What's so good about C&K centres?

[tinkataylor]

Hey guys

First of all I'm not here to b** about C&K centres.

My question is what is so attractive/what do they provide that is so desirable?

I work at a privately owned centre with a kindergarden program and 2 qualified teachers in the older rooms but we regularly have parents tell us they are only at our centre until a position opens up at C&K

I'd love to know what's different about them so I can strive to make at least my room as good as C&K.

Thanks guys

[Lorina]

I haven't heard much about this particular chain (probably because I'm located in Sydney) however I did a quick browse of their website. In their website it states their the only centre in Queensland with an independent learning curriculum. Although I'm not too sure if they are still following that curriculum since EYLF has been introduced. At each of their centres they have programs about Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islanders which they incorporate into play and also they have a specific Kindergarten centre which children attend before prep school. Apparently if children go through their Kindergarten they do better at school. So, this is what it says on the internet. Maybe that's why Parents are so eager to get their child into one of their centres....

I've worked at privately owned centres and some of them are great. However I don't think parents count this as part of their child being able to learn... They would prefer to send their child to a chain centre where they think the teaching and learning is different. It's so silly! It shouldn't matter now since the EYLF has been introduced, since now all centres private or chain have to follow the same curriculum...

I know must be frustrating to hear from the parents. It seems like they put their child into your care just for the hell of it until something better pops up!I think the best thing for you to do is talk about the learning opportunities the children are involved in throughout the day at your centre...

It's hard for the small centres to compete with the big ones...

,
L.A

[fchaudari76]

Yep I hear this too especially when it comes to the kindy program. It's weird as be it c & k or anywhere it'll still be with a qualified teacher & run in accordance to the kindy program & outcomes but sadly chain centres come across as having more resources & running better managed programs. I've worked at a c & k and saw them do nothing different to private & community centres I've worked in. I think parents need more education regarding the eylf & kindy program. In a survey I did at my centre a large chuck of parents had not much idea what these actually were!!!!!
Worrying!!

[catchmeifucan]

I've heard about C and k centres. They have a great reputation and are well respected within the community.
however like L.A said since the EYLF has been developed all centres now should be running the same curriculum the only difference would be how the curriculum's being implemented.

[leenie]

I'm from QLD the community kindergarten-Not for profit. (C&K) does have a good reputation. It's pre-prep(preschool) program-
It does a five day fortnight school hours and closes school holidays. A C&K was built within the school grounds I did OSHC. It was purpose built for pre-prep so the building and outside looked great.They have a program called Building Waterfalls which complements the EYLF. The cost for 5 days is not expensive that is why a lot of parents want to get into it. Under $30 a day. Doesn't include CCB so for some parents it is very inexpensive. Especially if other days they need to go to long day care. I don't know much about their long day care 0-3.

[jadey01]

As a Kindergarten Teacher, I would love to work at a c and k.
I would do nothing different to what I do in long day care.
Except,
I would get prep time handpick up time everyday
I would get programming time frequently....In long daycare, 2 hours programming hardly happens
I would be able to work the set shift
The money that the centre makes goes into the centre
C and K provides school holidays.
So, for me....I would rather work at a c and k who shows how much they think the kindergarten program is valuable.

[Kelly Spencer]

I think that the quality of care within the centre depends on the staff that are in there and if you have the passion for making the child's learning as highest quality possible, there is no reason why you couldn't be as good or better than C&K..

When I first tried studying quite a few years ago, I did my placement in a C&K centre. The director that was there at the time was terrible. I had just had my eldest daughter and she was around 6 weeks old. I organised with the director to have my daughter come to the centre during my lunch breaks so that I could breast feed her. The director had verbally told me this was fine. I went through my placement not thinking there was any issues. Then when she filled out my book to give back to my assessor she wrote completely unprofessional things in it stating about how I was breastfeeding and the lack of professionalism due to it and inconvenience of it. I was horrified; thinking that at a centre we should encourage breast feeding! Needless to say, my assessor was also appalled at her responses. Unfortunately it halted my studies until recently, but proudly I can say I have now completed them and that horrible director is now a distant memory.

[linsaa fdc]

Hi All,
Yes C&K have a good reputation here as well, why? I'm not sure because the little ones I had at 3yo were achieving the same outcomes as the C&K child was the year before prep. But because the siblings went there the mother wanted the child i had in care to go there too, even though she said that miss 3 had learnt so much more with me then her other 2 did at C&K......Anyway its their choice.