ELC

Welcome to the Early Learning Centre

We are delighted to welcome you to Ballarat Clarendon College Early Learning Centre and look forward to working with you as your child takes the next step on their learning journey.

At the ELC we recognise that kindergarten is a unique stage in a young child's development, where the child will develop increased awareness of self and their place in the world.

Through a play-based program that is family-centred and child-initiated we provide opportunities for individuals to develop skills across all areas by accessing a range of activities and experiences.

Philosophy of Early Childhood Learning

In the Early Learning Centre at Ballarat Clarendon College we encourage the development of the whole child. Providing a strong foundation from which children can grow to become active participants in life-long learning forms the basis of our philosophy.

The program is designed to encompass all areas of development including cognitive, social, emotional, physical, communication and language. The focus is on continuity, possibilities and relationships. Throughout the year play is a key aspect of the program. Research indicates that much of a child's early learning is achieved through play, a belief strongly supported by philosophers, early childhood educators and psychologists. (Vygotsky 1978; Malaguzzi 1994; Tishman & Perkins 1997-2000)

A child's active participation in the program will provide opportunities for them to:

develop confidence in themselves and their ability to learn
demonstrate curiosity and the ability to focus their attention
acquire skills in communicating
develop social skills and abilities which enable them to relate to others
remain true to their individual natures, being free to develop their own potential.

By allowing a child to have options we implicitly communicate that we believe in them and their ability.

Central to our philosophy of early childhood are the beliefs that:

all aspects of development are interrelated
growth and learning are continuous processes
each individual child is worthy of respect and encouragement.

We believe that it is more likely that a child will develop positive self-concepts in an environment which provides for personal acceptance and successful achievement and that this, in turn, will assist with their development in all other areas.

Within our program we provide opportunities for a child to:

freely explore and make decisions for themselves and solve problems
engage in a variety of developmentally appropriate activities which are stimulating and challenging
extend their abilities
develop a love for literature and music
ask questions and practise freedom of speech
acknowledge emotions
express themselves creatively using 100 languages
develop independence
respect the rights and feelings of others
adapt to change.

We make a commitment to respect a child's individual needs, differences and developmental levels. We recognise the importance of monitoring their development and setting appropriate objectives to extend their abilities. We respect the role and rights of parents/guardians and hope to develop harmonious partnerships with families to work together as a team.

Above all, it is our belief that kindergarten should be fun and that we should protect a child's rights to celebrate and engage in being aged three, four or five.

The ELC Program

The activities we plan for the children, and the way we organise the classroom, select equipment and materials, plan the daily routine, and relate to the children, are all designed to allow each child to learn at their own pace and in the ways that are best for them.

Each activity or experience that is planned for the child targets the developmental areas and also focuses on 'curriculum areas' such as literacy, mathematics, science, music, drama, art, environment and sustainability.

We aim to balance the environment and the types of experiences that we provide, including:

indoor/outdoor
busy/quiet
open/closed
individual/small-group/large-group
child-initiated/teacher-initiated
direct/indirect instruction.

The daily program will be displayed in individual rooms for the information of parents. Within these programs specific interests and ideas of both individuals and the group will be documented.

A child's strengths and interests provide the basis for projects which often are developed as mini-enquiries, selected, explored and researched by the children.

Session Times

3-year-old Program (Sessional Hours)		3-year-old Program (Extended Hours)
Monday Wednesday Friday	1.30pm - 3.30pm 1.30pm - 3.30pm 8.30am - 11am Total 6.5 hours	Monday Tuesday Thursday Friday	8.30am - 12.15pm 1.15pm - 3.30pm 8.30am - 11.30am 12pm - 3.30pm Total 12.5 hours

4-year-old Program (Sessional Hours)		4-year-old Program (Extended Hours)
Tuesday Wednesday Thursday Friday	8.30am - 12.15pm 8.30am - 12.15pm 12.30pm - 3.30pm 8.30am - 1.30pm Total 15.5 hours	Monday Tuesday Wednesday Thursday	8.30am - 3pm 8.30am - 3pm 8.30am - 3pm 8.30am - 3pm Total 26 hours

Please note

There will be modified session times for the start of Term 1, to support all children to make a smooth transition.
When there are timetable changes throughout the year (either to times, or attendance) due to excursions/special events or exeats, parents will be notified.