Early Years
Early Learning at KRB
A beautiful beginning
The early years should be filled with curiosity, imagination, friendship and joy. At Kincoppal-Rose Bay, we treasure this important stage of childhood while giving children the confidence, skills and love of learning that will prepare them beautifully for the years ahead.
Set within our remarkable harbour-side campus, surrounded by bushland and close to the beach, KRB Early Learning gives children space to explore, create, play and discover. Our approach is grounded in the Sacred Heart tradition of educating hearts and minds and enriched by contemporary early childhood practice, including inspiration from Reggio Emilia and Forest School philosophies.
Our dedicated early years teachers and co-educators bring deep professional expertise, warmth and care to every child’s learning journey.
Most importantly, families can choose the early learning experience that is right for their child and their family.
Early Learning pathways for every family
Three choices for 4-year-olds
We know that children develop differently and families have different needs. That is why KRB offers three distinct pathways for children in the year before school.
3 years | Co-educational | Long Day Care
For our youngest children, Sophie’s Place offers a co-educational Long Day Care programme for 3-year-olds.
Our youngest learners are based in a welcoming, stand-alone cottage nestled within our Junior School campus and designed to feel like a home away from home.
It is a warm and nurturing introduction to KRB, where children are encouraged to play, wonder, investigate and form friendships within a caring community. Through developmentally appropriate experiences, children begin building confidence and independence while retaining all the joy and freedom that should characterise these early years.
Sophie’s Place provides families with the flexibility of Long Day Care while giving children the opportunity to become part of the wider KRB community.
4 years | Reggio Emilia Inspired/ Long Day Care
For families who need the flexibility of longer care, our Joigny Long Day Care programme combines a rich early learning experience with the practical needs of family life.
Children learn through play, inquiry, creativity, relationships and exploration, building the social, emotional and cognitive foundations that support a confident transition to school.
4 years | Reggio Emilia inspired | Term Time
Our Joigny Term Time programme is inspired by the Reggio Emilia approach and sees children as capable, curious learners with their own ideas, questions and ways of understanding the world.
Educators work alongside children as collaborators and researchers, creating opportunities for investigation, imagination and discovery. Our programme emphasises children’s curiosity, deep thinking, exploration and collaborative learning.
It is an engaging option for families looking for a rich, play- and inquiry-based early childhood experience within the rhythm of the school year.
4 years | Term Time | Early literacy and numeracy
KRB Prep provides a more structured pathway towards school, while still recognising the importance of play, creativity, relationships and exploration in early childhood.
Set alongside the Kindergarten classrooms, the Prep environment is designed to support a calm, thoughtful transition into Junior School. Play is prioritised and balanced with the intentional teaching of key foundational literacy and numeracy skills, helping children build confidence and become familiar with the rhythms of school while preserving the creativity, curiosity and exploration central to early childhood.
Prep is an ideal choice for families looking for the warmth and wonder of early childhood education combined with purposeful preparation for the learning routines and expectations of school.
Wild Time
Childhood with room to roam
One of the experiences that makes early learning at KRB particularly special is Wild Time, experienced by children across all of our Early Learning groups.
Our extraordinary location allows learning to extend well beyond the classroom. Children can explore the natural environment around them, spending time in the bush and at the beach, developing curiosity, confidence and an appreciation of the world around them. Wild Time is an opportunity for children to explore the natural world and develop respect for nature.
Wild Time gives children something increasingly precious: time and space to play outdoors, investigate, imagine, take appropriate risks and simply enjoy being children.
Whether they are discovering something beneath a log, exploring the shoreline, creating imaginary worlds or noticing the changing natural environment, children learn that the world itself can be their classroom.
Learning through curiosity and wonder
At KRB, children are not simply prepared for the next stage of education. They are encouraged to become enthusiastic learners.
Our educators create environments in which children can ask questions, experiment, collaborate, make mistakes and try again. Our programme deliberately creates spaces for collaboration, adventure, investigation and quiet reflection, while encouraging children to engage deeply with questions arising from the world around them.
