The Great Kindy-Auditioning Drama...
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Category: Have A Baby?
Forum Name: Kindy and Beyond
Forum Description: So you've survived the sleepless nights and toddler tantrums, now the fun really begins! Talk to other parents of older children here!
URL: https://www.ohbaby.co.nz/forum/forum_posts.asp?TID=6204
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Topic: The Great Kindy-Auditioning Drama...
Posted By: Katherine
Subject: The Great Kindy-Auditioning Drama...
Date Posted: 17 March 2007 at 9:46pm
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My babysitter's oldest son is going to start kindy soon, and there are three in her area that he can go to. She visited them all, then got her husband to visit them all, and now they are totally undecided about which one he should go to! So it got me thinking, how are you all deciding what kindy your child should go to? Are you "auditioning" them one by one, asking a list of questions to the principals and teachers, ticking things off a list? What is your criteria? I'd love to know! |
Replies:
Posted By: aimeejoy
Date Posted: 17 March 2007 at 9:48pm
I would like to know when you are meant to enrol your child/put name on list, as I already have people asking if Hannah is enrolled for kindy!  We have 3 in town here (all within 5 mins) so I would also like to know how to choose.------------- Aimee Hannah 22/10/05 Greer 11/02/08 |
Posted By: Maya
Date Posted: 17 March 2007 at 10:05pm
Aimee, I'd look into it now - we enrolled Maya in preschool just before she was 2 and she started at 3. Primary school is a whole nother ball game - if I don't get the gremlins enrolled shortly they won't be able to get into the school Maya is enrolled in 
Katherine - I have been incredibly lucky with Maya's preschool - I never even visited before I enrolled her. I knew the local montessori had a not-so good reputation, so I looked at the next one out from us, had a chat with a friend who is a kindy teacher in the same area and she said it had a great rep so I enrolled Maya and they have been brilliant. She is absolutely thriving there. It was the same with her daycare - I enrolled her there coz it was on campus at my uni so convenient and they just happened to be excellent. So excellent that the gremlins will be going there next Feb. I wish I had some fail-proof audition tips, but nope - just lucky!  -------------  Maya Grace (28/02/03)
 (02/01/06)
The Gremlins:Sienna Marie & Mercedes Kailah (14/10/06)
Lil miss:Chiara Louise Chloe (09/07/08)
Her ladyship:Rosalia Sophie Anais (18/06/12)
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Posted By: Katherine
Date Posted: 17 March 2007 at 10:09pm
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Following on from this, how do you choose a primary school, if there's more than one in your area? Same sort of thing -- what do you ask, what do you look for? |
Posted By: my2angels
Date Posted: 17 March 2007 at 10:11pm
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I know for me there are 3 in the area that i could take Kobe to and they vary in the age they will take children from. One is 3yrs 8mths, one is 3yrs 3mths and the other is from about 2yrs 9mths i think.
I am basing my decision on reputation really and the opinion of people I trust. |
Posted By: Maya
Date Posted: 17 March 2007 at 10:13pm
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I asked around at Playcentre, daycare etc. We are Catholic so we only had a choice of 3 local schools, and the one I have chosen feeds into a gifted kids programme that preschool has recommended for Maya so hopefully that will be the best for her. ------------- Maya Grace (28/02/03)
(02/01/06)
The Gremlins:Sienna Marie & Mercedes Kailah (14/10/06)
Lil miss:Chiara Louise Chloe (09/07/08)
Her ladyship:Rosalia Sophie Anais (18/06/12)
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Posted By: mummy_becks
Date Posted: 17 March 2007 at 10:18pm
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We had an article in the local paper today about the kindy's in Palmy and most of them are full and you have to go on a waiting list. ------------- I was a puree feeder, forward facing, cot sleeping, pram pushing kind of Mum... and my kids survived! |
Posted By: mum2emj
Date Posted: 18 March 2007 at 7:38am
i just went for the closest kindy to us- it is right besdie the school where she will be going to so she will hopefully start to make some long lasting friendships that will continue on to primary school  i went to the same kindy and primary when i was a little girl too.
