Early childhood education minister officially opens new KindiLink building at Katanning Primary School

The red ribbon was officially cut to open Katanning’s long-awaited new KindiLink facility, which offers families a unique hands-on early education experience. Early Childhood Education Minister Sabine Winton officially opened Katanning Primary School’s purpose-built KindiLink facility during a ceremony on July 9 with school staff, students, KindiLink families, and representatives from the Shire of Katanning and the Department of Education. Since it started at the school in 2016, about 800 children have been part of Katanning’s KindiLink program, which previously operated from two junior classrooms that didn’t include a bathroom, kitchen, or direct access to the outside play area. Offered in 38 State public schools and part of the Early Years Partnership, KindiLink is a free program to educate Indigenous families on play-based learning by guiding children into activities that develop crucial academic and social foundations to help the transition into formal schooling. Completed a $160,000 investment from the Department of Education, the facility includes a kitchenette, bathrooms, storage facilities, and a fenced-off outdoor play space. Ms Winton said KindiLink was precious and centred on building relationships and joining families to establish a fantastic early experience around learning and development. “We’re here to celebrate and open a brand new KindiLink building for the important work that we know KindiLink has done in Katanning for a long, long time,” she said. “The heart of KindiLink is forging that important positive partnership between family, child, and learning environments. “At the heart of KindiLink is joining parents and families with children to ensure our young children have the best possible start in life.” KindiLink program manager Lita Collard said KindiLink had been in the building for four weeks before the official opening, and all the staff and families loved it. “It’s been an initiative set up for Indigenous families but we’ve gone in and opened it up so everyone can work together and become one in the community,” Ms Collard said. “This place is now a sense of belonging, it’s enclosed and we have our area we can play in where before we didn’t. “KindiLink is important because we’re working with families, building their confidence, and setting up routines for those children when ready to go to school.”