Frequently asked questions

• 1 preschool bag.
• 3 pairs of underpants (more if toilet training).
• 1 spare set of both summer and winter clothing (in case of sudden weather changes).
• A drink bottle for water (water is also provided in cups).
• Sheets for rest time, if needed - 3-5 years group only. Sheets are provided for 2-3 years group.
• Lunch – please send an easy and accessible nut-free lunch for your child to manage eating on their own. Lunch is part of our School Readiness Programme, so please keep this in mind when you are packing your child’s lunch box. Our team help the children with their lunch, but the goal is that prior to going to primary school they will be able to open/unwrap all parts of their lunch unaided. We like to encourage healthy eating habits - please pack mostly nutritious healthy food and ‘treat’ foods only sometimes. Please do not send your child with food that needs to be heated up - this is part of our School Readiness Program.
• Any medications or creams that may be required to hand to the office. Please complete our Medical Admin Form online prior to handing over any medication.

All belongings should be clearly labelled, so that our educators can return all items to their correct owner. Each campus has a Lost Property tub. Please check this regularly.

Please dress your child in comfortable sun-safe clothing that is easily removed for toileting and suitable for running, climbing, painting and playing in materials such as sand, water etc. Messy play is an essential component of a child’s early learning and is encouraged at Everlearn so we discourage sending your child to preschool in their ‘Sunday best’.

Parents are also requested to apply SPF30+ broad-spectrum water resistant sunscreen to their children before they arrive at Everlearn Preschool each morning, however we also have a sunscreen station in the foyer in case you forget. A named legionnaires hat will be provided at the time of enrolment and remains at the preschool so it is not lost or forgotten.

The preschool is open from 7.30am to 5.30pm forty-nine weeks per year, closing for 3 weeks over the Christmas/New Year period, and on public holidays. The last day each year is always the Friday before Christmas Day (25th of December).

Parents are always welcome to visit. At Everlearn we recognise that you are the primary educators of your children, and having a positive partnership with you will ensure maximum outcomes. Some involvement from you may include:

• Volunteering during centre hours for assisting in activities - celebration assistance
• Parent and Educator Meetings
• Sharing of cultural backgrounds
• Social events with parents – building of relationships
• General help and maintenance around the preschool
• Assisting with excursions
• Sharing an interest
• Cooking with the children
• Bringing in a baby
• Reading stories
• Sharing a craft activity
• Contributing to art/craft supplies

We love to celebrate birthdays and sing ‘happy birthday’ at afternoon tea time. We will provide your child and their group with a healthy banana muffin to celebrate their birthday. Unfortunately due to allergies and dietary restrictions we cannot allow cakes to be sent in from home.

Everlearn follows the NSW Staying Healthy in Childcare 5th Edition for guidance on all health related practices including preventing infectious diseases, controlling the spread of infection and exclusion periods.

If your child is displaying symptoms of an infectious disease we may request that you take them to a medical practitioner for diagnosis. We will then advise you of the exclusion period guidelines from Staying Healthy in Childcare depending on the diagnosis. We cannot be influenced by letters from doctors stating that your child can return to care, unless your child’s condition fulfills the criteria for returning to care in Staying Healthy in Childcare.

A child will not be able to attend the preschool for at least 24 hours following the last instance of:

• A high temperature (registering 38 degrees or more)
• Diarrhoea
• Vomiting

If any of these symptoms occur whilst your child is at preschool you will be asked to collect your child and keep them at home until the required exclusion period is over. This period may be extended to 48 hours if there is an outbreak of a disease, in which case we will be guided by the Public Health Unit.

If you have given written permission for Panadol then this may be administered if a child is unwell with a high temperature, with verbal permission from an authorised person on your child’s enrolment form. This is the only time Panadol can be administered, unless you have a prescription from your doctor.

At Everlearn, all absences need to be paid. Centrelink allows up to 42 days absent (as long as there is not a continuous period of 8 weeks absent) for any reason per financial year where subsidies will continue to be paid.

If a child is to be absent, parents are asked to notify the preschool as soon as possible, and inform the preschool of the estimated length of absence. Please let the preschool know if your child is ill with an infectious disease to allow staff to keep an eye out for similar symptoms in other children.

At Everlearn we follow the Staying Healthy in Childcare 5th Edition guidelines for anything related to children’s health.

Absences can also quickly and easily be marked through our KindyNow App.

Yes. Casual days can be booked using our KindyNow app.

KindyNow allows you to:

• Easily let us know your child will be away.
• Find available spots at Everlearn and make a new booking 24/7.
• Secure last-minute childcare even when Everlearn is closed.

The primary contact in your family is automatically registered with their mobile phone number, so all you need to do now is download the free KindyNow App to get started. If you are not the primary account holder you will need to use the mobile number of that person in order to access your child's bookings. If you are not sure who the primary account holder is or have any questions give us a call.

Toys, jewellery and trinkets from home can be lost or broken if brought to the preschool. Therefore, we discourage children from bringing these in, and ask you to encourage your child to leave them at home. A cuddly toy for rest time is fine. Interesting specimens and objects such as rocks, shells, flowers, bird’s nests etc, or photos of family/special events are always welcome. If items are brought in from home the children can share them with their peers at news time and then put them safely back in their bags or leave them in the office for safekeeping. Storypark can be used to share photos of treasures instead which will ensure that they do not get lost.

Our aim at Everlearn Preschool is to provide a healthy, balanced diet for the children and to encourage healthy eating habits. The children receive morning and afternoon tea which include cheese and rice cakes, fruit and vegetables, and sometimes muffins. All drinks, including milk and water, are provided throughout the day. All food is prepared on the premises with a weekly menu planned to ensure a variety of food is offered. The menu is always displayed near the sign in sheets. Please ensure that you inform staff of any allergies or diet restrictions your child may have. Everlearn also has a Nut Free Policy. Please do not send your child with any type of product that contains nuts or traces of nuts. Anaphylaxis is the most acute and serious form of allergy. Approximately 1 in 200 individuals will experience such a reaction. Nuts are responsible for many such reactions. For this reason Everlearn Preschool is a “Nut Free Zone”. We encourage families to pack a nutritious lunch that does not need to be heated in order to prepare for eating out of a lunchbox at school eg sandwich, wrap, piece of fruit, snack.