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Posted By: nuttymama
Date Posted: 18 March 2007 at 8:12am
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We went for the ones closest to us and have been very lucky. Jaydens Kindy was huge and the teachers were fantastic. As for waiting lists they vary but I know at his old one the waiting list is like this:
Under twos - 8 2 to 3 - 13 3 to 4 - 6 A lot of people especially those with older children that attend that centre enroll their children at birth, so it pays to get in early. As for Abbys creche it was another case of getting lucky her centre is great and it was just a case of going in and having a look around and seeing what went on. The things I looked for were: Did the kids look happy How friendly and helpful were the staff Did they have lots of activities set up for the kids Was it clean And of course price I would love to send Abby to Jaydens Kindy but it has taken so long to settle her into creche that I don't think she would take to moving very well. The good thing is creche does everything that Kindy do so it won't be so bad. ------------- Abigail 06/01/2005 Jayden 21/11/2001 Micheal 03/04/1997 |
Posted By: Bizzy
Date Posted: 18 March 2007 at 9:49am
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you can check out the ERO reports for both kindys and schools... http://www.ero.govt.nz/ERO/Publishing.nsf/Print/Reports - HERE
also with state shcools you are kind of restricted to zones but not kindys... and is best to enrol your kids at 2yrs for kindy, or earlier if it is a really popular one... ------------- http://www.myfitnesspal.com/weight-loss-ticker"> 
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Posted By: busymum
Date Posted: 18 March 2007 at 1:39pm
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I'd be looking for teacher to child ratio as well. ------------- |
Posted By: mummy_becks
Date Posted: 18 March 2007 at 10:46pm
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At a kindy the child teacher ratio is 15:1 quite high. They usually have 3 teachers and 45 children at each session. When I was working at a kindy they also had the odd parent help which helped them out but didn't count with the ratios as they were not "qualified". ------------- I was a puree feeder, forward facing, cot sleeping, pram pushing kind of Mum... and my kids survived! |
Posted By: mum2paris
Date Posted: 19 March 2007 at 8:43am
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i would also be looking at kindys that are close to the school you would want to send your child to.. so that they meet friends they will more than likely start at school with - which makes the transition a bit easier for them and means they have a familiar face or wee friend going through the same thing as them.. ------------- Janine and her 2 cool chicks, Paris & Ayja 
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Posted By: Glow
Date Posted: 19 March 2007 at 9:50pm
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OMG my baby is going to start Kindy the week b4 end of term. He's only 26mnths. I enrolled him at the start of the year & just had to wait for a place to come up. There is only 1 Kindy in my town; population 3000. ------------- Mummy of Two Boys B: 2004 K: 2007 |
Posted By: thunderwolves
Date Posted: 20 March 2007 at 8:41am
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Just thought I would let you all know even though Ethan is only 5 months I will probably be lurking around this forum quite a bit, I am an Early Childhood teacher so if I can help anyone with any questions about Kindy or other services I will sure do my best to help.. ------------- http://alterna-tickers.com"> 
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Posted By: Bumble
Date Posted: 27 March 2007 at 11:34am
I enrolled my son as soon as he was 2. He got into a Kindy here in Auckland when he was 3 and 3 months. The only prob now is waiting for a space to go to morning Kindy. His best friend is already on morning kindy and it looks like he wont go down till may...  We chose one that was within walking distance, even tho we have a car. We chose it because it has a good working relationship with the school. (also within walking distance)
On another note.... Is anyones kindy going to do the 20 hrs free thing that the government is offering. Ours is probably not going to. But it is the only thing that we as a family will get from the government (We arent entitled to any subsidies..) If they elect not to go with it, we may have to stop paying our donation.. Bee http://lilypie.com"> 
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