About us

Children begin kindergarten with their own interests, questions, values, and family backgrounds. By respecting this, enduring and equitable relationships between children, their peers and adults can be developed, enabling each child to feel safe, respected, happy and nurtured.

Why choose Ripponlea Kinder?

The Ripponlea Kindergarten philosophy is Play, Learn, Care, Develop.

At Ripponlea Kindergarten we create a safe, welcoming, and stimulating learning environment where:

  • Equity, inclusion, and diversity are embedded in practice and discrimination against race, gender, disability or age is not tolerated. Children are given every opportunity to succeed, and their diverse circumstances, cultural backgrounds and abilities are respected and valued. Respect for others and self is encouraged at all times
  • We are committed to the Child Safe Standards and have zero tolerance for child abuse
  • Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Cultures and Histories are valued and embedded in the curriculum, guided by developing partnerships with the local Bunurung community and our Reconciliation Action Plan
  • Children's voices and ideas are listened to and acted on within the community and the curriculum as we recognise that they are competent learners. We have high expectations of what they can achieve
  • We endeavour to teach sustainable practices to the children that instil responsibility for their local place and the wider world and a recognition that they are part of an interconnected world where their actions have effects
  • We value family and community partnerships at the kindergarten and are led by a parent run Committee of Management. We recognise that children's connections to their community are essential to their sense of belonging
  • We believe that play is essential for children's learning and children learn best within an unhurried environment
  • We ensure that kinder is fun, nurturing and inclusive.

Specialist programs

Ripponlea Primary visits

We use certain areas of Ripponlea Primary School for fun, play and school readiness preparation.

Incursions

We organise incursions that bring real-world experiences, safety education, laughter and fun into the kinder.

Bush kinder

The 4-year-old Walert group includes a bush kinder program at Rippon Lea Estate. 

Italian language teaching

3-year-old Warrin group and 4-year-old Walert and Gawarn groups have an Italian language program each week.