What is the difference between CPEs and kindergarten for 4-year-olds?

The educational activities offered in both environments are generally similar, as the programs for CPEs (link in French) and kindergarten for 4-year-olds both aim to promote a child’s overall development and assist them with any social or academic difficulties.

Both CPE educators and kindergarten teachers follow their respective programs and plan activities that focus on developing children’s language, cognitive, motor, social, and emotional skills.

Kindergarten for 4-year-olds is intended to complement educational childcare services by allowing kids with adaptation and learning difficulties to enter the school system earlier. It is particularly beneficial for children who have never gone to daycare. In addition, while children in kindergarten for 4-year-olds attend classes in a school, attendance is not mandatory.

As educational childcare centers, CPEs aim to provide all children with an equal opportunity to succeed.

In kindergarten for 4-year-olds, teachers have a four-year bachelor’s degree in early childhood education and elementary school education that includes two or three courses specifically focused on the former.

For their part, daycare workers have a technical diploma or an attestation of collegial studies that includes up to 1,600 hours of training on working with children aged 0 to 5.

Schools offer a number of specialized services (speech therapy, remedial instruction, psychology, etc.), whereas in CPEs, these services are offered in collaboration with community organizations. In both cases, access varies from one institution to another.

In terms of design, classroom furniture and play areas in CPEs, which serve children from infancy to age 5, are generally better suited to 4-year-olds than those provided in schools, which cater to kids aged 4 to 12. That said, some schools have a playground area reserved for kindergarteners aged 4 and 5, furnished with equipment appropriate for smaller children.

Children in kindergarten for 4-year-olds may be around older children (for instance, in common areas of the school), while children in CPEs will spend time with younger children and infants. 

In terms of schedules, kindergarteners follow a typical school schedule, though they may start later than other groups. CPEs, on the other hand, generally accept children from 7 a.m. to 6 p.m. You can sign your child up for their school’s daycare service for a fee if you need care in the morning, in the afternoon, after school, or on ped days.

Also note that kindergartens are closed during summer vacation and on ped days, which means parents need to plan ahead and find day camps for their kids. CPEs, meanwhile, usually stay open in the summer.

Group size also differs between the two services: CPEs usually have 1 educator for every 10 children, whereas kindergarten classes have 1 teacher for every 17 children (or, if there is a resource person in the class, 1 adult for every 9 children).

CPEs are non-profit organizations overseen by the Ministère de la Famille and administered mostly by parent users. Kindergartens are overseen by school service centers, which are under the responsibility of the Ministère de l’Éducation.

At the time of writing, CPEs cost $8.70 per day, per child, year-round. Kindergarten for 4-year-olds is free to attend, but parents must still pay for things like school supplies, daycare, snacks, and lunches.

Since schools are not open in the summer, parents must make alternate arrangements during these months. Enrollment for kindergarten for 4-year-olds generally opens in February, at the same time as regular kindergarten enrollment. It is best to register your child before schools close for the summer at the end of June.

With all this information in hand, you should be able to make the right decision for you and your child. This comparison table provides an overview of the main similarities and differences between the two services.