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The Early Learning Centre aims to instil a sense of excitement and wonder about the world, giving the children the courage to explore, investigate and experiment.

Early Learning Centre

Expansion of the Early Learning Centre.

Strathcona is excited to announce the expansion of its Early Learning Centre. In 2009, in addition to the current full-time Pre-Prep classes, 3 & 4 year old sessional kindergarten programs will commence in newly renovated classrooms. There will be options of either 2 days or 3 days per week with before and aftercare available. The children will be encouraged to explore, question and discover new things. They will be challenged by stimulating programs to commence their educational journey.

For further information please contact: Joanne Wilson, Director of Enrolments & Marketing.
Ph: +61 3 8779 7500 Email: registrar@strathcona.vic.edu.au

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The ELC Program aims to instil a sense of excitement and wonder about the world, giving the children the courage to explore, investigate and experiment.

Our commitment is to bring together the child, their family and the school in a cooperative and supportive partnership, working towards a year of fulfilment and growth. Parents are a vital and continuing influence and are their child’s first teachers. By sharing in the knowledge of the child’s background and past experiences, we are able to provide a program that is both meaningful and respectful of each child’s individuality.

A well-balanced program is offered encompassing all areas of development. Through a variety of stimulating materials, activities and exciting child-initiated projects, the teacher is a facilitator of the children’s exploration. Our practices are influenced by Howard Gardner’s theory of Multiple Intelligences, Vygotsky and the philosophy of Reggio Emilia. The ELC program is organised to incorporate these in a curriculum matched to the needs of the children.

Children’s work and learning are carefully documented and children’s play episodes and artistic creations are supported and extended by teachers through the use of photographs, text, displays and folios. This not only enhances the children’s learning but also brings to life the children’s daily experiences for the parents.

Play is vital to the development of the growing child. In the ELC there are endless opportunities to practise life skills, develop thinking and representational skills and make sense of the world through investigation, exploration and role-play. Convergent thinking skills are developed through task oriented play materials and divergent thinking is developed through open-ended play.

Valuable opportunities to assert individuality, experience pride and to cooperate are woven into the program. Through discussions children are encouraged to develop an understanding of cause and effect, solve problems and develop planning skills.

Literacy development

Children with good oral language skills are known to have an increased chance of developing sound early literacy skills. Therefore, the program is rich in language opportunities and the children’s linguistic development is carefully monitored. Individual students are encouraged and guided to express meaning clearly, tell a simple story, respond appropriately and learn new vocabulary. Suitable materials at the appropriate developmental level support reading and writing and there is always a literacy activity in the Program. Weekly visits to the library or from Library staff enable children to enjoy listening to stories and choose books to take home.

The literacy program is further enriched by investigation into letters, sounds and names and the written word.

Art activities

To develop creative expression, the children are encouraged to freely use material for painting, drawing, collage and modelling. Through daily classroom experiences and weekly art lessons with a specialist teacher (Pre-Prep only), children are provided with the means to express ideas and to communicate thoughts and feelings.

Problem solving

Children are natural investigators, exploring, experimenting and problem solving to discover how and why things work. They are also mathematicians who want to identify relationships between objects and to create order in activities. The children are helped to express and develop their logical/mathematical intelligence as they solve problems throughout the day. The ability to understand the basic properties of numbers is introduced through discussions and small group activity in directed play.

Play and movement

Healthy children of this age have lots of energy and love to actively explore their own environment, engage in play and express themselves through movement. The children are encouraged to develop fine and gross motor skills through role-play, dance and construction activities, as well as weekly swimming lessons in Pre-Prep and the Perceptual Motor Program. Experiences are provided daily both indoors and outdoors for the children to develop awareness of space, balance, strength and body control.

Music

Music is a natural expression of young children. They love to sing and experiment with sound.

Pre-Prep children attend weekly sessions with the music specialist and all children participate in music activities with their classroom teacher. These activities allow for the development of musicality through singing, playing instruments and experiencing a range of music. Opportunities are provided to perform at concerts and assemblies.

