ELC Educational Program

All children have the right to access an Early Childhood Educational program which is of an Exceeding standard, while equipping each child with the knowledge, skills, and opportunity to reach their full potential. Our Educational Program is child centred and aims to impart values that are lifelong, enabling the child to develop a sound moral compass, an ethical mindset, and the curiosity to continue learning throughout life. This is developed using the Early Years Learning Framework V2.0 to form the basis of our curriculum and teaching decisions. All elements of the Centre philosophy echo the importance of a holistic, responsive, and authentic learning environment.

Belonging, Being, Becoming

What do these words mean to you? At Avondale Early Learning Centre these three words form the foundation of our programs, as educators facilitate learning and development through intentional positive relationships. Educators engage children in learning to develop the child’s sense of:

Belonging

To develop ownership, citizenship, interdependence, shared experiences, and respect.

Being 

To be themselves, celebrate individuality, create, and experiment.

Becoming

To build identity, confidence, independence, and growth.

Our Program

Our play-based program is designed to ensure that all children have the opportunity to learn in a variety of ways, using a wide range of contexts. Children learn through individual, small, and large group experiences. 

Learning through hands-on play often extends into Project Based Learning, which allows our ELC children to explore an area of interest in a very intentional and ongoing manner as they investigate all the elements that feed into that topic. Our play-based program incorporates the 5 outcome areas of the Early Years Learning Framework V2.0, challenging children to use a broad range of skills, including but not limited to, literacy, numeracy, creative arts, STEAM skills, and physical play. The benefit of this kind of learning is that it is child focused and allows for different stages of development. 

Our extensive outdoor area allows for the learning to freely flow from indoors into our outdoor spaces that include natural elements such as grass, tree, rocks, sand, vegetable patches, and our ‘nature area’ which includes our wonderful climbing tree. These spaces incorporate opportunities for children to challenge their physicality through safe risk play and exploring the diversity or nature in their own playground.

Transition to School Program

Being a part of an ELC to Year 12 school campus allows us many opportunities to extend our children’s learning with regular real-world experiences. Each week, we visit different areas of the campus as part of our school transition experiences, helping ELC children build confidence in the school learning environment and develop connections with members of our teaching team. The three regular areas we explore are our iCentre (Library), Music Room and PDHPE program.

iCentre (School Library) 

As part of the Literacy program led by the School Teacher Librarian, our ELC children participate in the literacy program, promoting language and communication development through a variety of techniques. This learning is then extended and embedded within our regular ELC program. 

Music Program

Throughout the School Music program, our ELC children have the opportunity to explore the connection between music and social and emotional wellbeing. They also learn about how music is created and how it can be used as a form of expression and communication.

PDHPE Program 

Within the School PDHPE program, children have the opportunity to learn and develop foundational movement skills, as well as experience a variety of team sports. Concepts such as sportsmanship, adaptability, and resilience feature strongly in this program.