Playgroup and Pre-Prep Program
Junior Joey's Playgroup- Connecting our Community
Monday mornings from 9am to 10am during term time
At St. Joseph’s, we value the importance of early childhood development and the vital role that play, connection, and community engagement have in a child’s growth. Our weekly Junior Joey's playgroup runs from February to December and provides a supportive, welcoming, and developmentally rich environment where children aged birth to 5 years can explore, create, and build social skills through play.
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Facilitated by our Learning Diversity Leader, Stacey Farrell, a qualified educator in Early Childhood, each session is thoughtfully designed to foster curiosity, creativity, and confidence in young learners. Playgroup also offers parents and carers the opportunity to connect with one another and with our school community in a relaxed and friendly setting. These early relationships help lay the foundation for a smooth and confident transition into school. Our Junior Joey's playgroup is open to the wider community, not just families enrolled at St. Joseph’s.
We warmly invite you to come along and experience the benefits for yourself.
Pre-Prep Program- A Nurturing Start for Future Learners
Friday mornings from August to December during term time
We understand that the early years prior to school are an important time in a child’s development, socially, emotionally, physically, and academically. Building on the education and care of the early years, our Pre-Prep Program, established in 2022, offers a familiar play-based experience that supports a positive and effective transition between the early childhood space and primary school.
For children starting Prep at St Joseph's the following year, the Pre-Prep Program provides a supported, nurturing space where they can build relationships with peers and teachers, become familiar with the school environment, all while developing a sense of belonging in their new school community.
Facilitated by Stacey Farrell, our Pre-Prep Program is structured across terms 3 and 4 once a week for one hour, which provides our youngest learners with a positive transition to school:
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Term 3 | Stay & Play: Children engage in purposeful play while parents are welcome to stay, connect, as their child builds relationships and confidence in their new space.
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Term 4 | Drop & Go: Children attend independently, building on the relationships developed in term 3.
The Pre-Prep Program lays the foundation for a smooth and confident transition into the Prep year, building familiarity with our staff, spaces and structure. It ensures every child begins their school journey feeling safe, secure, and ready to flourish.
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​For more information or to register your interest, please contact Stacey Farrell on stacey.farrell@sjmalvern.catholic.edu.au