This wonderful little school has a really organic feel to it, almost like you're playing in your back garden. Play is open ended to encourage creativity and our kids always come back home smiling after a great day. Amazing staff, too - friendly, knowledgable and lots of fun for the kids! Highly recommended!

There aren't enough words to express how incredible Pottsville Community Preschool has been for my son and how much he has grown thanks to the outstanding educators at PCP. He used to have separation anxiety, and for me as a first-time mother, with my son never having attended daycare, his start at preschool was daunting for me. Yet the educators are so warm, so connected, so caring, so *human*, they never once made me feel like I was overreacting and they made my son feel so safe and welcome. They truly feel like family. They gave me 100% support to assist my son into a gentle transition, including being able to be there for him as much as necessary. I loved that we were able to attend for play times as much as we wanted in the term before he began, to get him used to the environment, the rules and the educators. Because of all of this, his transition was flawless, he truly trusts his educators and he has completely loved his year there before starting "big school". He has grown immensely from being at PCP, with his confidence, social skills and self-reliance increasing no end. One of the first things I noticed about the preschool was how relaxed, calm and friendly the educators were. I have never experienced any of them seeming stressed (as I have seen before at daycare centres I have visited) and this really flows onto the kids, setting up the perfect environment with the children also calm, happy and excited about another day of preschool. The children are treated with warmth, gentleness and respect for the individuals they are and I felt genuinely listened to and cared about as a parent. I love the natural wildness of the outdoor play area (lots of trees and plants, mud kitchen, wooden swings, a big rock pool with water play, bikes etc) and the Montessori-style toys inside, with enough variety to keep my brainiac-science-mad boy interested. There is always something amazing and new being offered that I would never have thought of! I am a big fan of the relaxed structure, with children being able to eat when they are hungry without set meal times, take intelligent risks and have independence over their belongings and play preferences. It is wonderful to have my son come home from every preschool day covered in dirt, exhausted and happy as a clam! There is a strong focus on helping children be aware of their emotions and emotional regulation (without judging them), with regular opportunities for quiet time throughout the day. They have treats some days (like smoothies, water ice-blocks or watermelon when it's hot) and regular dance parties, which my son just loves! There is also an emphasis on sun-safety, with sunscreen reapplication during the day and children being kept out of the open sun when the UV index is high. The preschool's optional Nature Explorers program is another big plus; the kids get to go out with educators in small groups on a dedicated day and explore parts of the natural environment including the Koala reserve, sand dunes, and bush locations, and learn about tool use, conservation, bush safety and animals. I really appreciated that there was a significant focus on Australian indigenous peoples (the local Bundjalung tribes), their language, traditions and culture, so that the kids start life with a respect and appreciation for the original custodians of the land they live on. The educators make short group videos of the children's day and post them on a private Facebook page for parents to enjoy, for us to have an insight into the children's day; which is excellent if, like my son, when asked what they did today they say "I don't know!" because there was just SO much! It allows us to debrief and carry over learnings and concepts at home. All in all, I couldn't have imagined a better preschool for my son. Pottsville Community Preschool is a true gem and we will greatly miss the educators and children that we have grown to know and love. I hope they are still doing this great work for many, many years to come for many other families. Thank you SO much to Cassy and all the educators!