The Benefits of Full-Day Kindergarten

 What are the benefits of full-day kindergarten for students?

 Increased opportunity to develop strong literacy skills
 Increased opportunity to develop strong social skills
 Increased opportunity to develop positive self concept
 Increased likelihood that learning difficulties will be identified and acted upon earlier
 Stronger connection with the school (i.e., students attend all school events)
 Fewer transitions during a day (i.e., to school, to sitter, to home) creating predictability
and consistency in routines
 Smoother transition to Grade 1

 What are the benefits of full-day kindergarten for Parents

 Consistent and professional care for children
 Comfort of knowing children are well cared for and are learning in a safe and
developmentally appropriate environment throughout the day
 Opportunity to develop earlier and stronger connections to public school
 Increased opportunity to have an active role in children’s formal education
 Greater choice with respect to choosing between half time and full time Kindergarten
 Economic benefits related to childcare (less expensive than childcare)

 What are the benefits of full-day kindergarten for Teachers

 Increased opportunity to utilize powerful teaching approaches that require extended
periods of time
 Increased opportunity to develop stronger relationships with the children
 Increased opportunity to develop stronger relationships with families
 More time to determine and address individual student’s learning challenges
 Increased time to provide a less hurried learning environment
 More flexibility in planning the school day

 What are the benefits of full-day kindergarten for the School Division
 An opportunity to impact positively on our students’ learning (our top strategic priority)
 Another means to achieving our goal that all children read at or above grade level
 An investment in the early years is anticipated to reduce costs for special education and
remediation down the road
 Increased opportunity to take a strong leadership role in education

 What are the benefits of full-day kindergarten for the Community

 The provision of learning and care opportunities in provincially recognized school settings
 Investment in early learning has social, economic and justice benefits for the community
 Increased opportunity to meet the literacy demands required by today’s society
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 Full Day Kindergarten Programming

The full-day kindergarten student will have a balance of teacher directed instruction and child
focused activities. Full-day programs allow children and teachers time to explore topics in
greater depth.
They will be able to participate more fully in the cultural life of the school and will have more
dedicated time for learning. Teachers in the full-day kindergarten classrooms have more
flexibility. They have more time for one-to-one instruction and spend less time in large-group
learning situations. Children in full-day programs also spend more time in learning activities of
their own choosing.

Some Commonly Asked Questions

Will the children receive a grade one program?

No, the focus will be on a more thorough, in-depth teaching of the expectations from The
Revised Kindergarten Program (Ministry of Education, 2006). The learning outcomes for both
the 475 and 950 hr. programs are the same. Children in the 950 hr. program will have more time
to develop their skills and be exposed to a wider variety of learning activities in the extra time
they have at school.

Will there be a greater focus on seatwork and worksheets?

The focus will not be on more worksheets or seatwork. The children are provided with more
opportunity to play, explore and learn through developmentally appropriate instructional
strategies and groupings depending upon needs and interests.

What about the children who will be tired from the full day?
It is a possibility that some children may be tired at first. Programming in both programs in the
afternoon is tailored to meet student needs at that time. Opportunities for rest and/or quiet
times may be provided as well as opportunities for more hands-on and physical activities.
Flexibility is the key.

What about supervision during the lunch hour?

A lunchtime supervisor is assigned to supervise children who will be staying at school for lunch.
The classroom teacher will establish rules, expectations and routines with the supervisor and
the children regarding noontime procedures. Staying for lunch at school is a privilege and
parents will be contacted if there are any difficulties.