Farrer Playschool

General Information

The Farrer Playschool is a not-for-profit, community-based educational facility for three year old children. The Playschool’s fully qualified staff use a structured program to help the “Playschoolers” develop the social skills and confidence that will be of value to them in their Preschool year – and it’s also lots of fun!

Student Eligibility

Playschool is for those children who have turned three by the 30th of April in the year they attend, and who are expected to attend preschool the following year. In the early weeks of Term One, children who have not turned three must be accompanied by a parent or carer until, the child’s third birthday. Children attending Playschool are expected to be toilet trained.

Roster Duty

Two people are required to assist the teachers at every session. These people are additional to those parents staying because the children are under the age of three. 

Parents/Carers need to put their name down for roster duty only once per term. If you are unable to attend on your rostered day please contact the teachers to make other arrangements.

Siblings are welcome to attend sessions in the company of someone on rostered duty.  Parents and carers please note that you are welcome to stay for any session if you feel your child needs you.

Who runs the Playschool?

The Playschool is run by the Parents Association of Farrer Playschool Incorporated (PAFPI).  All parents of children attending in the current year are members of PAFPI. A voluntary committee of parents performs the day to day tasks involved in running the Playschool.  The Committee comprises:

The Parent Committee will be elected at the Annual General Meeting (AGM) to be held in February.  Parents are encouraged at attend the AGM and the General Meetings held once per term.  The meetings are a great opportunity to find out what is going on and to meet other parents with children at the Playschool.

How many sessions?

A maximum of 20 children are in each session. Parents can choose one day to enrol their child per week.  We operate on Monday, Tuesday & Wednesday for five hours each day (9.30am-2.30pm). 

Dropping Off and Picking Up

Children must not be left at the Playschool before the session starts and must be picked up promptly at the end of the session.  Parents usually stay with their children for 10-15 minutes at the start of sessions and do a puzzle or two until everyone arrives and the teacher brings the group together.

An attendance register is kept by the door of the classroom for you to sign your children in and out.  Here parents can leave messages for the teachers, for example, if your child is going to be absent or on holidays.

What to bring

For every session your child must bring a ‘school bag’ containing:

• morning tea in a small labeled container
• lunch in a lunch box
• a drink bottle
• a hat
• a small cushion for rest time
• a change of clothes (just in case!).  

Please mark your child’s name on all these items.

In cooler weather please also send along a warm coat.