Planning

Teaching Kindergarten in Western Australia can sometimes feel like a balancing act – keeping learning playful while also meeting curriculum expectations, supporting every child’s needs, and building strong relationships with families. The Western Australian Kindergarten Curriculum Guidelines (WAKCG) are designed to make that balance easier. They connect directly to the Early Years Learning Framework (EYLF) Version 2.0 and translate its big-picture vision into practical, WA-specific strategies you can use right away in your classroom.

In this guide, we’ll walk through what the WAKCG are, how they connect to the EYLF V2.0, and how you can use them in your planning cycle. You’ll also find practical WA outcome-based activity ideas that you can adapt for your group of learners, so you feel confident knowing your program is both engaging and curriculum-aligned.

What Are the WA Kindergarten Curriculum Guidelines?

The WAKCG are published by the School Curriculum and Standards Authority (SCSA) to guide teaching and learning in WA Kindergarten classrooms. They provide a clear framework for ensuring that every child is supported in their learning, development, and wellbeing during this important foundation year.

They:

• Support children’s learning, development, and wellbeing
• Align directly with the EYLF V2.0
• Provide WA-specific examples and strategies for intentional teaching
• Support smooth transition to the WA Pre-primary Curriculum

Because they are designed for all WA Kindergarten settings – government, Catholic, and independent schools – the Guidelines work in a wide variety of contexts. They aren’t meant to restrict your teaching but to give you a strong base to build a rich, engaging, and inclusive program that reflects your own teaching style and the needs of your children.

How the WAKCG Connect to the EYLF V2.0

The EYLF gives us the “why” – a national vision for what high-quality early childhood education looks like – and the WAKCG provide the “how” for WA classrooms. This means that when you use the Guidelines, you’re automatically working within the EYLF framework but with examples, strategies, and outcome descriptions that are tailored to WA’s educational context.

The EYLF V2.0 includes:

• Vision: Belonging, Being and Becoming
• Principles: Respectful relationships, equity and inclusion, embedding Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander perspectives, and sustainability
• Practices: Play-based, intentional, inclusive teaching
• Learning Outcomes: Five broad goals for children’s learning and development

This connection helps ensure your planning is both nationally recognised and locally relevant, giving you the confidence that you’re meeting the needs of your children while following recognised best practice. Click To See the EYLF v2.0

Structure of the WA Kindergarten Curriculum Guidelines

The WA Kindergarten Guidelines are designed to make planning and teaching more intentional while still leaving plenty of room for creativity and flexibility. They are organised to help you:

1. Apply the principles and practices of high-quality early childhood education
2. Work towards the five WA-aligned learning outcomes
3. Follow the six-phase planning cycle for intentional teaching
4. Adapt activity examples and reflective questions for your classroom

By following this structure, you can create programs that are purposeful, engaging, and responsive to the interests and needs of your group.

Using the WAKCG in Your Classroom

One of the best things about the WAKCG is their flexibility. You can use the examples exactly as they are, adapt them to suit your own context, or create new ideas that reflect your group’s interests and experiences. This means your Kindergarten program will always be unique to your class while still working towards the same learning outcomes.

Every child comes to Kindergarten with different strengths, experiences, and needs. The Guidelines acknowledge this and recognise that children will achieve the outcomes in their own way and in their own time. This gives you the freedom to personalise learning while keeping it aligned with the curriculum.

The Planning Cycle Made Simple

The planning cycle outlined in the WAKCG might sound formal at first, but in reality, it’s simply a process that many teachers are already doing instinctively. It helps you keep track of children’s learning and plan with intention.

1. Observe & Document – Notice children’s play, conversations, and interactions, and record what you see
2. Analyse – Think about what your observations tell you about each child’s learning and development
3. Plan – Create activities and experiences that build on those strengths and next steps
4. Enact – Put your plan into action, staying flexible so you can follow the children’s lead
5. Assess – Track progress through ongoing observation and documentation
6. Evaluate & Reflect – Consider what worked well, what could be improved, and what should come next

When used consistently, the planning cycle helps you make decisions that are responsive, intentional, and based on real evidence of children’s learning.

Tips for Using the WAKCG Successfully

Using the Western Australian Kindergarten Curriculum Guidelines successfully means finding the sweet spot between having a plan and being flexible. While a clear program keeps you on track, some of the most powerful learning happens when you follow the children’s lead or respond to unexpected opportunities. Partnering with families adds depth to your program, as they bring skills, cultural traditions, and experiences that connect learning to children’s lives.

Here are a few ways to make the most of the WAKCG in your teaching:

• Blend planning and spontaneity – Have a clear plan, but be ready to pivot when children’s curiosity sparks a new direction.
• Collaborate with families – Invite parents and carers to share stories, skills, and cultural knowledge.
• Reflect your community – Include books, images, and resources that represent the cultures, languages, and backgrounds of your class.
• Showcase learning – Display photos, children’s work, and their own words to make progress visible and celebrated.
• Make reflection a habit – Spend a few minutes each day thinking about what worked well and what you might change for tomorrow.

By combining intentional planning with these practical strategies, you’ll create a Kindergarten program that’s both structured and responsive, ensuring every child’s strengths, interests, and cultural identity are at the heart of their learning.

FAQs About the WA Kindergarten Curriculum Guidelines

Q: Do I have to follow the WAKCG exactly?
A: No – they’re flexible. Adapt them to your setting while working towards the outcomes.

Q: How do they help with planning?
A: They give you a clear planning cycle, WA-specific outcome indicators, and adaptable ideas.

Q: Are they the same as the EYLF?
A: They’re based on EYLF V2.0 but tailored for WA Kindergarten contexts.

Q: Where can I access the WAKCG?
A: The full WAKCG, along with supporting materials, can be downloaded from the School Curriculum and Standards Authority (SCSA) website. You’ll find the complete document, learning outcome summaries, and other helpful resources for WA Kindergarten educators. Visit the SCSA website’s Kindergarten Curriculum Guidelines section here: https://www.scsa.wa.edu.au

Final Thoughts

The Western Australian Kindergarten Curriculum Guidelines are a practical, supportive framework for planning a Kindergarten year that is both purposeful and flexible. They’re designed to help you create meaningful learning experiences that reflect the needs, strengths, and interests of your children while keeping your program aligned with state and national expectations.

To make that process even easier, we’ve created the WAKCG Planning Support Checklist – a form-fillable tool designed specifically for WA Kindergarten educators. This isn’t a list of things you “must” teach. Instead, it’s a reflection and tracking tool to help you ensure each WAKCG outcome has been thoughtfully considered in your planning.

What’s included:

• All five WAKCG Learning Outcomes
• Outcomes broken into Focus points from the Guidelines
• Examples of how each component might be reflected in your planning with activity ideas & links to WA curriculum (not a to-do list)
• Space for your own notes, reflections, and observations
• Checkboxes to track when outcomes and components have been considered

How to use it:

• Open with Adobe Acrobat Reader (free version) to type directly into the form, or print for handwritten use
• Refer to it during program development, weekly planning, or reflection meetings
• Share with your teaching team for consistency and alignment
• Keep it in your planning folder or digital files for ongoing reference

This tool supports intentional, informed planning that reflects the WAKCG – not compliance-based programming. It’s there to help you think deeply about how each outcome is embedded and demonstrated across a variety of experiences and contexts.

Download the WAKCG Planning Support Checklist below to make your planning more intentional, reflective, and truly connected to the Guidelines.