St Dunstan's Preschool
Mural created for our preschool by Martin Watson, 2013
About us
St. Dunstan's Preschool is a community based, not-for-profit organisation, and Registered Care Provider approved by the Department of Education. We are a Christian Preschool and Christian values are incorporated into the Preschool curriculum.
St. Dunstan's Preschool has 40 children attending each day, consisting of 2 groups of 20.
Each group is staffed by a qualified Early Childhood Teacher and Early Childhood Educator.
We also employ an Additional Needs Teacher and Additional Needs Assistants, giving us a higher educator to child ratio than required by the regulations. A commitment to the integration of children with additional support needs is a part of our Preschool Philosophy.
Our Management Committee
The Preschool is an incorporated body, managed by a Committee. This committee consists of 4 Preschool parents, 5 Church Representatives elected annually at the AGM meeting and the Nominated Supervisor of the Preschool as an ex-officio member.
The Management Committee meets on a monthly basis, where all aspects of the Preschool are discussed and business dealt with accordingly. The Constitution for the Preschool is available for viewing in the office.
A brief history
St Dunstan’s Preschool was commenced in February 1952, by Mrs Grace Sparrow, in the then new St Dunstan’s church, a timber army building. Mrs Sparrow felt that a morning preschool kindergarten would be of great benefit in the local community, and as the new church building had been officially opened and dedicated, it would be a suitable location. She discussed her ideas with Rev. Horsley of St Dunstan’s Church, and some of the parents of small children who were members of the local churches, before making an application to the Department of Education. Permission was granted!
During her last year working in the preschool, in 1965, Mrs Sparrow received kitchen help from families one morning per term (we still invite family involvement in the preparation of morning teas to this day), and required an assistant as preschool enrolments had increased to 31 children per day.
In 1972, fire destroyed the building at St Dunstan’s during the August holidays, and St George’s Church in Marsfield offered the use of their hall as a temporary home for the kindergarten. Mothers of the preschoolers formed a Mother’s Club to raise money to buy equipment to replace all that was lost.
In 1975, St Dunstan’s were granted a Commonwealth Government Grant to rebuild and equip a hall for the preschool to accommodate 40 children. At his time it was felt by St George’s that a preschool was needed in the area and they were considering opening one when St Dunstan’s returned to our Lovell Road location. The committee of St Dunstan’s church decided to hand over the existing preschool along with all equipment and funds to the establishment of St George’s preschool.
In September 1975, St Dunstan’s set up a new Preschool Management Committee, and started to organise the many details required for their new preschool.
The new Preschool building was finally completed and officially opened on November 21st, 1976. The preschool itself began operations on January 1st 1977.