Across our programmes, children also benefit from specialist learning experiences. Our programme includes opportunities across areas including languages, Library, Physical Education and Wild Time, with additional extracurricular opportunities available.
Learning is purposeful, but childhood is never rushed.
Known, valued and ready to grow
Our approach recognises that every child arrives with their own personality, experiences, interests and strengths.
Within a community shaped by kindness, joy, belonging and respect, children are encouraged to develop independence while knowing that they are deeply supported. Our Early Learning philosophy places particular emphasis on children feeling appreciated and accepted and on kindness, cooperation, collaboration, respect and acceptance of difference.
Being part of KRB also means becoming part of a much larger community. From their earliest years, children begin to experience the relationships, traditions, spaces and sense of belonging that characterise a KRB education.
Find the right beginning for your child
For 3-year-olds
- Sophie’s Place: co-educational Long Day Care
For 4-year-olds
- Joigny Long Day Care: a rich Reggio Emilia learning programme with Long Day Care
- Joigny Term Time: a Reggio Emilia inspired early learning programme
- KRB Prep: a Term Time programme incorporating explicit early literacy and numeracy
For every child
- Wild Time: KRB’s distinctive outdoor play and learning experience
Families can visit KRB through a Discovery session and experience the Early Learning environment and its surrounding natural spaces firsthand.
Give your child a beautiful beginning at KRB.
Frequently asked questions
KRB offers Sophie’s Place for 3-year-olds and three pathways for 4-year-olds: Joigny Long Day Care, Joigny Term Time and KRB Prep.
Yes.
Families can choose Joigny Long Day Care, Joigny Term Time or KRB Prep, depending on the learning experience and care arrangements that best suit their child and family.
Both offer rich, Reggio Emilia-inspired learning through play, enquiry, creativity and relationships. Joigny Long Day Care provides longer care, while Joigny Term Time follows the rhythm of the school year.
KRB Prep combines play, creativity, relationships and exploration with explicit early literacy and numeracy experiences. This helps children build foundational skills and confidence for the transition to Kindergarten.
Yes. For girls, accepting a place in KRB Prep also means committing to a place in Kindergarten at KRB.
Wild Time is KRB’s distinctive outdoor play and learning experience for children across all Early Learning groups. Children explore the bush and beach at our back gate, investigate the natural world, use their imaginations and develop confidence through age-appropriate challenges within our school grounds.
Children can take part in specialist learning experiences including languages, Library, Physical Education, Music, Art, and Wild Time, with additional co-curricular opportunities available.
Educators recognise each child’s personality, experiences, interests and strengths. Children are supported to develop independence within a community shaped by kindness, joy, belonging and respect.
Families can consider their child’s age, interests and learning needs, together with whether they prefer Long Day Care or a Term Time programme. KRB offers several pathways so families can choose the experience that is right for them. You do not need to make this decision alone, our expert team will guide you in choosing the programme that best supports your child and family.
Yes. Families can attend a Discovery session to experience the Early Learning environment and its surrounding natural spaces firsthand.
Yes. Most children who attend the Joigny Centre or KRB Prep go on to KRB Kindergarten.
A natural pathway to Kindergarten
Early Learning at Kincoppal–Rose Bay is the beginning of a wonderful educational journey. Both Joigny and KRB Prep provide a natural pathway to Kindergarten, allowing children to continue their learning within a familiar and supportive School community.
Throughout their Early Learning years, children develop the confidence, independence and foundational skills that prepare them for the next stage of their education. They build friendships, become familiar with the wider School environment and develop a strong sense of belonging to the KRB community.
Our approach supports a smooth and positive transition into Kindergarten, with continuity in relationships, learning experiences and our shared commitment to educating hearts and minds. As they move into Junior School, girls benefit from the familiarity of their surroundings and the confidence that comes from already feeling part of the School, providing a strong foundation for their educational journey through to Year 12.