welcome to
Cedars Montessori Pre-school
FAQS
Every question and comment is important to us, no matter how simple or complex, so if you can’t find the answer you’re looking for then please don’t hesitate in contacting us.
Is there a Waiting List
Cedars is a much-loved centre with a boutique size so we do have Waiting List of families who are waiting to join us. We are not able to guarantee immediate vacancies to new enquiries, but we will always endeavour to accommodate your family!
For those who are planning ahead, we are told that we are worth the wait!
Join our Waiting List.
We have a $40 non-refundable Waiting List Fee.
If an offer of enrolment is made within 4 weeks of this fee being paid, the $40 will be deducted from your Enrolment Fee.
Siblings of children currently or previously enrolled with SA Montessori are able to register to the Waiting List for free.
Unfortunately we are never able to guarantee families an eventual position but we run our Waiting List ethically and conscientiously.
To learn more please download our Enrolment Process information.
What are the Tuition Fees?
Our fees are as follows:
TODDLER & TRANSITION PLAYGROUP:
$250 per 10 week term. Payable for full term in advance.
PRESCHOOL:
8am – 5.30pm:
$141 per day for children aged under 3
$134 per day for children aged over 3
Our Preschool fees are structured according to age group to reflect the differing costs associated with these ages, including (but not limited to) the increased number of educators required to satisfy the legal educator-to-child ratios for younger children
Payable weekly via ‘Debitsuccess’.
Preschool fees are eligible for the Child Care Subsidy (CCS).
Enrolment Registration Fee: $145
To learn more download our Fee Schedule
What is Cedars' Quality Rating?
We are proud to announce that Cedars Montessori Preschool has been awarded the ‘Exceeding’ Rating by ACECQA.
Five of our SA Montessori centres have reached the level of Exceeding the National Quality Standard with two of them, Chancery Lane and Jescott, achieving the additional ‘Excellent’ Rating’.
Can I visit Cedars?
Absolutely!
We feel that visiting in person is the best way for you to get to know us. Simply complete the contact form at the bottom of this page – or email cedars@samontessori.com.au – to make an appointment for a tour.
Where is Cedars located?
Cedars Montessori Pre-school is located on the grounds of Saint Spyridon College at 52 Oxford Tce, Unley. Our parents enjoy the convenience of our close proximity to major bus routes and easy access to the surrounding shopping and business district. Our children are able to connect with the local community by visiting the Unley City Library and the Village Green outdoor space just across Oxford Terrace. There is plenty of short-term street parking along Oxford Terrace for parents when dropping off or collecting children.
What Qualifications do the teachers have?
We are proud to employ highly qualified and skilled educators. The high standard of teaching and care offered at Cedars Montessori is a reflection of the talent, dedication and skill of our teachers.
Does Cedars provide food?
The centre does not provide meals but food is incorporated as a learning experience in the children’s kitchen. Children prepare and taste fruit, vegetables or other nutritious snacks. When it comes to meals it is our experience that children benefit when food is brought from home. This allows the child to feel connected to home during the day and ensures that meals will cater to individual tastes and cultural preference of the family.
Does my child need to be immunised?
Yes, to fulfil our obligations to provide a safe and healthy environment for employees, children, families and visitors we do require evidence of adherence to the nationally recommended vaccination schedule as a prerequisite for enrolment and as a condition of continuing attendance.
Please download our Immunisation Policy for more information.
Is there a uniform?
Our Cedars children wear a custom blue polo shirt proudly featuring our logo and a unique design that was created in collaboration with a local Aboriginal artist. Our families identified the key values of Cedars Montessori, and these are symbolically represented through the design to encapsulate the following message:
Central to our being is community. Our centre creates opportunities for our children to grow, we nurture strong relationships, whether that is staff to parents/caregivers, children to staff or children to other children. We develop resilience in our children to deal with daily challenges and experiences through respecting people and place.
Our shirt is complemented by a red Cedars hat. It is a requirement of our Sun Protection Policy that children wear their protective sun hat on days when the UV is 3 or above, and many of our children choose to wear their hat year round.
