Audience
Department-wide
Purpose
This procedure outlines the obligation of departmental staff and State Delivered Kindergarten (SDK) workers to comply with early childhood legislation (State and National), regulations, frameworks and guidelines when delivering kindergarten in Queensland state schools.
Overview
The department prioritises the health, wellbeing, safety, rights and best interests of children as a paramount consideration in all decisions and actions related to the operation of SDK. This includes upholding the Queensland Child Safe Standards and Universal Principle in SDKs and meeting all reporting obligations under the relevant legislation.
Schools delivering kindergarten must comply with specific requirements as early childhood education and care services. These include maintaining appropriate staff-to-child ratios, meeting space and facility standards, ensuring staff qualifications, maintaining accurate documentation and records, and adhering to defined roles and responsibilities for SDK workers.
This procedure supports the day-to-day operation of SDK by outlining specific compliance obligations, role responsibilities and key controls derived from the Department of Education's (the department) policies and procedures, State and National legislation, the National Quality Framework (NQF) and nationally required documents.
Responsibilities
Regional Directors
- provide leadership and supervision for all schools delivering kindergarten in their region
- ensure principals, school staff, workers and regional support teams understand and comply with the legislative obligations and program requirements of SDK including adherence to the SDK Operational policies and procedures
- fulfil the role of Person with management or control for the Department, acting on behalf of the State of Queensland as the Approved Provider for SDKs holding service approvals and operating under the National Law
- appoint school staff members to service-based positions in NQF-approved SDKs.
School Supervisors
- support Regional Directors to lead and oversee the delivery of SDK in their regions
- ensure principals, school staff, SDK workers and regional support teams understand and comply with the legislative requirements and obligations for the delivery of SDK.
Directors Partnerships and Programs
- oversee and assist Senior Advisors SDK to support Regional Directors to lead and oversee all schools delivering kindergarten in their region
- lead the provision of legislative, operational and curriculum, pedagogical learning support for schools delivering kindergarten
- lead key communication for schools, regional teams and the Regional Director
- liaise with Early Childhood Regulation and Communication (ECRC) Division, School Supervisors and Regional SDK operational and curriculum support staff to support the delivery of kindergarten in their region.
Regional Senior Advisors, SDK
- support Regional Directors to lead and oversee all schools delivering kindergarten in their region
- provide induction, legislative and operational support for schools delivering kindergarten and key communication for schools, regional teams and the Regional Director
- liaise with ECRC and Regional SDK curriculum support staff to facilitate the delivery of kindergarten in their region.
Regional SDK Curriculum Support staff
- lead curriculum, pedagogical and differentiated learning support for school staff delivering SDK to enhance delivery and practices aligning to the Queensland kindergarten learning guideline (QKLG).
Principals
- make local decisions that support the leadership, supervision, teaching and learning in the SDK
- consult with community and ECRC to determine the SDK delivery model, including hours, days and setting
- participate in necessary inductions and meet all legislative and departmental obligations required in the operation of the SDK, including adherence to the SDK Operational policies and procedures
- liaise with the Senior Advisor - SDK and School Supervisor to meet reporting obligations and notification requirements under relevant legislation.
Teachers
- lead the development and implementation of the kindergarten program and collaboratively support the cycle of curriculum planning to enhance practices in alignment with the QKLG
- meet all legislative, reporting and departmental obligations required in the operation of the SDK, including adherence to the SDK Operational policies and procedures
- ensure active supervision and prioritise the health, safety and wellbeing of kindergarten children at all times.
Process
Prior to commencement
Determine delivery model
- Based on estimated registration numbers, the principal determines the appropriate delivery model, noting that this may change due to fluctuating registrations throughout the year:
- 4 or fewer children at the same time: SDK is subject to the requirements of the ECS Act.
- 5 or more children at the same time: SDK is subject to the requirements of an approved service under the National Law.
- If the SDK is subject to the requirements of the National Law, the Senior Advisor SDK will:
- confirm whether an application for a service approval to operate is required.
- support the principal to prepare/update documentation to meet legislative requirements including the appointment of positions with responsibilities under the National Law.
Registration and attendance
- During Terms 3 and 4 of each year, principals can accept kindergarten registrations for the following year noting that:
- a child who is eligible for kindergarten registration may be registered at any time during the school year to accommodate changing family circumstances.
- An SDK may accept a child's registration for kindergarten, provided the child is not six years of age by 30 June in the year in which they participate in kindergarten (which is compulsory school age).
