Boundary Lane
Our rooms have names from the Eora (or Sydney) Language of the Gadigal people.
Birrung
The Nursery (Birth-2 year olds) is Birrung (bir-rong) which means “star”.
Yanada
The Toddler room (2-3 year olds) is known as Yanada (yen-na-dah) which means “moon”.
Guwing
Our Preschool room (3-5 year olds) is Guwing (Go-ing) which means “sun”.
Communication with Families
A number of methods are available to facilitate communication between families and educators:
- A Communication Book/Diary is available in each room for families to write notes, messages, holiday dates, etc.
- Telephones in each room provide direct access to educators.
- Each room has their own email.
- Regular monthly newsletters inform families about rooms and the centre.
- Regular emails are sent to parents, as well as providing a means for parents to report absences, request extra days, etc.
- Kinderloop is the digital software program we are using for planning, programming, sharing information and communicating with families.
Program
Our program links directly to the Early Years Learning Framework (EYLF), which is a curriculum document used in Early Childhood Education and Care (ECEC) settings. EYLF guides teachers and educators in planning for children in ECEC settings. There are five main learning outcomes within the EYLF, supported by a number of more specific outcomes within each. We use these learning outcomes to guide and inform our practice throughout the year, and work towards them in a number of ways.
BLCC highly qualified educators are able to plan and program for individual children’s needs, knowledge, skills, interests and strengths etc. and support their learning and development in all areas. We use the digital platform KinderLoop (KL) as a communication tool for documenting children’s learning, programming, and sharing information with families. Each room upload weekly program on KL and display them on the window/door for families and visitors to view. Educators upload daily dairies to summarise children’s daily activities and learning experiences on KL on a daily basis where families can see children’s photos and events significant to each room. Families can share photos and news from home to share with educators via KL. Planning cycle will also be completed monthly for each child individually or in a small group, containing learning stories and/or observations, pedagogical documentation, and a more detailed analysis of their own learning, learning dispositions and development. Families can provide feedback and comments on children’s posts via KL. We complete children’s summative assessment biannually, which summarise children’s current interests, skills, learning and development across all learning areas.
Transition to School
We integrate various aspects of ‘school readiness’ to our program in Guwing across the year. This intensifies towards the end of each year, when we hold ‘lunchbox weeks’, undertake excursions to local primary schools, and include many aspects of “big school” in our day to day activities (this may include experiences involving books about school, many formal and informal discussions about what to expect at school, activities focussed on self-help skills, lunchtime nutrition, social skills in the playground, etc). Literacy and numeracy are not specifically focussed on within this Transition program as these are present in our program every day, woven into daily experiences, as well as part of larger, ongoing projects. Aspects of literacy and numeracy are made accessible to both younger and older children in Guwing.
All centre rooms follow a routine that is similar, yet flexible and responsive to the age ranges of children. Learning experiences are intended, and inherent in routine times and tasks. Indoor/outdoor play is simultaneously available for most of the day (barring Sleep Times in the middle of the day), weather permitting.