Social skills development

Intrapersonal intelligence is developed when children are provided with opportunities to express their own emotions and wishes. The ELC offers a valuable opportunity for the children to develop an understanding of their own desires and feelings and how best to communicate those to others. Also through guided discussion, sharing of stories, role play and modelling, children develop an awareness of the feelings of others and how to negotiate the best outcome for themselves and their friends in play. Through these experiences children develop positive self-confidence, self-discipline and self-understanding.

Young scientists

Children are budding scientists and naturalists. They keenly explore the outdoors and love to share their discoveries. Within the classroom, books, visuals and props related to the natural world are provided to enhance their understanding of the environment. The children’s learning is facilitated by in-depth short and long-term projects in which responding, recording, playing, exploring, hypothesis building, testing and synthesising occur.

The working environment is not only child-centred but also aesthetically pleasing. An abundance of sunlight through large windows, natural furnishings and healthy green plants combine to form a most pleasant and peaceful ‘living-room’ for learning, which all who experience our ELC comment on and appreciate.

Weekly Specialist Lessons

Music

The specialist teacher offers a Kodaly based program that features singing games around which music skills are developed. Children use tuned and untuned percussion instruments and explore movement to music.

Art

The Art program provides children with the opportunity to explore different media such as paint, clay, collage etc. Various techniques are introduced and the children’s observational skills are encouraged and broadened. Art appreciation is covered through observing older children’s artwork and literature.

Library

The library specialist promotes the development of the children’s imagination and creativity and the ability to acquire knowledge. They are introduced to a range of authors and literary genres and learn to predict events, understand sequence, develop story-telling abilities and refine visual discrimination skills. The borrowing program encourages children to extend their love of books.

Swimming

Children participate in the Swimming Program with a Year 10 student as a buddy during first semester. A range of activities helps to develop familiarity with and confidence in a relaxed, enjoyable and supportive environment. An added bonus is the development of the positive relationship between the “Big Sister” and the Pre-Prep child.

During second semester the children are placed into smaller ability groups for swimming. The lessons are taught by the School’s Physical Education staff and greater emphasis is placed on stroke development.

Perceptual Motor Program (PMP)

PMP is designed especially to promote body control and strengthen muscles in children. Additionally, it aims to develop co-ordination and ball skills. A specialist PE teacher runs the program and parents are encouraged to participate and assist children at an activity station.

Pre-Prep Involvement with Junior School

The Pre-Prep children are very much a part of Junior School. They enjoy shared time with older girls in assembles and buddy programs with Year 6 students. Through regular activities with Junior School staff and in the Junior School itself, the children become familiar with a primary school setting and its expectations.

3 & 4 Year Old Specialist Programs

Physical Education/PMP

A specialist teacher will take the 3 & 4-year-old groups for the Physical Education program. The classroom teacher will also encompass physical activities in the daily program.

Library

The Library staff will visit the children and they will have an opportunity to borrow books on a weekly basis from the Junior School library.

Art & Music

Art and music will be incorporated in the children’s daily activities with the classroom teacher. The children will enjoy using different and varied mediums for art and develop their musical skills over the year.

Hours of Operation

Pre-Prep Program

• Drop off – between 8.45 am and 9 am
• Class commences at 9 am and concludes at 3.15pm
• (A staggered intake operates at the beginning of the year.)

3 & 4 Year Old Program

• Drop off – between 8.45am and 9am
• Class commences at 9 am and concludes at 3pm
• (A staggered intake operates at the beginning of the year.)

Pre-Prep and 3 & 4 Year Old Program

• Before school care from 8am
• After school care until 6pm

Fee Structure

• 3 & 4 Year Old (2 day) Program – $4,800 pa
• 3 & 4 Year Old (3 day) Program – $7,200 pa
• Pre-Prep (5 days) Program – $12,000 pa

Application for ELC Enrolment

1. Application for the ELC must be made on the School’s ’ application form together with the application fee of $50.00. While application is a prerequisite for admission, it is not a guarantee of admission.
2. Application for Prep – Year 12 must be made on a separate application form.
3. An Extract of Birth (or similar documentary evidence of date of birth) must accompany the Application Form.
4. Priority will be given to staff, current families and families intending to enrol their daughter in Prep for the following year.