Can my child nap at Cedars?
We endeavour to meet the individual needs of each child so we do not have any blanket rules about naps and we do not enforce group ‘sleep times’. Children will be allowed to rest or sleep as desired, however, it is anticipated that children of pre-school age will not require a regular sleep during the session. We do plan the routines of our day to incorporate periods of restful relaxation to ensure that each child’s well-being is supported.
What is the Orientation Process?
Cedars Montessori offers enrolling families the opportunity to attend two 1-hour Orientation Visits in the two weeks prior to their scheduled commencement date. Wherever possible, we encourage families to undertake their Orientation Visits on the same days as their upcoming enrolment. This allows the child to meet the teachers and peers who will be present during their regular days of attendance.
Families are provided with comprehensive information in their Enrolment Pack, including our Parent Handbook. We ask all enrolling families to read these thoroughly and retain them for future reference.
If you have any questions, please just ask us! We are here to make the process as smooth as possible for you.
Is it normal for me to feel nervous?
Entrusting your child into somebody else’s care is a big step. It can feel particularly momentous if this is the first time that your child will be separating from you. We don’t underestimate the emotion involved – for your child and for you as a parent – and we are here to support you both.
We understand each journey is unique so we will work with you to create the perfect plan to make this transition as secure, comfortable and happy as possible. If you are not ready for your child to attend full days immediately you are welcome to arrange an early collection time so that your child can gradually transition into the routines of our Preschool day.
Our Story
Cedars Montessori Pre-school has a proud and long history of providing high quality education and care. It is our deep sense of respect for every child that inspires us to prepare nurturing educational programs that enhance each child’s unfolding pattern of learning. Cedars Montessori Pre-school began in 1993 and was originally located in Parkside. In 2001 Cedars moved to Walford Anglican School for Girls as the registered providers of the early learning centre, and in 2012 Cedars relocated once again to the current location at St Spyridon College in Unley.
Cedars Montessori Pre-school welcomes children aged two to six years old. Our Pre-school is a very special place where every child feels valued.
A separate Toddler and Transition program is provided for children from 12 months to three years of age to attend alongside their parent, grandparent or other adult carer.
About Us
Cedars Montessori Pre-school operates in a space offering character and quality finishes. Everything inside the learning area is aesthetically appealing and carefully planned to offer a safe and comfortable environment for children. Wherever possible the centre offers children’s furniture and beautifully crafted materials made from natural materials. Double doors open out to a verandah to enable children to work inside or out, tend the garden beds and extend their classroom learning experiences. The immediate outdoor area has been developed to provide a versatile and purposeful play space. We arrange activities to stimulate and develop each child’s fine and gross motor skills. The children are active participants in the selection and set up of our outdoor equipment and experiences. We also have access to the Saint Spyridon College multi-purpose hall during inclement weather or for community events, and we are able to utilise some of their age-appropriate outdoor spaces and facilities outside of school hours.
The Montessori Pre-school curriculum is a three-year program that prepares a child with all the necessary skills to confidently enter Primary School at age five or six. It is a requirement that pre-school children must attend a minimum of two days a week. We recommend consecutive days for optimum continuity. Most children begin Preschool at the age of three, but some two-year-old children demonstrate developmental readiness for this group, especially in the months approaching their third birthday.
During the three-year Pre-school Program children experience enhanced learning through the vast array of specialised Montessori materials which are presented at various levels of difficulty to build upon each child’s existing level of knowledge and achievement. Cedars Pre-school provides excellent academic and social preparation that will assist children throughout their life. Children become self-motivated and confident students. Attendance at a government Kindergarten or other Early Learning Centre (ELC) is not required as children receive a holistic and comprehensive foundation from Cedars. In our experience children flourish more effectively when provided with the consistency of attending Cedars without the distraction of an alternative environment.
Priority of placement will be given to children who intend to complete their full three-year learning program at Cedars before graduating to Primary School.
To register your interest, please contact us or complete your Waiting List application.
Learn more about how our Montessori Preschool Program harmonises with the Early Years Learning Framework.