- To register a child, parents/carers need to provide a completed application to register a child in kindergarten and supporting documentation including:
- proof of date of birth. Documentary evidence of the child’s date of birth must be sighted prior to confirmation of registration. An alternative to a birth certificate may be considered as proof/evidence of a child’s birthdate where it is not possible to obtain a birth certificate.
- health and immunisation records. An Immunisation History Statement (IHS) should be provided for each child at the time of their application for registration, and remain updated as relevant. The immunisation status of the child should also be recorded and kept on file for registration of the child.
- a completed Authority to collect form to ensure that a child does not leave the premises except if the child is given into the care of a person authorised to do so.
- School staff responsible for processing registrations should note that administrative processes for kindergarten registration align with the processes for students enrolling in state schools, including proof of age requirements.
- Kindergarten children's attendance is recorded in OneSchool. Prior to the start of the school year, schools should contact OneSchool if timetables do not have the grade level 'OP' function which will enable roll classes to be added.
- School staff responsible for managing attendance should note that the Managing student absences and enforcing enrolment and attendance procedure does not apply to children registered to attend kindergarten as attendance is not compulsory.
Delivery
The department is committed to supporting schools to deliver quality kindergarten in a composite or non-composite setting that promotes equity and inclusion. Opportunities for professional learning and access to an SDK SharePoint (Authorised DoE employees only) site including links to QLearn modules are available for staff to build capability in kindergarten delivery.
Regional SDK teams provide operational and curriculum support and are the first point of contact for schools delivering kindergarten.
Teachers are supported by regional Senior Advisors SDK and Regional SDK curriculum support staff to deliver the kindergarten program in accordance with:
- relevant legislative requirements, the (QKLG) and supported by Foundations for Success; and
- the associated nationally required documents available on SDK SharePoint (Authorised DoE employees only), as per the State Delivered Kindergarten policy.
Teaching and learning
Teachers delivering kindergarten:
- utilise the K-12 Curriculum, assessment and reporting framework to meet the requirements for curriculum, pedagogy, assessment and reporting
- utilise the QKLG, supported by Foundations for Success
- plan, assess and make judgements about children's learning and developmental progress aligned to the QKLG learning and development areas
- monitor and document children's learning to inform decisions about planning, organising learning experiences, interacting with children and evaluating children's learning.
For SDKs approved under the National Law, access to a qualified early childhood teacher is required (for at least 20% of kindergarten program delivery time). Where an early childhood teacher is not engaged to deliver SDK at the school, this requirement is met by regular access to Regional SDK curriculum support.
Complying with relevant legislation
Principals must manage the requirements that result from the delivery of an SDK program in a state school. Support for schools to comply with relevant legislative and learning requirements is provided by regional SDK teams and ECRC. The principal is supported to:
- deliver a high-quality, culturally appropriate, child centred and context-specific early years program in the SDK
- ensure SDK workers complete an SDK induction program to equip them with the knowledge to effectively understand and perform their roles and responsibilities in relation to the health, safety, wellbeing and rights of children
- ensure SDK workers meet legislative requirements and comply with SDK nationally required documents, accessed on the SDK SharePoint site, in conjunction with departmental policies and procedures
- ensure SDK workers understand their role in protecting children from harm, and demonstrate active supervision of kindergarten children at all times when the SDK is operating
- adhere to Queensland's blue card requirements and the department's Working with children (blue card) procedure, ensuring workers hold a valid blue card or exemption card, where required
- ensure the safe use of digital technologies and online environments, by requiring that only department-issued devices are used to capture, store or transmit an image of any child educated or cared for by the SDK. SDK workers must not have a personal device in their possession or under their control while working directly with children, unless explicitly authorised.
- maintain accurate records and ensure compliance with display requirements. For services operating under the National Law, provide worker records to the Senior Advisor SDK for NQF-SDKs for uploading onto the National Early Childhood Worker Register.
- ensure there are school staff members with approved qualifications on duty at all times when the SDK is operational (including during excursions and when transporting kindergarten children in department-owned vehicles)
- ensure all SDK workers complete mandatory departmental training (including student protection training) and for SDKs operating under the National Law, National child safety training prior to working directly with children.
