Early childhood education
All activities and routines at our Early Learning Centre are planned to provide for holistic and meaningful learning outcomes to best connect with and support each child and their family. Specific consideration is given to individual stages of age and development of our children and their different interests, abilities and needs.
‘Early childhood education is the key to the betterment of society.’
Maria Montessori
Educational programs and practice (QA1)
We incorporate the Early Years Learning Framework – Belonging, Being & Becoming for our children in Baby Nest, Toddler Nest, Junior Nest and Pre-Kindy and the Queensland Kindergarten Learning Guideline for our children in Kindergarten. In addition, aspects of Nature Play and influences of play based learning theories are part of our daily routines and activities for all children.
Across our Junior Nest, Pre-Kindy and Kindergarten we implement regular outings and the children explore the campus of Caloundra City Private School. Here the children join in weekly visits to the Library (Pre-Kindy and Kindergarten), the Sports Hall and are immersed in exploration of the surrounding bushland, permaculture garden and the additional playgrounds and oval the school campus has to offer.
Routines
Every group incorporates individual meal times and rest times and provides for different indoor and outdoor, play-based learning activities. In the mornings and afternoons – and whenever required to support siblings – children across different age groups are also able to spend time together during family grouping (usually before 8:30am and after 5pm). The main aspects of planned learning activities and routines occur in between 8:30am and 3pm across all groups. We encourage all children to attend during these times to be able to settle in and benefit most from what is planned on a daily basis.
Highly qualified Teachers and Educators
Our early learning programs are overseen by our Educational Leader to ensure a well-rounded curriculum that allows all the children in Pelicans Nest Early Learning Centre to shine. Our Pre-Kindy and Kindergarten Room programs are taught by degree qualified Early Childhood Teachers.
Educators draw inspiration from theorists such as Maria Montessori, Friedrich Froebel, Lori Malaguzzi, Lev Vygotsky and Claire Warden when planning their programs and routines.
Our team is as diverse as the community of families and children we welcome into our service. In addition to formal qualifications, our Educators and Teachers also hold current First Aid, CPR, Asthma and Anaphylaxis as well as Child Protection certificates.
Facilities
Our rooms are all large and open spaces, with plenty of natural light flowing through; they are air-conditioned and have direct access to our large outdoor environments. We set up them up meaningfully and re-arrange them as required to cater for the different age groups and developing interests to scaffold learning. We incorporate mainly wooden furniture and a variety of different and sustainable resources to provide for a large range of activities helping children to develop social, cognitive, creative, language and communication, fine and gross motor as well as early literacy and numeracy skills.
