Young children are naturally curious to learn and have an innate desire to be active participants in their learning. The Early Learning Program at St Catherine’s offers the children a myriad of opportunities within the indoor and outdoor learning programs, as well as weekly specialist classes to develop dispositions for learning. Children are presented with a range of experiences that are carefully planned and designed to develop and enhance their learning. The sounds and sights of children exploring, wondering and making new discoveries is evident to see throughout Campbell House on a daily basis.

The Early Years Learning Framework for Australia details specific outcomes in relation to learning that Educators work towards with children during their time in the Early Learning Centre.

Learning Outcome 4 – Children are confident and involved learners

4.1 Children develop dispositions for learning such as curiosity, cooperation, confidence, creativity, commitment, enthusiasm, persistence, imagination and reflexivity.

4.2 Children develop a range of skills and processes such as problem solving, enquiry, experimentation, hypothesising, researching and investigating.

4.3 Children transfer and adapt what they have learned from one context to another.

4.4 Children resource their own learning through connecting with people, place, technologies and natural and processed materials.

Children use processes such as exploration, investigation, collaboration and problem solving through all aspects of the Early Learning Program. Developing dispositions such as curiosity, persistence and creativity enables children to participate in and gain from learning. Effective learners are able to transfer what they have learned from one context to another, and also begin to discover where and how to resource their own learning.

Children develop understandings of themselves and their world through active, hands-on investigation. It is important that they are provided many opportunities to play, explore and discover using all of their senses. This is how they commence to make sense of their world as well as building their understanding of concepts, creative thinking and inquiry processes – foundations for lifelong learning.

Our aim is for children to become confident and engaged learners over time. This enables the children to develop and increasingly take responsibility for their own learning, personal regulation and contribution to the social environment.

As Educators, we look forward to the children’s individual and group learning evolving over the course of the year. It always wonderful to observe children making new discoveries and connecting with the world around them.

Perceptual Motor Program

We look forward to the commencement of the Perceptual Motor Program (PMP) next term. All ELC classes will participate in PMP classes on Mondays with Mrs Jenny De Nardis. This offers a great opportunity for the children to develop their physical skills in relation to balance, strength, coordination, locomotion and spatial awareness. We do require parent assistance to implement the PMP program. If you are able to help out, please write your name on the PMP roster in your child’s classroom. Parents are reminded that you do need to upload a copy of your Working with Children Check card to your child’s Operoo profile in order to participate.

School Holiday Break

I would like to take this opportunity to wish our Early Learning Centre families a Happy Easter. I hope that you have a safe and relaxing holiday break. We look forward to the children returning to Campbell House for the commencement of Term 2 on Monday 19 April.

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Out of School Hours Care

St Catherine’s School offers an Out of School Hours Care program to all ELC and Junior School families. The program is implemented by our provider ‘After the Bell’, and operates within the ELC building. Parents are reminded that if you need to use the Before School Care or After School Care service, registrations need to be made in advance with ‘After the Bell’. Please allow up to five business days for your registration to be processed before your child can begin attending the program. Registration is free. All families are encouraged to register so that you can use this service in the event that you are unable to pick up your child.

Before School Care – 7.00am to 8.45am

After School Care – 3.00pm to 6.00pm

Registrations can be completed via the ‘After the Bell’ website https://afterthebell.com.au/register-now/

Please phone 9758 6744 for all enquiries