- submit all concerns regarding Departmental employees and other workers, including allegations of reportable conduct, via iRefer in accordance with the requirements of the department's Allegations against workers in the area of child and student protection procedure and the Reporting fraud and corruption procedure
- report any closures of the SDK or serious incidents to the regional SDK team who manage notifications to the Early Childhood Regulatory Authority
- ensure all SDK workers sign a declaration notice, confirming their prohibition status, prior to commencing work at the SDK
- ensure that school premises, along with equipment and furniture used in delivering kindergarten, are safe, clean, and in good repair, including any structures and measures specifically required for an SDK setting
- ensure SDK workers, visitors and children are aware of the required procedures if an emergency occurs whilst the SDK is operational. Rehearsals for various emergency and evacuation scenarios must be conducted every three months by all those present at the SDK, and documentation kept of the rehearsals
- monitor fluctuations in kindergarten registrations. If the change in numbers affects the delivery model, contact the regional Senior Advisor SDK.
Transition
All transitions are important in a child's life and supporting children and families to successfully transition to kindergarten and school helps foster their enthusiasm for lifelong learning. At the end of each year, the kindergarten teacher creates a summary of each child's learning within each of the five learning and development areas of the QKLG (transition statement) for every child completing their kindergarten year. This statement is provided to parents to support their child's transition to school.
Definitions
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Term
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Definition
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Active supervision
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Staff are alert and aware of risks and hazards and the potential for accidents and injury in the physical environment and are attuned to the capabilities of individual children.
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Approved provider
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A person/entity who holds a provider approval (National Law). A provider approval authorises a person to apply for one or more service approvals and is valid in all jurisdictions. The State of Queensland (Acting through the Department of Education) is the Approved Provider for SDK.
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Delivery model
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Schools are approved to deliver a kindergarten program, based on the number of registered kindergarten children, in one of the following settings:
- in a composite class - Integrated delivery of a kindergarten program in a classroom where full‑time education is being delivered to school children
- in a non-composite class - Delivery of a kindergarten program in a purpose-built kindergarten building/classroom established to accommodate a straight kindergarten class.
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Foundations for Success
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Aligned to the Early Years Learning Framework (EYLF), Foundations for Success supports the QKLG and is a practical guideline to extend and enrich learning for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander children in the kindergarten year.
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Kindergarten
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A part-time early childhood educational program for children in the year before Prep.
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Kindergarten child
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A child who will be 4 years old by 30 June in the year proposed for the child’s participation in SDK.
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National early childhood worker register
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An online system where approved providers record workers who are employed, engaged or appointed in specific education and care roles at NQF approved education and care services.
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National Quality Framework (NQF)
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The national system for regulating early learning and school age care. The framework consists of the National Law, National Regulations, National Quality Standard, approved learning frameworks and assessment and rating conducted by the Regulatory Authority).
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NQF-approved SDK
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SDK delivered for five or more kindergarten children and subject to the requirements of an approved education and care service under the National Quality Framework. A service approval is required.
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National Quality Standard
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The NQS sets a national benchmark for the quality of education and care services and includes seven quality areas that are important to positive outcomes for children.
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Prescribed state school
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As per section 419A of the
Education (General Provisions) Act 2006 (Qld) (EGPA), a prescribed school is:
- a state school that, immediately before the commencement of section 419A in 2009, was providing a program:
- focused on literacy and numeracy to prepare a child for education in the preparatory year; and
- approved by the Minister for the school; or
- a state school prescribed under a regulation.
The EGPA provides the Minister may approve a program focused on literacy and numeracy for preparing a child for education in the preparatory year, to be a kindergarten learning program for a prescribed state school. In order for a state school to commence delivery of a kindergarten learning program, it must be prescribed in a regulation.
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State Delivered Kindergarten (SDK)
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The program under which prescribed schools operate face-to-face kindergarten in either a composite or non-composite class setting.
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SDK workers
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In relation to NQF-approved SDKs, a person employed, engaged or appointed to work in or as part of SDK as an education and care service, including departmental employees and volunteers.
In relation to the National Early Childhood Worker Register, a person employed, engaged or appointed by the approved provider or service (including through labour hire) performing a specific education and care role at an NQF-approved SDK.
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Worker under section 8 of the Child Safe Organisations Act 2024
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In relation to the Reportable Conduct Scheme, includes:
- all employees (temporary, permanent or casual)
- volunteers, which include, P&C members, parents, other family members, or families who host international students
- contractors, subcontractors, consultants or sole traders providing services or products to schools or students through school or department purchasing arrangements, which can include requests to quote, government Standing Offer Arrangements or maintenance/building contracts
- individuals provided by labour hire services, which can include but is not limited to office support staff, relief teaching and chaplains
- trainees or work experience participants, including tertiary students on placement such as preservice teachers
- P&C executives and school council members.
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Legislation
Delegations/Authorisations
Other resources
Superseded versions
Previous seven years shown. Minor version updates not included.
1.0 Delivery of State Delivered Kindergarten