Early Learning

Our ELC operates as a long day care service, five days a week, 7.30am to 6.00pm, 48 weeks per year.

Celebration Night - Monday 7 December 2020 5.15 - 6.00pm at Adelaide West Uniting Church
Last Day of ELC 2020 - Friday 11 December 2020
First Day of ELC 2021 - Wednesday 13 January 2021

Our long day care includes a four-year-old preschool (or kindergarten) program that meets all the requirements of children transitioning into school. Preschool children are required to attend the Centre at least two days each week. Two teachers, qualified with a Masters in Education, oversee the planning and implementation of the three and four-year-old preschool program

The South Australian Government has entitled all children to attend preschool for up to 15 hours a week, (equivalent to two days per week) over 40 weeks of one calendar year. The 40 weeks are scheduled at the same time as school term dates.

Our standard four year old preschool program operates daily from approximately 8.30am to 3pm. However, all children are able to enrol for additional hours through the long day care service which operates Monday to Friday between 7.30am and 6pm.

Children may begin in the long day care program prior to the preschool program, and also remain in the long day care program at the conclusion of the preschool program.

Find out more about preschool at SA Government's website.

We offer breakfast for children arriving before 8.10am.

Children are required to bring a packed lunch.

Each ELC Class will have no more than 20 children on any given day.
Our ELC is run by qualified educators and teachers offering the industry standard educator / child ratio of 1:10.

Our high quality educational program offers a balance of incursions and excursions similar to school opportunities:

• Incursions - performances and guest speakers visiting the centre
• Excursions - such as a visit to the central market, local park or the road safety school.

Children are inspired to engage with and in the natural environment God created. The ELC environment is intentionally set up with a balance between indoor and outdoor space, fixed and movable items, to engage in learning. These play-based learning opportunities inspire learning and develop a sense of risk taking and problem solving.

We offer flexibility for children to navigate and engage with a variety of materials that foster curiosity and develop a sense of well-being wonder, as a pathway to the STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering, Mathematics) inquiry process.

The following aspects of the Reggio Emilia approach will be prioritised:

• The learning environment is seen as a third educator supporting a rich depth of learning and opportunity. This means teachers are very strategic in the way they create opportunities for children to engage in learning experiences on a daily basis.
• Learning is expressed in many different ways e.g. dance, literacy, painting, making, block building, etc
• Children’s own interests are embraced providing opportunities to further develop and enrich learning at a deeper level.
• Children’s prior knowledge is highly valued. The Centre’s culture is enriched as children share information about their own lives. Their relationship with God and each other is prioritized and highly valued in the pursuit of building community.
• Children’s curiosity is encouraged. Children are encouraged to ask questions and engage in inquiry as part of the learning process.
• Emotional intelligence is developed and nurtured through social development that values a sense of class community. Children are encouraged to think of others, respect others opinions, develop responsibilities, contribute to a loving and caring community.
• Learning is documented to reflect the learning process and cognitive understandings.