list.

Priority of Access

Pied Piper Preschool will follow the Priority of Access Guidelines at all times when enrolling children. The allocation of places will reflect these guidelines to ensure that care is provided to families using these priorities. The Priority of Access Guidelines followed by state funded preschools are defined by NSW State Government Funding Agreements. The children that will be given priority for places will be:

Children in their year before school (being at least 4 years old on or before 31st July in the year of preschool enrolment).
Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander children (being at least 3 years old on or before 31st July in the year of preschool enrolment).
Children from low income Health Care Card holding families (being at least 3 years on or before 31st July in the year of preschool enrolment).
Children from culturally and linguistically diverse backgrounds (being at least 3 years old on or before 31st July in the year of preschool enrolment).
Children with disabilities.
Children who are risk of harm.

Waiting List

Where places are not immediately available, we have a waiting list. There is no charge to be on the waiting list. You will need to fill out a waiting list form by calling or visiting the preschool. When a place becomes available and you are next on the waiting List (according to the Priority of Access Guidelines) the preschool will contact you. You will be offered a place, but if it is not suitable, please let staff know if you would like to remain on the waiting list until a more suitable place comes up, or if you would like to be removed from the waiting list.

Visiting Pied Piper

We really encourage you to visit Pied Piper Preschool at least once before your child starts, partly to complete all of your paperwork and have a look a round and talk to staff, but also so that your child starts to become familiar with this new environment. Visit as many times as you can, and check with staff to see which are the best times for your child to get a good glimpse of what preschool life will be like.

Settling in at Preschool

It’s a good idea to help your child put his/her bag in their locker and help them to unpack their lunch/drink reminding them to put a hat on if we’re going outside first. Please tell your children that this is the place to put their possessions e.g. shoes, socks, and hats.

For the first few days, be prepared to stay around for a while or to come back early. When you are ready to leave, please tell an educator and then say goodbye to your child, reassuring them that you will return to collect them.It is important that you then leave quickly and quietly. Please resist the temptation to sneak out while your child isn’t watching to avoid separation tears and tantrums. This can be very distressing for your child. They learn not to trust that you won’t disappear at any moment. If your child is upset, please do not hesitate to seek the assistance of an educator to ease the separation process. Preschool is a new experience and like any other, it takes a while to get used to it. For some children this is a first separation into an unfamiliar environment. Be assured that the educators will be patient and understanding.

Each child will respond in his or her own way to this new experience. Below are some typical responses, which may be useful for you to know:

Some children seem very happy to separate from their parents and are keen to explore a new environment. They hardly notice that their parent leaves and aren’t interested in saying goodbye.
Other children continue to be happy for several weeks and then suddenly seem to dislike being left. At this point separation can be difficult and children may cling or cry.
Some children cry when their parent leaves for the first few times. Sometimes those tears only last a few minutes and they are consoled by an educator and quickly become interested in an activity.
At times, children don’t cry but prolong the separation by clinging or asking a parent to stay and play for longer periods.
Some children like to follow or be with an educator or need individual attention for a period of time before settling in.

Please talk to our educators if you are finding separation difficult. We will work together to find the best solution for you and your child.

We welcome your phone calls during the day to talk to the educators about your child’s well-being and how they are settling in.

Please refer to the Pied Piper Preschool Enrolment Policy for full details which is located in the foyer at Preschool.