Our Toddler & Transition Playgroup sessions are a wonderful introduction to Montessori education, in a warm, relaxed environment where a parent or carer can share the experience with the child.
Each term is planned with a focus topic, and weekly sessions involve a variety of individual and group activities. The session is facilitated by our Co-ordinator, Andrea, a qualified Early Childhood teacher with more than 20 years of Montessori teaching experience.
Our classes focus not only on the child, but also on the parent (or carer). We provide a program that empowers parents to understand their child’s development, and to use Montessori inspired strategies to help them confidently reach their potential.
Our Toddler & Transition sessions also provide the perfect preparation for, and pathway to, our Preschool classes. It is an ideal time and place to start your child’s Montessori journey!
You can learn more about our ‘Toddler & Transition’ Playgroup program here.
Toddler & Transition sessions operate only during school terms. Fees are payable in advance for each term. Child Care Subsidy (CCS) cannot be claimed for this fee.
Our Montessori Pre-school
Our Montessori Playgroup sessions
Location
52 Oxford Tce, Unley
School Hours
M-F: 8am – 5.30pm
Weekends: Closed
Phone & Email
(08) 8373 4599
cedars@samontessori.com.au
Contact Cedars
Our DIRECTOR
Wendy O’Sullivan
Director
After completing her Bachelor of Early Childhood Education degree, Wendy spent a 10 year period at Prescott College Southern teaching children from Reception to Year 7. She also worked in various schools and Government Departments on a part-time basis. After the birth of her second child, Wendy took some time away from teaching to focus on being a Mum and pursuing her passion for photography. Wendy soon found that she missed teaching and returned to the classroom when she joined the Cedars team in 2017. Her interest in the Montessori teaching method inspired her to study a Diploma of Montessori. Wendy has a drive and passion to continue to develop a happy and beautiful environment at Cedars.
“The secret of good teaching is to regard the child's intelligence as a fertile field in which seeds may be sown, to grow under the heat of flaming imagination.”
Testimonials
What Parents are Saying
Cedars is a small, nurturing and inclusive environment, like a home away from home. Having different age levels in the one room gives the older children a chance to lead and care for the younger ones, and the younger ones look up to their older peers. We really like the child-led learning philosophy and the independence, confidence and natural curiosity it encourages from an early age.
For each of my children, Cedars has been a second home. Every morning when you arrive at Cedars, you instantly feel the warmth, love and a sense of belonging. From the bright and welcoming greeting your child receives from the educators as they walk in, to the cozy colourful classroom, which includes a big rainbow with each of their little faces. The beautiful educators know all the little details about each and every child; their personality, their abilities and their families. It’s hard to leave your child with others, but at Cedars it feels like your leaving your child with family.
Cedars is always full of smiling faces and helping hands that are ready to take the often tentative child (in the case of my son) under their wing and help them ease into the school day. It’s a place full of learning opportunities and the open communication and pictures sent through KeptMe help put us at ease knowing our son is having a great time.
Students
caring EDUCATORS
Centres
Years Established
Get In Touch
Cedars Montessori - Unley
cedars@samontessori.com.au
Chancery Lane Montessori - Adelaide CBD -
chancerylane@samontessori.com.au
Echoes Montessori - Modbury
echoes@samontessori.com.au
Jescott Montessori - Magill
jescott@samontessori.com.au
Lilliput Village Montessori - Maylands
lilliput@samontessori.com.au
Little Oxford Montessori - Unley
oxford@samontessori.com.au
Rosemont House Montessori - Norwood
rosemont@samontessori.com.au
Montessori Child is our preferred supplier for educational resources.
Our website is updated regularly and we endeavour to ensure it reflects current and accurate information - however, all details displayed are subject to change. It is important that you contact a centre directly to confirm up to date and correct details.
We would like to acknowledge this land upon which we live and learn as the traditional lands of the Kaurna people and we respect their spiritual relationship with Country. We also acknowledge the Kaurna people as the custodians of the greater Adelaide region and that their cultural and heritage beliefs are still as important to the living Kaurna people today and we give our respect to Elders.